Carlsbad Library :: Writer-to-Writer—Congratulations Pierre S.!

Writer-to-Writer—Congratulations Pierre S.!

Learning Connections: March/April 2015

The results are in! The Writer to Writer Challenge, sponsored by the Southern California Library Literacy Network (SCLLN), wrapped up this year with a record number of entries—80—and the quality of the letters was amazing! We are so proud of all of the learners who wrote letters.

Writers, tutors, coordinators and their guests gathered at a wonderful brunch held Saturday, March 7, at the Radisson in Newport Beach. The winners read their letters, and winners and runners-up each received a cash prize and a certificate. All writers received a certificate of participation.

Congratulations to Pierre S., “P.J. Rock,” from Literacy Services who won first place in the Emerging Writer category of the Writer to Writer Challenge. He wrote his letter to Burton Goodman, the author of Goodman’s Five-Star Stories—Travels: 8 Stories from Around the World with Tests to Help You Read and Write.

December 2, 2014

Dear Mr. Goodman,

I liked your book "Travels" because it really helped me a lot. It improved my skills. When I read the stories, I could understand them a little. Then I could do the questions without anybody's help, and my tutor checked my answers. I like the exercises because they improve my reading, spelling, and writing. And I did a really great job!

I've never done this before; in school they gave me books to learn how to read, but it was difficult for me to know how to pronounce things and understand them. The library taught me a lot more than they taught me at school. I still need to improve myself and learn how to read better, but I'm working on it.

One of my brothers told me about his friend I could work for. And my brother's friend could try to teach me how to read. This helped me a little bit. He paid me to work in his garden, and then he would let me come inside the house to teach me how to read. But then I had to stop working for him.  Pierre’s full letter can be found on Page 4

Books from Writer-to-Writer found at the Learning Center:

Carlos and the Squash Plant, Jan Stevens

Chicken by Charlie, Tana Reiff

Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert

The Fault in Our Stars, John Green

The Giver, Lois Lowry

The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein

The Glass Castle: A Memoir, Jeannette Walls

Hatchet, Gary Paulsen

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Jamie Ford

Latina Magazine, Lauren Michaels

Life is So Good, George Dawson

Macho!, Victor Villaseñor

My Beloved World, Sonia Sotomayor

New Moon, Stephanie Meyer

The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg

Red Roses, Christine Lindop

River, Ed Hansen

The Saw That Talked, Tana Reiff

The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

Travels: 8 Stories from Around the World, Burton Goodman

Twilight, Stephanie Meyer

Centro Latino For Literacy :: Leamos, Mole, y Mezcal Literacy Mixer

Leamos, Mole, y Mezcal Literacy Mixer

Centro Latino for Literacy 

March 19, 2015

6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Help Secure Funding for Key Library Programs :: LSTA <> IAL

Help us secure funding for key library programs

District Dispatch: 3.09.2015 by Kevin Maher

The appropriations process is in full swing and library priority programs face tremendous scrutiny from Members of Congress in search of programs to cut or put on the chopping block. This is your time to be heard and let Congress know how important continued funding is for the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) and Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL).

You can make the difference. Members of Congress need to let the Appropriations Committee know of their support for continued funding. Contact your Senators and Representative and ask them to add their name to both “Dear Colleague” letters supporting LSTA and IAL currently being circulated. Many Members of Congress will only add their names if they hear from constituents.  Note: these letters are due before the end of the month so you will need to call this week.

For a list of who signed the letters last year, view the FY 2015 Funding Letter Signees document (pdf).

Support Funding for Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)

LSTA is the only source of funding for libraries in the federal budget. The bulk of this funding is returned to states through a population-based grant program through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Libraries use these funds to, among other things, build and maintain a 21st century library that facilitates employment and entrepreneurship, community engagement, and individual empowerment.

Please contact your Senators (202-224-3121) and Representative (202-225-3121) this week and ask them to sign on to a letter supporting LSTA being organized by the members listed below. Your Members of Congress will need to contact these offices by March 20 to add their name to the letters:

•  Senate LSTA letter: Senator Jack Reed

(staffer Moira Lenehan-Razzuri)

•  Representative LSTA letter: Rep. Raul Grijalva

(staffer Norma Salazar)

Support Funding for Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL)

IAL is the only federal program supporting literacy for underserved school libraries IAL has become the primary source for federal funding for school library materials.  Focusing on low income schools, these funds help many schools bring their school libraries up to standard.

Please contact your Senators (202-224-3121) and Representative (202-225-3121) this week and ask them to sign on to a letter supporting IAL being organized by the members listed below. Your Members of Congress will need to contact one of these offices before March 20 to add their name to the letters:

•  Senate IAL letter: Senators Jack Reed

(staffer: Moira Lenehan-Razzuri)

Charles Grassley

(staffer: James Rice)

•  House IAL letter: Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson

(staffer: Don Andres)

Huntington Beach Library :: Open House

February 28 Open House

Huntington Beach Public Library Literacy

OPEN DOORS: March 2015 by Susie Hodge

In the library lobby, as patrons strolled by, literacy volunteers stood in wait at tables loaded with literacy information, anxious to share the joy and satisfaction of teaching another to read. Some patrons stopped by to chat, others purchased literacy t-shirts, totes or cookbooks.

The goal of the 2nd Literacy Open House, held Saturday, February 28, was to bring community awareness to the literacy program; sign-up new tutors, and let those who need help with reading know that Literacy Services is a safe and accepting place to be. Across the way in the Talbert room, books and literacy brochures chosen to pique the interest of possible volunteers awaited perusal.

Tutor Semora McCampbell provided entertaining crafts for all participants, young and old alike. Guest speaker and past learner Edit F., who had left the program to become a lawyer, reminisced along with her former tutor, Natalie Van Doren.

Literacy founder, Linda Light, was able to stop by for a while to see how the program she began over 30 years ago was faring. In the background, a spectacular video produced by Ree Miller scrolled through photos of literary days past. Near the children's department, in the shadow of the aquarium, Asmat and Therese sold trinkets such as key chains and finger puppets to children who swarmed past as they exited from Story Time. At one point, several young customers noticed the novel finger puppets and bought the whole box.

Helen Charles reported that, as a result of their efforts, a number of potential tutors have shown interest in the program, and new learners may be feeling a little less scared about walking through that literacy door.

Upland Library :: Writer To Writer - Congratulations to Upland Library's own Isis Gomez!

Congratulations to Upland Library's own Isis Gomez!

Upland Adult Literacy: 3.09.2015

Isis Gomez, Kathy Pruitt, Greg Lucas

Isis won 1st place in the Advanced Category of the 15th annual Writer to Writer contest. Isis was honored at the Writer to Writer event at the Newport Radisson Hotel on Saturday March 7. California State Librarian Greg Lucas was the Keynote Speaker. Writer to Writer is a writing challenge for all learners enrolled in Literacy Programs throughout the state. The challenge consists of.Adult Learners writing a letter to an author (living or deceased) of a book that they have read that has impacted their life in a meaningful way. Isis wrote her letter to Andy Andrews author of "The Traveler's Gift". If you would like any information about the Adult Literacy Program, please call Literacy Coordinator Liz Barbee at UPL. 909-931-4211.

Advanced Category

Winner—Isis Gomez, Upland Library
The Traveler’s Gift: 7 Decisions that Determine Personal Success by Andy Andrews

Runner-Up—Jai Bok Kim, Newport Beach Library
My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor

Runner-Up—Blanca Flores Beaumont Library District
Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions& Transform Your Life by Judith Orloff

Los Angeles Public Library :: Celebrating 30 Years of Adult Literacy

Celebrating 30 Years of Adult Literacy

LAPL Literacy READ: Winter 2015

In September 2014 the Los Angeles Public Library celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Adult Literacy program and honored the program’s dedicated staff, coordinators, teachers, tutors and adult students. Together, we have achieved remarkable success in helping thousands of adults overcome illiteracy and achieve their personal goals.

The Library’s Adult Literacy program began in 1984 when the California State Library established funds for libraries to design programs that would improve the literacy skills of English-speaking adults who needed help in basic reading and writing.

The Los Angeles Public Library was one of 12 libraries in the state to create an adult literacy program with the grant. Known as LARP (Los Angeles Reading program), the library’s program opened adult literacy centers at the Baldwin Hills, Granada Hills, Memorial, Pacoima, Stevenson, Vernon, Watts, West Los Angeles, and Wilmington branches.

Over the following years, the program expanded to include adult literacy centers at 20 branches, the Caroline Singleton Adult Literacy Center at the Central Library and a staff of 21 literacy coordinators.

Today, our literacy mission is more important than ever. In Los Angeles an estimated 53% of working-age adults, 3.8 million people, suffer from low literacy skills, which prevent them from performing basic tasks such as writing a letter, using a bus schedule or reading a prescription. Low reading and writing skills also block access to jobs, keep workers from advancing their careers and prevent parents from helping their children build literacy skills.

The Los Angeles Public Library’s commitment to a more literate city is giving adults the help and resources they need to overcome illiteracy. The Adult Literacy program currently has 825 volunteer tutors and teachers who assist nearly 1,500 adult students with one-on-one tutoring and classes in English conversation, reading, writing, math, and basic life skills. Adult learners also participate in the online self-guided literacy programs available at the Library’s website.  READ MORE !

California Book Festivals & Events :: March 2015

California Book Festivals & Events :: March 2015

Books, Comics, Poetry, Storytelling, Writing and More !

Woman’ Scream" International Poetry Festival :: March

Pasadena Festival of Women Authors: Mar 7

Women's Literary Festival:  Mar 7, Santa Barbara

Mariposa Storytelling Festival: Mar 13-15, Yosemite

Literary Women – Festival of Authors: Mar 14, Long Beach

World Storytelling Day: Mar 20  "Wishes" A global celebration

Sierra Valley Grange Cowboy Poetry: Mar 20-21, Vinton

San Diego Storytelling Festival: Mar 21, Encinitas Library

Grand Park Downtown Bookfest: Mar 28

Los Angeles Literary Events Calendar @ PW

Los Angeles Literary Calendar @ LALITSCENE

California Book Festivals

Book Reporter – Book Festivals