Riverside County Library - Amazing things stem from reading

Amazing things stem from reading

Desert Sun: 12.21.2015 by Greg Lucas, California State Librarian

Looking for a truly transformative New Year’s resolution that’s unbelievably fun and super easy to stick to?

Read.

Books. Magazines. Newspapers. Flyers. Online. On a park bench. In clouds. In libraries. Paper. Parchment. Braille.

Just read.

Any number of amazing things stem from reading. Not the least of which is gaining a better understanding of the world around us.

If there’s anything this world needs, it’s more understanding.

Read and change the world.

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Change the world. Change yourself: Resolve to read in 2016.

Riverside County libraries have plenty of options to choose from. The librarians who work there have plenty of ideas on which reading material might be of most interest to you. They’ll also have recommendations if you’re helping a little kiddo become a life-long learner by reading to them.

You can also help someone else learn to read better. There are literacy programs throughout the state. One-on-one volunteer literacy tutoring occurs at over 800 California libraries. All are eager for volunteers.  READ MORE @

Redlands Library - A.K. Smiley Public Library literacy program receives gifts of service, money

A.K. Smiley Public Library literacy program receives gifts of service, money

Redlands Daily Facts: 12.19.2015 by Dottie Podolak, adult literacy coordinator

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” — Maya Angelou

The Redlands Adult Literacy Program at the A.K. Smiley Public Library has been the recipient of many gifts over the past five years. Those gifts, of both time and money, have given the program the resources it needs to make an impact in learners’ lives.

Recently, Redlands Adult Literacy received two such examples of generosity.

First, over the past two and a half years, Jennifer Escobar has volunteered as an adult literacy tutor. She discovered the Redlands Adult Literacy Program through the A.K. Smiley Public Library website at a time when she was searching for a way to give back to the community.

After being trained as a tutor, Escobar began meeting with her learner weekly. She said she was impressed with how the program could make an immediate impact in an adult’s life. She also became involved in the efforts to support the use of technology in the program.

In September, Escobar had to step away from her role as a tutor to pursue a full-time position as an English teacher at a local college.

Because of her respect for the Redlands Adult Literacy Program and because of the impact it had on her personally, Escobar and her husband, Curtis Dison, have established the Escobar-Dison Family Grant. This yearly grant will be used to provide professional development for tutors.

“My two and a half years with my learner has been a profound experience for me both professionally and personally,” Escobar said.

“This is a small thing that my family can do to help that continue.”

The second gift was from the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity at the University of Redlands. The group chose Redlands Adult Literacy as the focus of its Week of Service.

During the week of Nov. 2-6, Alpha Phi Omega held events on the university campus to promote awareness of the adult literacy program. Members from Alpha Phi Omega volunteered their services by assisting with the computer literacy class, to help learners gain basic computer skills such as sending emails and using the Internet.  READ MORE @

Orange Co Library - NEW READ/OC Literacy Collection at OCPL

NEW READ/OC Literacy Collection at OCPL

READ Writes: 12.2015

More than 500 new adult literacy books have been added to the regular OC Public Libraries circulating collection!

Unlike the materials in the literacy centers (which are still available for tutors and learners to check out via the “honors system”) these new titles are part of the regular OC Public Libraries catalog. That means they can be searched, checked out, requested, or reserved just like any other book in the library!

The new collection will be housed at the following branches:

Aliso Viejo

Costa Mesa

Dana Point

El Toro

Foothill Ranch

Fountain Valley

Garden Grove Regional

Irvine Heritage Park

Irvine Katie Wheeler

La Habra

Ladera Ranch

Laguna Niguel

Rancho Santa Margarita

San Clemente

San Juan Capistrano

Tustin

Westminster

Don’t live near one of these branches? Not to worry! You can place a hold and pick up the book at your nearest OCPL location.

To find books in the literacy collection, go the OCPL catalog  and select “Power Search”. In the “location” field, select “Literacy Materials”, and click “search”. You can then search for specific goal related topics (such as spelling, writing, money, health, parenting, employment, etc.) within the literacy results.

Coming soon: Even more new hi-lo fiction books available for your e-reader!

Newport Beach Library :: Exciting 1-Day Workshops :: Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy

Exciting 1-Day Workshops ~ Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy

Literally Speaking: Nov/Dec 2015

Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy

Craft Workshop

Tutor Joy Faigan led a successful one day workshop where learners were given the opportunity to discover their creativity. The 1-day Craft Workshop consisted of decorating personal notebooks with different kinds of embellishments and designs. Learners brought in their own recycled greeting cards and any other decorations to repurpose. Although the craft itself is enjoyable, the primary focus is to provide an environment open to instruction, discussion and conversation. The craft workshops are in such high demand that Joy has graciously offered to make them a monthly workshop. Each craft will focus on the month’s celebratory holiday. Look for the next workshop on November 13.

Civic Center Sculpture Garden Tour

Tutor Marcia Drew led a group of learners on a tour of the Newport Beach Civic Center’s Sculpture Exhibition.  The exhibition, which contains 20 temporary installations, was a great opportunity for learners to share their thoughts about art. Marcia shared fascinating information about the installations and their artists. The learners appreciated visiting and admiring eight of the twenty installations and were able to write about their favorite pieces. Look for more local tour opportunities like this in the near future.  READ MORE !

Huntington Beach Library :: Wine & Words ~ An Evening to Remember

Wine & Words ~ An Evening to Remember

Open Doors: November 2015

Huntington Beach Public Library Literacy Volunteers

As the title states, it was an evening of Wine & Words, and it was so much more! Literacy Volunteers' 3rd wine tasting fundraiser was held at the Waterfront Beach Resort, A Hilton Hotel, on October 23rd, and was filled with fine wines, delicious appetizers, inspiring guest speakers and lots of auction action.

Dozens of dazzlingly wrapped silent auction items lined the wall like glittering mini stars, each sending soundless "CHOOSE ME" messages to scrutinizing bidders. The specially chosen wines and food parings, prepared by the hotel chef exclusively for our event, complimented each other perfectly. As guests imbibed, munched and chatted, they studied the silent auction and opportunity drawing, secretly hoping to win the goodies of their choice.

Of course, it wasn't all about drinking, eating and winning stuff. The highlights of the evening were the speakers. The audience sat spellbound as they heard Marisa's and Elizabeth's heartwarming stories of their challenges and successes while increasing their English literacy skills. Huntington Beach resident and author Chris Epting shared fascinating local history anecdotes, and cookie entrepreneur Jason Mercado spoke us of his journey from the east coast to the Oscars.  READ MORE !

San Diego Public Library :: READ/San Diego :: Yelp Foundation Gives Local

YelpFoundation Gives Local - San Diego

@READSanDiego

The Yelp Foundation is granting $5,000 to the organization with the most votes at the end of the campaign. The second and third place winners will be granted $3,000 and $2,000 respectively. Awards will be split in the event of a tie. Each nominated non-profit supports the Yelp Foundation’s mission of addressing the needs of local communities, including access to information, education, local economic development, and freedom of expression.

Your VOTES will decide which organization wins. Cast your vote daily now through December 15th. Share the local love with your social network via #YFGivesLocal to encourage your friends to vote, too!

*In the event of a tie, the grants will be combined

and the tying organizations will split the total amount evenly.

Friends Of Read San Diego is a non-profit corporation dedicated to supporting, fostering and promoting adult literacy programs throughout the County of San Diego. The organization was established to support READ/San Diego, the adult literacy program of the San Diego Public Library. We also support a variety of additional literacy programs, including family literacy, work place literacy and computer literacy.

…

21 Votes

United Through Reading               352 Votes

San Diego Council on Literacy       107 Votes

After voting, Yelp will send an email:

Please click here to confirm your vote.

Los Angeles Public Library - It’s a Triple Match Part I

It’s a Triple Match Part I - LAPL Adult Literacy Services

READ: Fall 2015

A newsletter written by students and tutors.

LAPL Adult Literacy Services | Changing lives one chapter at a time

Mel’s Story By tutor Mel Nowak

I’ll never forget the moment that Mee’s young son interrupted our learning session, “Mommy, read this to me!”  He nestled in her lap and shoved a comic book into her hands.  Mee apologized for stopping our session.  But I encouraged her, “Go ahead, read that to him!”  I sat back and waited, excited to witness this moment.  Her son flipped to a page and pointed to where he wanted her to begin.  And like magic, Mee was reading to her child, bonding in a moment of sharing words, reading aloud together.  We’ve come so far since the beginning when she was afraid to read out loud, or even afraid to speak at all because she lacked the ability to find words to communicate.  Now, we fly through the stories we read, we discuss what we read, and laugh together about what we thought was funny.  Oh, how we have shared wonderful laughter!  The power of literacy and all of Mee’s hard work and devotion to learning have revealed a brilliant and insightful woman who possesses a great sense of humor, a loving spirit, and a keen and vibrant intelligence.  She is forging new friendships, and developing and nurturing an education with her children, which is something she wasn’t able to do before, yet is probably the most important thing of all.

Mee Suk’s Story By learner Mee Suk Lee

It’s very stressful for me to have conversations with parents in meetings and to communicate socially. I started the Adult Literacy Program and it helps me a lot to improve my social communication and I feel less stressed when

speaking to others. The Literacy program helps me have a strong and confident life. I am able to read books to my children and help them with their homework. This helps me have a happy relationship with my kids.  READ MORE !