Santa Maria Library - Central Coast Literacy Council celebrating 25 years of dedication

Central Coast Literacy Council celebrating 25 years of dedication
Santa Maria Times: 10.19.08 by Shirley Contreras

The history of the Central Coast Literacy Council goes back to the late 1960s, when Dr. Frank C. Laubach, founder of Laubach Literacy, spoke at Santa Maria's First Methodist Church.

Some time later, after a tutor training course was taught in the area, a group of tutors was organized at St. Andrew Methodist Church, with Polly Bendle serving as leader. The students were Vietnamese families who had come as refugees and had sponsors in the local area. After Ms. Bendle passed away in 1979, the organized group was disbanded.


Enthusiastically gathering up her tutoring materials, Dona Marie began telephoning offices of California Literacy Inc., which at that time was located in Alhambra. The San Luis Obispo Literacy Council was also generous with information and material.

The local literacy program began in November 1982, when Dona Marie, with helpers Doris Pine, Irene Schmitt, Ione Gustafson and Claire Magee began tutoring in the Community Service Center in Guadalupe

In January 2007, the Santa Maria City Library and the Central Coast Literacy Council joined in partnership. Such an agreement permits the council to offer its services in the library itself. The council now has an office and at least two study rooms for tutoring in the new library building.

I first became involved with the Literacy Council when I began teaching a class at the Community Center in Guadalupe on behalf of the Altrusa Club. Although I only taught for a few years, I can still recognize the need for such classes.

I'll never forget the testimony of one man who told about being afraid to order breakfast in a restaurant, because he could not read the menu. When he'd see the waitresses bringing scrumptious looking meals to other patrons, since he couldn't read English, he could only look with longing. However, he knew “ham and eggs” and that was his standing order. This went on for many years, until he finally enrolled in the literacy program. When he received his first certificate, the audience roared with appreciation when he told of the liberation he felt when he was finally able to read and write English, “if only to be able to finally order something other than ham and eggs!”

The Central Coast Literacy Council will celebrate its 25th anniversary Oct. 25 in Santa Maria with a “mystery dinner” held at the Shepard Room in the new and beautiful Santa Maria Library.

For information regarding the Literary Council, call Isa Ponce-Jimenez, PH D., executive director, at 925-0951, Ext. 836. READ MORE

San Diego Co Library - Adult Literacy Program 2008 Acts of Caring Award Winner

The Adult Literacy Program
of the San Diego County Library

2008 Acts of Caring Award Winner

National Association of Counties
2008 Acts of Caring Award Winners: Libraries

San Diego County:

LEARN/Laubach ESL Program
Cumberland County: Service to Adult Readers (STAR)

April 2008 -- With its high immigrant population, San Diego County officials recognized the high cost of illiteracy, including unemployment, decreased tax revenues and increased social services costs. Seeing a need to teach English as a second language (ESL) to the county’s growing adult immigrant population, representatives of Libraries Empower All to Read Now (L.E.A.R.N.) and the Laubach Literacy Council met to discuss the benefits of creating a literacy collaboration to share the costs of tutor training and working together on publicity for an ESL tutoring program in county library branches.

This partnership brings together volunteer tutors with adult immigrants whose first language is not English. There is no cost to the students. Results of the program show that immigrants who are proficient in English are more able to communicate ideas, find meaningful employment, become more effective parents, contribute to the community and become life-long learners.

In 2006, 25 tutors were trained and paired with 76 students and met an average of 3.5 hours a week over the course of a year for a value of $164,696 in volunteer time. Six library branches participated and two more have agreed to add the program this year. Libraries and L.E.A.R.N. referred 150 new students to Laubach in 2007 for matching with tutors. The program’s budget for 2007 was $5,265.

The partnership has enhanced the services of both organizations, and the program is changing and improving lives daily.

Contact: Nancy Saint John, Adult Services Coordinator, San Diego County Library
Phone: (858) 694-3833

Pomona Library - Pomona trivia bee has a vital purpose

Pomona trivia bee has a vital purpose
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin: 10.10.08 by Suzanne Sproul

For the past 18 years, the Pomona Public Library has hosted a trivia bee to raise money to help people learn to read.

Supporters are putting together teams to do battle in the annual upcoming event. The fundraiser is the brainchild of Muriel Spill, the library services manager, who said she borrowed the idea from a Redwood City library. It has been a fun and successful way to raise money to support the library's adult literacy program and to keep literacy in the public eye.

The fun is set for Nov. 6, at Hinds Pavilion at Fairplex in Pomona. It will begin at 5 p.m. with dinner followed by the high school competition at 6 p.m. Two adult contest rounds will follow, culminating in a championship round finishing off the evening.

Sponsorships are $300 for each three-member team. Teams are being formed now. A $10 donation is asked for those who simply want to enjoy dinner and root on their favorites without having to tackle the trivia.

"It's become very successful for us and very competitive. Teams know which ones are tough and plan accordingly, and they really want to win," Spill said.

This year the trivia bee is loosely tied to the library's and city's participation in the Big Read program, encouraging residents to read the same book. This year the book is Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird." Spill isn't giving any hints out, but she did say if you've read the book you might have a bit of an advantage in the contest.

For information about the trivia bee or volunteering for the literacy program, call (909) 620-2047 or (909) 620-2473. READ MORE

Palmdale Library - Literacy Tutors Sought

Literacy Tutors Sought
Volunteer training set for Saturday
Antelope Valley Press: 9.09.08 By Kim Rawley

Larry Evans was 49 years old and functionally illiterate when he arrived at the Palmdale Literacy Program with a yearning to read books. Today, at 52, he is a tutor with the same program and a college student. Oh, and an avid book reader. When asked his favorites, Evans says, "I like all books. I haven't read a bad book.

"But then, I haven't been reading long enough to distinguish a good book from a bad book," he said with a laugh.

The retired carpenter and Palmdale resident may be a stellar example of the literacy program's success, but he is not the only one. There are about 95 learners in the program right now, and new tutors are always needed. A new class begins Saturday.

According to the program's coordinator, Rod Williams, even with roughly 60 tutors it still takes learners between two to six weeks to get started with one-on-one tutoring, although they can begin the process with an assessment and participate in small-group workshops.

Evans arrived at the Palmdale Literacy Program reading at a roughly third-grade level, even though he had graduated from high school. "I played football, so they just scooted me right on through."

"The literacy program broke the language down to be so understandable," Evans said.

According to Evans, you don't have to have teaching experience to be a tutor, just empathy.

"A good tutor is someone who will listen to students to get an understanding of their level."

It takes a lot of talking and listening for tutors to get a sense of what learners already know.


As well as becoming a literacy advocate, Williams said Evans "has been working with New Beginning Outreach and the city of Palmdale's Neighborhood House, creating and facilitating a vocational training program aimed at helping to teach prevocational skills (such as how to dress for an interview, interview tips and general expectations of the workplace) and providing job leads to those who successfully complete the course."

"The class is structured to remind the students that in order for people to want to write a check to you, you have to be productive every day," Evans said.

He sees his community work as a way to honor the volunteers who helped him achieve literacy.

Literacy training is a free service for English-speaking adults. All tutoring is done by volunteers, who need to be able to commit to a six-hour training session and two to three hours a week.
For details, call (661) 267-5682. READ MORE

Oakland Public Library Literacy / Follow-Up

Save Second Start !

What Measure Q ?
More broken promises from the City of Oakland.
from abetteroakland.com: 10.02.08 by V. Smoothe

. . . At least, I could see myself supporting the elimination of the Library’s literacy programs in these tough times If the people of Oakland hadn’t voted specifically to tax themselves to pay for it only four years ago! I’m sorry, but this is just completely unacceptable.

Measure Q, which pays for the bulk of the library’s literacy programs, was passed in 2004 with an overwhelming 77.2% of the vote. Sixty-two thousand Oakland residents stepped into a voting booth and checked “I want to pay $75 dollars every year for the next thirty years to support library services.”

And what is written there, clear as day, under the “Use of Proceeds” section of the measure (PDF)? “To expand library-based programs in support of literacy, lifelong learning, and information technology.” See? It says expand, not eliminate!

Library Director Carmen Martinez and then-Mayor Jerry Brown signed a very straightforward ballot argument in favor the tax, promising that Measure Q will “Maintain literacy programs that teach Oakland residents to read.” And people said “Yes, I will pay for that. Send me the bill.”

End of story. Seriously, what else is there to discuss? As long as they keep collecting Measure Q dollars (that would be until 2024, FYI), any talk of eliminating the library’s literacy programs should be completely off the table. The City cannot keep breaking promises about how they’re going to spend the taxpayer’s money! Why, why, why should I, or anyone else, ever vote for another tax in this City again when we cannot trust them to spend the money as promised?

Second Start isn’t the only unconscionable cut in the Mayor’s proposed budget, and hey - it isn’t even the only one to library services. The Mayor also proposes to save us $120,000 by eliminating the Bookmobile. READ MORE

Oakland Library Literacy - Please Help Save Second Start !

Please Help Save Second Start !
Dear Friends:

Second Start is about to be eliminated.

We need your help IMMEDIATELY if we are to survive.

As I'm sure you know from reading the paper, Oakland is facing huge deficits. All departments have been told to make cuts. The Library has chosen to make its cuts by, among other things, eliminating Second Start, along with our entire department of Access Services, which includes the Bookmobile and Services for the Disabled and Elderly - all the neediest people who can't get to, or use, the library without help.

We're told that City Council has to approve these cuts, so we're fighting this and literally taking it to City Hall in hopes that the program can be saved.

I'm asking all of Second Start's friends - all the programs, entities and people who know us and have worked with us - to write a letter in our support. Please take a moment to put in writing some of the things that you have come to learn about our work over the past years. You have seen us in action, you know what we do - please tell the Oakland City Council that Second Start needs to remain part of Oakland. There is no other city organization that will take our place if Second Start is disbanded !

SCLLN Tutor Workshops: October 2008

Southern California Library Literacy Network
Tutor Workshops & Events: October 2008

- visit SCLLN for more events -

Oct 1: Tutor Workshop
Santa Maria City Library

Oct 4: Harvest Ride for Literacy
Ventura County Library
Ventura Unified School District
Education Service Center
255 W. Stanley Ave

Oct 6, 6 pm: Tutor Orientation
READ/Orange County
Brea Community Center

Oct 8, 6 pm: Tutor Workshop
READ/Orange County
Fountain Valley Branch

Oct 9, 5 pm: Tutor Training
Ventura County Library
Ventura Adult Ed Room 203
5200 Valentine Rd

Oct 11, 10 am: Tutor Training
Los Angeles Public Library
Echo Park Branch
1410 W. Temple St

Oct 11, 10 am: Tutor Training
San Diego County Library
El Cajon Library

Oct 13, 5:30 pm: Tutor Training
San Diego County Library
Vista Branch

Oct 14, 6:30 pm: Tutor Workshop
Santa Fe Springs Library
11710 Telegraph Road

Oct 18: Tutor Training
San Luis Obispo City-County Library
1264 Higuera Street, Suite #102

Oct 22, 6:30 pm: Tutor Orientation
Oceanside Public Library
Mission Branch Library
3861 Mission Ave

Oct 23, 6 pm: Tutor Training
READ/San Diego
Scripps Ranch Branch
10301 Scripps Lake

Oct 29, 10 am: Tutor Orientation
Newport Beach Public Library
Central Library
1000 Avocado Ave

Local Conferences & Events

October 18
CATESOL Regional
San Diego San Diego State University

October 18
SCTE Fall Conference: READalot, Writealot
Radisson Hotel
Whittier CA

October 18, 8:30 am
Fall Gala
Children’s Literature Council of Southern California
Bowers Museum
2002 North Main Street
Santa Ana CA 92706

October 19
4 Days Ready To Learn
EduAlliance Network Town & Country Resort
500 Hotel Circle North
San Diego CA 92108

October 22
Women's Conference
Long Beach Convention Center
300 E Ocean Blvd
Long Beach CA 90802

November 1, 2008
Bakersfield Festival of Books
Holiday Inn

Downey Library - September tabbed as literacy month

September tabbed as literacy month
Downey Patriot: 9.19.08 by Henry Veneracion

Downey Mayor Dave Gafin last week proclaimed the month of September 2008 as Literacy Month.

The proclamation is premised, he said, on the following considerations:

1) More than 27 % of adults in the Los Angeles area are capable of reading only simple words and sentences.

2) Literacy issues severely impact the lives of families in the area of work, school and their full participation in all the benefits of Downey residents.

3) Volunteers in the Downey City Library Adult Literacy Program give of themselves to help students reach their goals by providing free help in the areas of basic reading and writing skills.

“I urge fellow citizens to learn more about the importance of literacy and to become involved with literacy in our community,” he said.

Literacy . . . Info . . . News . . . Questions - WebQuest

WebQuest

To help adult literacy learners in three different areas: health literacy, family literacy, and workplace literacy. Although these WebQuests can be used by the learner independently, working together with a tutor will produce the best results. WebQuests also provides audio as well as visual support, the learners will be able to successfully learn how to gather the information they need.

~ You will learn to use the internet
~ You will learn to use video and sound on the internet
~ You will learn about the healthcare world
~ You will practice your writing skills
~ You will learn how to find information on the internet

Follow the steps in WebQuest. The steps need to be done in the order you see them listed.

WebQuest will also teach you how to use the internet and improve your writing.

Presidential Debates and Libraries

Presidential Debates and Libraries
from a letter by James Rettig, ALA President

On Tuesday, October 7, one of the three 2008 Presidential debates between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain will be held at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. This debate will be a town hall format moderated by Tom Brokaw. The moderator will call on members of the audience as well as select questions submitted online.

During this election year, we are looking for librarians and supporters from across the country to call attention to the value of today’s libraries in our communities, as well as the issues the library community is facing.

We encourage all ALA members to submit questions.

The Commission on Presidential Debates has partnered with MySpace to create a new Web site, MyDebates. This site will become available in the days leading up to the first Presidential debate on September 26.

The more questions submitted, the more likely a library question will be asked. This is an opportunity for the library voice to become an important part of the 2008 Presidential election.

Palmdale Library - Welcome to the Literacy Blog

Palmdale Library Literacy Program
Friday, August 15, 2008
Welcome to the Literacy Blog

Greetings Everybody,Welcome to the Palmdale literacy blog. I hope this will become another good tool to advertise library literacy programs, the local literacy coalition (WORD, AV- "Write Often, Read Daily") and the Southern California Library Literacy Network (SCLLN).

I also hope that many of you will learn to use this forum as a way to communicate, ask questions, make suggestions, and foster a running dialogue on literacy issues in our community, in families, and in the workplace.

The Palmdale Library Literacy Program provides free tutoring to English-speaking adults who want to improve their reading and writing skills. All tutoring is done by volunteers. The program offers small classroom workshops, one-on-one tutoring, and drop-in study sessions. Call me at (661) 267-5682 for more info.

Lancaster Library also started a literacy program in Spring, 2008. You can reach them at (661) 940-4794 or (661) 948-5029, ext. 244 or 252.

Feel free to participate. This will be a learning process for me, but I intend to use the blog to spark conversations about literacy issues, as a supplemental means of making announcements, and to recruit new learners and new volunteers.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
Rod Williams, Literacy Coordinator
Palmdale Library Literacy Program

Literacy Tribune - September 2008

The Literacy Tribune has information for readers on topics such as health, finance, education and technology. It also has stories and poems by adult learners.

It is published by United Literacy, as a resource and support for adult learners.

Highlights from the September 2008 issue:

Register to Vote

By Alison Werner, Senior Writer

Do you know that November 4th is Election Day? On that day, the citizens of the United States will vote for a new president and vice president. But that is not all they will vote for. They will vote for members of the U.S. House of Reprsentatives and Senate. They also may vote for the governor of their state, members of their state legislature, and other state and local officials. In addition, they will vote on issues and laws that affect their state . . .

A Letter to Our Readers

By Daniel Pedroza, President - Founder of United Literacy & Learner

Dear Reader,

Eleven years ago, at the age of 29, I started learning to read. I still remember walking into my local literacy organization and asking for help. I was very nervous, but I knew I needed to do it. I wanted a better life. I wanted to learn to read . . .

Celebrate International Literacy Day

By Alison Werner, Senior Writer

Every day, around the world, adults like you are learning to read. And every day, around the world, adults are struggling with illiteracy as you once did . . .

Good Feeling – A Learner’s Poem

By Rodolfo Diaz, Adult Learner

Sitting high up on a tree looking at the sunrise,

I can see, the birth of a new day . . .

In Memoriam :: Mary Miller 1955-2008 Glendale Library

Mary Louise Miller 1955 - 2008

Legacy: 2008

Mary Miller, the Library’s Literacy Coordinator passed away this Saturday after a relatively short battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband, two daughters and six beloved grandchildren. A service is planned for Sunday in Victorville.

Mary came to Glendale in 1996 from the San Bernardino County Library. Under Mary’s leadership the Glendale Library Literacy program grew and served the needs of our changing community. She started a Family Reading Program that targeted adult literacy learners with small children.

She helped develop literacy partnerships with local public schools, and businesses such as hospitals, restaurants and convalescent homes. Wherever Mary found a need for adult literacy she found a way for the Library to help.

Mary’s reach went beyond the Library. She was a GCEA Representative who was an active participant for Relay for Life and the Community Alliance Committee. She was a past president of the Glendale Community Coordinating Council. She also served on the Executive Board of the Workforce Investment Board and chaired its Resource Mapping Committee.

Mary was active in the State Library’s California Library Literacy Services organization as well as the Southern California Library Literacy Network. She was recognized as a top “trainer of trainers” in her field, and in 2004, she was the only literacy professional selected from Los Angeles County as a MEDALS Fellow, funded by the S. Mark Taper Foundation.

In this program Mary traveled around the United States observing innovative literacy programs. As a result of that experience she developed workshops for many California literacy providers and incorporated innovative ideas into the Glendale Library program.

The benefits of Mary’s hard work are easy to see in the numbers of volunteers and students that participate in the Literacy program. There are many success stories of Mary’s Literacy program changing lives by giving people the ability to read.read.

Mary will be dearly missed by her family, by Library and City staff, and by the Glendale community who came to know her as a fun-loving, energetic, and passionate leader for literacy, reading and the Library.

In Lieu of Flowers

The family has asked that donations be made to the Glendale Public Library Literacy Program. Checks payable to the Friends of the Glendale Public Library. Donations should indicate that they are intended for the Mary Miller Literacy Fund.

Save Literacy - Breaking News !

We have clarified
that funding is slated for
ELIMINATION
not suspension.

On the Eve of September 8

International Literacy Day

P l e a s e
get the word out !

Statistics for SCLLN member Library Literacy programs for 2007. SCLLN member libraries server a population of over 22 million including 5.8 million children.

Adult Literacy Services

9,117 – Adult Learners
5,332 – Volunteer Tutors
338,553 – Hours of Instruction

Families For Literacy

20,767 – Children under 5
24,606 – Children over 5
93,189 – Free Books given to Children

2005-06 Statistics @

CLLS statistics @

California Library Literacy Services Funding

Save

Literacy !

Senate Republicans have proposed the SUSPENSION of California Library Literacy Services funding in the current budget stalemate !

These are the funds local libraries receive each year from the State Library in support of FREE library literacy programs ! CLLS 2007 Report to Legislature.

We need to respond in a big way to best make sure the concerns of the Literacy and Library community are heard loud and strong and that misconceptions on behalf of some legislators are addressed.

Please begin writing letters, faxing and making phone calls. Timing is certainly a key factor ! Your attention and active participation is crucial. This is a very serious threat.

Tomorrow the California Library Association Legislative Committee will meet. The suspension of Literacy Funding will surely be a focal point of the meeting. CLLS funding is truly a state and local partnership.

Why California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Services Are Important to Save: Education Code 4.6 California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Services Program 18880-18884

This FREE critical service helps English-speaking adults improve their reading and writing skills so they can reach their potential as workers, parents, community members and life-long learners. California Library Literacy Services is designed as a volunteer based one-to-one tutoring service to meet the specific needs of each adult learner in a safe, comfortable and confidential library setting.

It is not an ESL program !

State funds are successfully leveraged locally generating over $15 million additional dollars to assist in providing these services. This $15 million would not be available without the state funding.

Adult learners in these library literacy programs were able to meet goals that improved their employment prospects, allowed them to pay their bills, vote, and read to their children for the first time.

Annually over 10,000 volunteers serve as tutors of adult learners and provide over 750,000 hours of volunteer time. Using EDD's average California hourly wage figure for 2007 of $21.78, that's a total of over $16 million contributed in volunteer time.

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor - State of California
State Capitol
Sacramento CA 95814The Honorable Don Perata
Senate President pro Tempore
State Capitol
Sacramento CA 95814
Tel: (916) 651-4009 - Fax: (916) 327-1997

The Honorable Dave Cogdill
Senate Republican Leader
State Capitol
Sacramento CA 95814
Tel: (916) 651-4010 - Fax: (916) 327-3523

The Honorable Karen Bass
Speaker of the California Assembly
State Capitol
Sacramento CA 95814
Tel: (916) 319-2047 - Fax: (916) 319-2147

The Honorable Mike Villines
Assembly Republican Leader
State Capitol
Sacramento CA 95814
Tel: (916) 319-2029 - Fax: (916) 319-2129

Note: When you send your letters, will you please CC: the following two individuals who have been strong supporters for these library programs:
Assemblyman John Laird
Chair Assembly Budget Committee
State Capitol
Sacramento CA 95814
Tel: (916) 319-2027 - Fax: (916) 319-2127

Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny
Chair Senate Budget Committee
State Capitol
Sacramento CA 95814
Tel: (916) 651-4040 - Fax: (916) 327-3522

Orange Co Library - READ/OC 14th Annual Family Picnic and Appreciation Celebration

READ/OC 14th Annual Family Picnic and Appreciation Celebration: Sep 6

Get ready for the Round Up!

We're rounding everybody up for the READ/OC 14th Annual Family Picnic and Appreciation Celebration (AFPAC) on Saturday, September 6, 2008. It's sure to be a "Hoot and a Holler" for everyone.

We are going to be rustling up some good ole Barbeque in addition to lots of fun and games.

So mark your calendar and come on out for some fun, Western style! We'd love to have you join us!

Newport Beach Library - Annual Celebration of Literacy

Annual Celebration of Literacy

September 4, 2008 at 10:00 am
Newport Beach Central Library
1000 Avocado Ave
Newport Beach, CA

To celebrate International Literacy Day - September 8

A celebration of our learners, tutors and volunteers and
the presentation of the Rochelle Hoffman Memorial Award.

Refreshments to be served.

SCLLN Tutor Workshop Calendar: September 2008

Southern California Library Literacy Network
Tutor Workshops & Fundraisers: Sep 2008

- visit SCLLN Calendar for more info -

Sep 2 - 6:30 pm
Tutor Orientation
Pasadena Public Library
La Pintoresca Branch - 1355 N Raymond

Sep 3 - 5:30 pm
Tutor Training
Newport Beach Public Library
Central Library - 1000 Avacado

Sep 3 - 6 pm
Tutor Orientation
READ/Orange County
Fullerton Library

Sep 3 - 6:30 pm
Tutor Workshop
Corona Public Library - 650 S Main

Sep 4 - 10 am
Annual Celebration of Literacy
Newport Beach Public Library - 1000 Avacado

Sep 4 - 6 pm
Tutor Training
Burbank Public Library - 110 N Glenoaks

Sep 6 - 10 am
Tutor Training
San Diego County Library
Vista Branch

Sep 6 - 12 pm
Family Picnic-Appreciation Day
READ/Orange County

Sep 6 - 1 pm
Spelling Bee Fundraiser
Santa Maria City Library
Souza Center - 708 S Miller

Sep 8 - 10 am
Tutor Training
READ/San Diego
Benjamin Branch Library- 5188 Zion Ave
San Diego CA

Sep 9 - 6 pm
Tutor Workshop
READ/Orange County
Costa Mesa Library

Sep 13 - 9:30 am
Grand Reopening
Rancho Cucamonga Archibald Library
7368 Archibald Avenue

Sep 13 - 10 am
Tutor Workshop
Palmdale City Library
Larry Chimbole Cultural Center
38350 Sierra Hwy - Palmdale CA

Sep 13 - 6:30 pm
Chocolate Suite Fundraiser
San Luis Obispo City-County Library
Cass Winery

Sep 17 - 9:30 am
Outreach & Retention of Adult Learners
Escondido Public Library - 239 S. Kalmia St

Sep 17 - 6:30 pm
Youth Literacy Orientation
Oceanside Public Library
Mission Branch Library - 3861 Mission Ave

Sep 20 - TBA
Tutor Training
San Luis Obispo City-County Library
1264 Higuera Street, Suite #102

Sep 20 -9 am
Walk A Mile for Literacy
Hemet Public Library Adult Literacy Services
315 E Latham

Sep 23 - 5:30 pm
Tutor Training
San Diego County Library
El Cajon Branch

Sep 26 - 5:30 pm
Scrabble Fundraiser
Santa Barbara Public Library
Faulkner Gallery - 40 E Anapamu
Santa Barbara CA

News for You - Online

News for You - Online

News for You provides adult ESL students and struggling readers with news that is easy to read and understand. These engaging, timely stories will help students build language, reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, listening, and speaking skills, and more !

With the online version, students can:
~ Read and listen to the front -page stories
~ Listen sentence-by-sentence or listen to the full story
~ Listen sentence-by-sentence as many times as they need
~ Go back to a story archive for review and more practice
~ Archive begins: June 2008

Published by New Readers Press, a publishing division of ProLiteracy

Imperial County Library - Libraries Empower All to Read Now! Welcome to our wiki !

Libraries Empower All to Read Now!
Welcome to our wiki !

Welcome and thank you for visiting our wiki! This wiki is open to learners, tutors, and anyone interested in adult literacy. We hope this wiki will allow people to openly communicate with others and also provide resources for learners and tutors.

Visit LEARN Imperial Valley. Check out their new wiki. It includes: a Video, News, Partners, Photos, Resources and more.

Literacy In Libraries Around California + Nevada Co

Improving life skills through literacyUnion of Grass Valley: 8.04.08 By Pat Butler

They’re changing lives in cramped offices and at close quarters in public libraries on a mere $75,000 a year.

And it’s not just the students who benefit.

“Working with her is turning me on. It makes me feel good because I can help her achieve more of her potential, and she has great potential,” Ginny Ebey, a tutor for the adult Literacy Center, said of 21-year-old Mary Ann Brown.

Ebey is one of 75 volunteers who have been matched with an adult who wants one-on-one tutoring to help with their reading and writing as the Literacy Center celebrates its 10th year.

Their investment of two to three hours a week is literally changing lives, according to Alan Archer, the program coordinator.

“This is real life stuff,” Archer said from his small office in the Madelyn Helling Library which doubles as a classroom. “The more literate they become, the better jobs they get and they become literacy leaders in their families. That’s the only way to break the cycle.”

Archer estimates the Literacy Center has worked with 250 adults since he became the part-time coordinator three years ago. His staff, which consists of a part-timer at the library and another in Truckee, is working with 75 students on an annual budget of $75,000. The money comes from the state, the non-profit Friends of the Library and county government, which makes the largest contribution.

The students range in age from 19 to 77. About two-thirds are natives, while the rest are learning English as a second language, said Archer, adding that Department of Education studies have shown around 90 million Americans read at a grade school level or lower. READ MORE

Santa Maria Library - AN EXCITING NEW CHAPTER !

AN EXCITING NEW CHAPTER !

Santa Maria will celebrate the opening of its new Main Public Library on Saturday, August 23, 2008! The Grand Opening ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. and the library is scheduled to open its doors to the public at 11 a.m.

This beautiful two-story building is the largest civic project in the City's history, and will be twice the size of the old (current) building last expanded in 1970. Expanded book collections, 77 public computers, a children's theater, a café, community meeting room and a new literacy center are among the many features. Click on the graphics below to learn about your new library!

The Central Coast Literacy Council’s office is moving to the new library in Santa Maria this year, and the organization’s 16th Annual Adult Spelling Bee Saturday, Sept. 6, will help raise funds for the transition.

Simple English Wikipedia

Simple English Wikipedia

Just about everyone has heard about Wikipedia.
Did you know there is a ' Simple English Wikipedia ? '
It has over 34,000 articles written in plain, basic English.

Here is a sample from the article on the violin:

The violin is a string instrument that is played with a bow. The violin has four strings which are tuned to the notes G, D, A, and E. The violin is held between the left collar bone (near the shoulder) and the chin. Different notes are made by fingering with the left hand while bowing with the right. It has no frets or other markers, so players have to learn the exact place to put the fingers of the left hand by memory alone.

The violin is the smallest and highest pitched instrument in the string family. The other instruments in the family are: viola, cello and double bass. A person who plays the violin is called a violinist. A person who makes or repairs a violin is called a luthier.

Library volunteer shares love of books with adult literacy program

Library volunteer shares love of books with adult literacy program
Lodi News-Sentinel: July 24, 2008 by Pam Bauserman

After Bev Cornelius retired from teaching 13 years ago, she began looking for something to keep herself occupied. A fan of books, the 78-year-old felt the library was the place for her to be. Four to five times a month Cornelius volunteers her time selling books for the Friends of the Lodi Public Library and for two to three days a week, she helps out with the adult literacy program.

Q: What do you enjoy about it?
A: Just to see people come and buy books so I know they're reading and to help adults with their reading.

Q: What has been the most memorable moment for you?
A: With the tutoring, my last student was an Indian woman. It was fun to be introduced to a new food and learn something about the culture in India. I also jjust started tutoring a Hispanic girl, Alicia. She is doing so well. She is so motiviated.

Q: What do you never tire of?
A: Probably reading.

Q: What goals do you hope to accomplish for the library?
A: In my tutoring program, I help those people become better readers and have a better connection to the English language. And, just sell books.

Q: What has been the weirdest thing that has happened since you have been volunteering here?
A: Shortly after we moved into this room, we had all the books on the shelves and overnight they all fell onto the floor. The books were too heavy for the shelves.

Q: Do you see a lot of books that you want?
A: Oh yes. Everytime I'm on duty I buy one or two books and then I get hints from people saying, "You should read that book."

Q: What is the last book you read?
A: "Three Cups of Tea." READ MORE