National Library Legislative Day 2015
May 4 – 5
Washington DC
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Literacy: Spanning the U.S. :: Santa Fe NM :: Madison WI :: Madison Co NY
Literacy:
Spanning the U.S.
Reader View: Literacy tutoring can
launch new lives
Santa
Fe New Mexican: 1.31.2015 by Linda Osborne
Several years ago — emerging from a
rather bad patch — I started exploring volunteering possibilities. Friends told
me about Literacy Volunteers of Santa Fe,
and thus began one of the most rewarding chapters of my life.
Shortly after signing up as a tutor
and completing my short training, I was introduced to my first student, Emma.
Not long before, she had driven up from Mexico with her family. With very
little English, she had bravely enrolled in the community college’s Associate
of Arts program and now needed help writing her papers and learning to have
confidence to speak in class. I have never met a person with as much drive and
ambition … and facing such odds.
[She and I were together for three
years. I saw her receive that associate degree, as well as move up the ranks at
her employment. She is now earning her bachelor’s degree online and has become
an excellent public speaker. She has no fears about taking on new challenges
and recently embarked on writing a memoir.
Of her tutoring experience, she
said recently, “Literacy Volunteers helped me start a new life for myself and
my family, and I encourage anyone to get involved — to learn, to teach. …” READ
MORE !
Tutors a ladder to the middle
class
Cap
Times: 2.03.2015 by Jeff Burkhart, Literacy
Network Executive Director
Since the great recession of 2008, average
wages have fallen and there are fewer middle-class jobs due to
technological advances and global outsourcing. Jobs in growing industries such
as health care and information technology are unfilled because workers
available don’t have the training needed to fill them. Filling these jobs
requires technical colleges to train and prepare adults for careers.
Much of the job growth in the
United States is happening in so-called “middle skill” work that requires some
technical college. Yet for most low-income adults with low basic reading and
math skills, completing a technical college education is extremely difficult.
In Wisconsin, as in much of the country, fewer than 10 percent of tech college
students who need extra reading and math support finish a college degree or
certificate.
═════════►
Adult literacy tutors fill this
vital coaching role. They build strong connections with their learners, and
provide academic and personal supports. Many tutors dedicate years to the adult
learners they support. In many cases, adults learners successfully achieve
their goal because they develop skills and confidence through individual
attention from tutors. With the help of tutors, many students navigate
complicated enrollment systems, complete their studies, earn degrees or
certificates and begin careers in growth industries.
Literacy tutors change lives. READ
MORE !
Literacy Program High School Grad
Finds a New Career
Madison County Courier: 2.2015
Submitted by Cindy McCall,
Literacy student Rob Barry has some
words of advice for those who need to get their high school equivalency (HSE): “Get
going now. You never know when that
opportunity comes up to get a better job.”
Through his girlfriend, Barry heard
about adult education programs at Sullivan
Free Library and contacted literacy coordinator Donna Bocketti. At the time he was applying for a position at
a utility company in Syracuse.
Sullivan Free Library’s literacy
programs are run by Madison
County Reads Ahead, which offers instruction at seven local libraries in
Madison County. Learners work one-on-one
with trained volunteer tutors at flexible times that suit their schedules. Tutoring programs are learner-centered, and
can especially help students who find they don’t get enough attention in a classroom
setting.
When Rob Barry was growing up, he
attended three different school districts.
Barry knew how to work hard and always had a job. When he was 14, he worked on a farm every day
while attending school. He completed
10th grade at Chittenango High School, but found he had to support
himself. He left high school to work
for a fence company. READ MORE !
Friday, February 20, 2015
Families Armed With Books Repel The Effects Of Poverty :: Federalist
 |
| A New Majority |
Families Armed With Books Repel The
Effects Of Poverty
Families that read together build strong bonds and ward off poverty.
Here’s what you can do to encourage love for books in your community.
Federalist:
2.20.2015 by Allison Kieselowsky
Let kids have it with both barrels. Blast them with an activity that
answers many daily challenges of childhood: quality time with books.
Parent-survival kits should include an arsenal of literacy activities as
regular parts of household life. Ants in pants? Go on a book adventure. Bored?
Enjoy a read-aloud. Bad attitude? Laugh through a silly story.
This call to arms—the recommendation to bring books into family life—is
not just a fun idea for snuggle time. A whole generation’s academic future
depends upon it. Long-standing statistics about low-income communities within
the city of Philadelphia show that there may exist only
a few dozen books in a community of 10,000 children.
These numbers are not unique to a single city or neighborhood—they are
repeated across the country. Books are simply not finding their way into homes.
This problem will only deepen the strain on the public education system, since
a majority of students in public schools are
currently from low-income families.
Watching Families Interact in Libraries
Susan Neuman, the researcher who unearthed the paltry books-to-child
ratio in certain communities, has
observed family behaviors and interactions in public libraries in two
different Philadelphia neighborhoods—one affluent and one impoverished—over the
course of years. The main difference she observed? How much the adults, whether
parent, grandparent, or nanny, interact with the children during the visit, and
how they use the library itself. READ
MORE !
Monday, February 16, 2015
Robert Shindler :: Literacy Advocate to Talk at Elmhurst College about How Reading Changes Lives
Literacy Advocate to Talk at Elmhurst
College about How Reading Changes Lives
Author Robert
Shindler will talk about promoting literacy as a matter of social justice
Patch.com:
2.16.2015 by Morgan Searles
Robert
Shindler was looking for ways to help his son overcome a reading deficiency
when he decided to volunteer with the Literacy
Chicago organization. Working with a diverse group of adult learners,
Shindler received his own education about the realities of learning
disabilities and adult illiteracy.
A Chicago-attorney and author,
Shindler recently partnered with the United
Church of Christ on Reading Changes Lives, the UCC’s ongoing, churchwide
initiative to raise awareness about the impact of illiteracy on a range of
social justice issues.
Robert
Shindler is the author of Hotdogs
& Hamburgers: Unlocking Life’s Potential by Inspiring Literacy at Any Age,
which chronicles his journey to help his son and his experiences at Literacy
Chicago. Last fall, the UCC used Shindler’s book for their all-church “One
Read” program, hoping the book would make people aware of the importance of
closing the literacy gap and would inspire them to get involved.
Shindler
continues his work at Literacy Chicago, and also has begun tutoring inmates at
the Cook County Jail. He is the founder of Abogados
America, a small law firm in Chicago that specializes in representing the
Hispanic community. READ
MORE !
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Literacy: Spanning the U.S. :: Palm Beach FL :: Dexter KS :: Kern Co CA
Literacy: Spanning
the U.S.
Literacy Coalition’s 25-year story an excellent read
Palm
Beach Post: 01.29.2015 by Faran Fagen
In 1989, community leaders
established the Palm Beach County
Literacy Coalition to give non-readers a fighting chance.
In the winter of 1991, the group’s
first Literacy Lantern newsletter went out to the community. Its opening
sentence: “Literacy providers and concerned residents in Palm Beach County
share a common dream – to eliminate illiteracy.”
In 2015, as the Literacy Coalition
celebrates its 25th anniversary, the fight is still on. But the nonprofit has
multiplied in strength and numbers, resulting in more readers than ever before
in the county.
“For 25 years, the Literacy
Coalition of Palm Beach County has worked to improve the quality of life in our
community by promoting and achieving literacy,” said coalition CEO Kristin
Calder. “Through extensive outreach and collaboration with a network of
community partners, the Literacy Coalition strives to ensure that individuals
who need to improve their literacy skills receive the help they need.”
One in seven adults in Palm Beach
County is unable to read and understand information found in books, newspapers
and manuals, and nearly half of all third-graders are not reading on grade
level. By providing services to more than 27,000 adults, children and families
each year, the Literacy Coalition’s goal is for every child and every adult in
Palm Beach County to be able to read. READ
MORE !
Lighthouse Library helping to
encourage literacy
Winfield
Courier: 1.20.2015
Determined and dedicated volunteers
have made the Lighthouse
Library in Dexter a reality. A group of individuals wanting to abolish
illiteracy came together about seven years ago to map out a plan to serve the
public with books and up-to-date technology in an inviting environment. The
library has more than 23,000 books and a computer lab consisting of 10
computers in one location and several others throughout the building
At this time, Kansas has a seven
percent illiteracy rate. With this in mind, the library sponsors reading groups
and other activities to instill a love of reading. It also serves as a location
for other community events. “Dress Like a Pirate Day,” held last summer, was a
health and safety fair cosponsored with the Cowley County Health Department.
The daily operation of the library
is made possible by seven volunteers. The library receives no government
funding but relies solely on private and corporate donations.
Funding from the Grouse Valley Lodge and
the Treasure
Chest Thrift Store are projected to pay about half of the expenses. But
more donations are needed to support this worthwhile project. Both monthly and
annual donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. If you share
the vision that this project is important and worthwhile, contact Lynn
Pettigrew Norris at ECCRC, P.O. Box 40, Dexter, KS 67038.
Well-informed, literate people can
accomplish wonders. Quality libraries and modern technology make it possible
for people to be well-informed. READ
MORE !
Kern Literacy Council working to
improve local literacy level
KERO
23: 1.20.2015
When it comes to knowing how to read
and write, Kern County bottoms the list on national surveys every year.
The Kern County Grand Jury recently
reviewed the Kern Literacy Council to see
what is being done to improve reading levels in Kern County.
About 260 students walk in through
the Kern Literacy Council every month to improve their reading and
comprehension skills.
"There are so many people who
have not learned to read, haven't had the opportunity to finish school for some
reason or another," said Executive Director Jeff Nickell.
According to the American Census
Bureau, 15% of Kern County residents cannot read above a ninth grade level -
and people across the country are noticing.
"Central Connecticut State did
come out, they've done a survey," explained Nickell, "last 7 years or
so, we have been 75 out of 75 of the bad end of the list." READ
MORE !
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Libraries play critical role in American education, literacy experts say :: American Libraries
 |
| OECD Skills Outlook 2013 |
Libraries play critical role in
American education, literacy experts say
The
Scoop-American Libraries: 2.01.2015 by Sanhita SinhaRoy
One
in six American adults struggles with basic English literacy. That translates
into 36 million people between the ages of 16 and 65 who grapple with reading
on a daily basis, according to a 2013 study called Program for the International
Assessment for Adult Competencies (PIAAC).
Speakers
Michelle H. Washington, director of ALA’s Office for Literacy and
Outreach Services (OLOS), and Peter Waite, executive director of the
nonprofit ProLiteracy,
based in Syracuse, N.Y., cited that statistic on February 1 at the 2015 ALA
Midwinter Meeting in Chicago and talked about the work being done to help
libraries reengage in adult literacy programs.
In
that same PIAAC study, said Waite, the United States ranked 16 out of 26
countries in adult literacy. “That’s a shocking indictment of where we are and
where we need to go,” he said.
Ten
years ago, when the pressure increased for libraries to do more with less,
there was a significant drop-off in some of the core services and programs
geared toward adult literacy, Washington said.
Yet
with immigration reform on the national agenda, there remains a growing need to
teach English as a second language. This tradition of literacy instruction has
historical roots, Waite said. In the 1900s and even earlier, libraries were
perceived as institutions of social education — to teach women, freed slaves,
and others how to read and write. “Libraries have had a critical role in American
education,” he said.
During
a video presentation, a quote from Frederick Douglass appeared on screen: “Once
you are able to read, you will be forever free.”
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Literacy: Spanning the U.S. :: Gadsden AL :: Murfreesboro TN :: Buncombe County NC
Literacy: Spanning
the U.S.
Fundamentals: Adult literacy program
begins at Gadsden Public Library
Gadsden
Times: 1.19.2015 by Lisa Rogers Savage
It’s sometimes easy to take the
ability to read for granted, but statistics show that about 17 percent of
American adults have trouble with comprehension of reading and writing.
That’s a number troubling to
officials at the Gadsden Public
Library and has prompted the creation of an adult literacy program free to
anyone who wants to participate.
Library employee Tiffani Usry has
gone through training for the class through the Alabama Literacy Council
and is ready to begin teaching one-on-one to those who need assistance.
The classes are designed to teach
adults individually and the reading materials are based on adult content. It’s
nothing like the reading materials for beginners from years ago.
“One of the first stories you start
with talks about a relative being fired from their job,” Usry said. “It’s more
real-life scenarios. It’s not Dick and Jane.”
The Gadsden Public Library is one
of the few libraries in the state to begin an adult literacy program. READ
MORE !
Man learns to read at age 72
Daily
News Journal: 1.19.2015 by Nancy De Gennaro
When 72-year-old
Cecil Parker was asked to write a love letter to his bride of 47 years at a
marriage workshop, his heart sank.
“I said, ‘Uh, oh, it’s not
happening.’ I couldn’t do it,” said Parker, who was attending the workshop that
was directed by his son and daughter-in-law, Ricky and Jamie Parker.
That did it, he said, and decided
it was time he learned how to read.
He had no idea where to turn for
help, but his daughter-in-law’s mother gave him the phone number for Read To Succeed, which is hosting a
two-session tutor training Thursday and Jan. 29.
Since then Parker has visited the
Lon Nuell Literacy Center, located inside First Baptist Church on East Main,
each week with literacy tutor Robin Coble. On most days, he’s early to his
appointment.
“I enjoy it. ... It’s not been that
hard,” said Parker, who said he could reach just a few words here and there,
“enough to get by,” he added. READ
MORE !
Mountain Causes: Learning at the
Literacy Council
Citizen
Times: 1.23.2015 by Beth Walton
Living in a country where I didn't speak the
language was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It's so much more than
knowing the basics of "hello," "thank you," "I want
water" and "Where is the toilet?"
Being able to communicate is
critical to survival. It's how you get the things you need and want. It's how
you make friends and respectfully integrate into a new community. Language is
how people learn about the world and make it better.
It's that basic message that drives
the work of the Literacy Council of
Buncombe County, which envisions a community where literacy is highly
valued and achievable for all.
Improved literacy benefits not only
the struggling reader, but everyone regardless of age, race, gender or
background, said Ashley Lasher, executive director of the nonprofit.
It has the power to move people out
of poverty and into better paying jobs, she said. READ
MORE !
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Library of Congress Accepting Applications for 2015 Literacy Awards
Library of Congress Accepting
Applications for 2015 Literacy Awards
News from the
Library of Congress: 2.02.2015
Deadline: March
31
Applications are now being
accepted for the 2015 Library of Congress Literacy Awards, which are made
possible through the generosity of David M.
Rubenstein, co-founder and co-CEO of The
Carlyle Group.
The trio of awards initiated by Rubenstein were
first conferred in 2013 to support organizations working to alleviate the
problems of illiteracy, both in the United States and worldwide. The awards
seek to recognize organizations doing exemplary, innovative and easily
replicable work over a sustained period of time and to encourage new groups,
organizations and individuals to become involved.
Applications must be received no later than
midnight on March
31, 2015.
Last
year, the awards went to Room to Read (the Rubenstein Prize), SMART (the
American Prize) and Mother Child Foundation (the International Prize). More
information about these organizations and 14 other literacy leaders is
available in "Library of
Congress Literacy Awards 2014: Best Practices."
The Library of Congress Literacy Awards are
administered by the Library’s Center for the
Book. Final selection of prizewinners will be made by the Librarian of
Congress with recommendations from literacy experts on an advisory board.
By recognizing current achievements, the awards
seek to inspire organizations, foundations, and other private sector groups to
become involved in combating illiteracy.
- encourage the continuing development of
innovative methods for combating illiteracy
- dissemination of the most effective practices
- draw public attention to the continuing need for
literacy services
- increase awareness of the importance of literacy
The Rubenstein Prize ($150,000) will be awarded to
any organization based either inside or outside the United States.
The American Prize ($50,000) will be awarded to any
organization that is based in the United States.
The International Prize ($50,000) will be awarded
to any organization that is based in a country outside the United States.
Guidelines
Each organization may only apply in one prize
category. In the case of multiple nominations for the same organization, the
board may review only one application.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Literacy – Spanning the US: Stockton-San Joaquin CA :: Rowan Co NC :: Wisconsin
Literacy: Spanning
the U.S.
Manteca Bulletin: 1.16.2015
It’s
tough living life with a secret.
Some people go through their daily routine whether it’s going to work or school while not having the basic literacy skills of reading and writing.
“My experience has been that they were shy or well-behaved as children – they didn’t cause problems and, as a result, were pushed through the school system,” said Dawn Renn.
She’s one of about 45 tutors for the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library Adult Literacy Program, according to Suzy Daveluy, librarian in literacy, outreach and programming.
“Dawn is without a doubt a library hero,” Daveluy said.
Since 1985, the Adult Literacy Program has provided 1-on-1 tutoring done by volunteers from the community. Renn, who lives in Lathrop with Gregory, her husband of 29 years, found out about this program via local newsletter.
“It started off as a six-month commitment,” she said.
That was 3 ½ years ago. Renn met with Oswaldo Vera from the SJC Public Library, discussing her goals and objectives with Vera in order to find the right fit with a learner during the interviewing process.
Her selection as volunteer tutor included being fingerprinted, with the library picking up the tab.
For learners, the program is free and requires no fingerprinting but, rather, the courage to acknowledge their reading and writing deficiencies.
“It takes a lot of courage for any person to come out and say that her or she can’t read or write,” said Renn. READ MORE !
Literacy
Council tutoring improves lives
Rowan County Literacy Council, a United Way Agency, provides services free of charge
to adults 16 years and older who need to learn to read better and need help
with life skills on a one-to-one basis. The council also provides opportunities
for speakers of English as a second language to learn English and begin careers
in the United States.
Maria, a former student, had a dream of owning and operating a beauty shop. After living in North Carolina for several years and working at different beauty shops, Maria needed help with English to renew her cosmetology license in North Carolina.
A friend told her about Rowan County Literacy Council, where volunteer tutors work to improve English skills of their students.
Maria visited the Literacy Council Office in the Rowan County Public Library headquarters to ask for help with learning English. A tutor, Helen, was assigned to begin classes with Maria. They met at the Library weekly for one hour and 30 minutes for two years. They worked on pronunciation, vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and writing until Maria felt she could apply for her cosmetology license renewal. READ MORE !
Wausau Daily Herald: 1.19.2015 - Community Contributor
Aly Catacutan is an intern with the Central Wisconsin Literacy Council
"And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream." –Martin Luther King Jr.
Many feel the American dream is out of reach. The dream is for a better, richer and full life, with plenty for everyone. The Central Wisconsin Literacy Council, or CWLC, helps people work on their dreams.
There are many ways to consider the American. For some, the dream may include a house, good job, a healthy family, fancy cars, and lots of vacation time. For others, the dream may be simpler, enjoying the freedom our country offers. The dream may be merely beginning to pursue these ideals. Education is key to all of them, and the ability to read is key to educational success.
Education is needed to secure jobs and wages, and to enjoy all America offers. Most jobs require the basic English literacy skills including reading, speaking, writing, math, and using computers. Without such skills, upward mobility and dream achievement are very difficult.
How can people enjoy such freedom if they cannot read or write? How can someone use these freedoms if they cannot understand our language? About two million people move to the U.S. each year. Half of them arrive with very low literacy skills. Many more people born and raised in the U.S. also lack basic literacy skills. There are people willing to help. READ MORE !
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