ALA, Dollar General Literacy Foundation Announce Recipients of $10,000 American Dream Literacy Initiative Grants

ALA, Dollar General Literacy Foundation announce recipients of $10,000 adult literacy grants

ALA: 1.26.2018

The American Library Association (ALA) and Dollar General Literacy Foundation announce 20 U.S. public libraries to receive American Dream Literacy Initiative grants, $10,000 awards to expand services for adult English language learners or adults in need of basic education and workforce development.

“Vast numbers of Americans rely on their public libraries for assistance with English literacy skills, high-school equivalency testing, and basic technology and job skills,” said ALA President Jim Neal. “ALA is proud to enable more of this critically important work in communities across the United States, and we are grateful to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for their ongoing support.”

The American Dream Literacy Initiative strives to develop tools and resources for libraries and library staff to provide effective literacy services to adult English language learners in their communities and across the country.

Buffalo & Erie County Public Library will bring literacy and employment skills training to underserved communities via a portable classroom through the Community Assistant Cyber Caravan.

Athens Regional Library System will develop a series of classes that combine culinary arts with English language instruction.

Sacramento Public Library Authority will expand and enhance the library’s services for immigrants, which currently operate with a lengthy wait list.

Since the program’s inception, 185 libraries in Dollar General communities have initiated or expanded literacy services for adult English language learners. The grants allow libraries to augment their print and digital English as a second language (ESL) collections; increase computer access and training; provide job training; hold English language learning (ELL), general educational development (GED) and citizenship classes; and raise the visibility of services for immigrant populations.

The 2018 American Dream Libraries are: 

Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, New York

New Brunswick Free Public Library, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Buffalo, New York

Ferguson Library, Stamford, Connecticut

Rochester Public Library, Rochester, New York

Suffolk Public LIbrary, Suffolk, Virginia

Athens Regional Library System, Athens, Georgia

Osceola Library System, Kissimmee, Florida

Danbury Public Library, Danbury, Connecticut

Norfolk Public LIbrary, Norfolk, Virginia

Chandler Public Library, Chandler, Arizona

Sacramento Public Library Authority, Sacramento, California

Crown Point Community Library, Crown Point, Indiana

Princeton Public Library, Princeton, New Jersey

Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library, Christiansburg, Virginia

Blount County Public Library, Maryville, Tennessee

Keene Public Library, Keene, New Hampshire

Lafourche Parish Public Library, Thibodaux, Louisiana

Shelbyville-Bedford County Public Library, Shelbyville, Tennessee

Wayne Library Alliance, Honesdale, Pennsylvania

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