Building Literacy Skills Leads to Economic Growth ▬ EveryLibrary Institute

Building Literacy Skills Leads to Economic Growth

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EveryLibrary Institute: 2021 by Barbara Alvarez

Lower literacy skills and educational attainment have dire economic consequences. People with lower literacy skills have significantly decreased worker wage potential, discouraging regional and national economic growth. In Building Literacy Skills Leads to Economic Growth: The Case for Investing in Libraries to Grow the Economy, Barbara Alvarez explores the connections between literacy, educational attainment, and economic growth and the unique, powerful role that libraries can play in putting policy into practice.

Public libraries are uniquely positioned to improve literacy and remove barriers to higher educational attainment levels and thus contribute to economic growth locally and nationally. Indeed, one of the core roles of libraries is to provide literacy services to adults, children, and families. From book clubs to tutoring programs, resources, and instructional classes, libraries provide countless opportunities for adults to increase their literacy skills, pass a General Educational Development (GED) test, improve their English language proficiency, and engage with their communities. This paper reviews current effective models for libraries, elected officials, and funders to collaborate and improve local and regional economic development through literacy and education services delivered by our nation's public libraries.

Please sign up now to receive a FREE PDF of "Building Literacy Skills Leads to Economic Growth: The Case for Investing in Libraries to Grow the Economy"

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 20

Reading Level: very difficult to read.

Reader's Age: College graduate

What Science Can’t Explain About Reading ▬ Medium.com

What Science Can’t Explain About Reading
It exercises the brain and brings a lot of joy to people, but how are we wired to respond?

Science of Reading

Medium.com: 11.29.2020 by EveryLibrary

It may come as a surprise to many who are naturally used to reading books, labels, road signs, etc. on a daily basis that reading is not a natural occurrence our brains are wired to know. In fact, our brains are designed for talking and not reading, which is why it takes extra effort to learn how. Those who are not exposed to reading techniques at a young age can struggle as they get older which is why schools are so focused on closing the gap and teaching students how to read proficiently early on.

Everyone has the potential to learn how to read regardless of background, especially if their instruction is based on science and prevention of reading failure rather than the experiences of the teacher. This way, students are less likely to fall behind in their reading and learning and will develop the literacy skills that become important for their futures.

What Is the Science of Reading?

The science behind reading has been debated and researched by experts for over two decades. It is based on the knowledge of reading experts and cognitive scientists who have studied how humans learn to read and how this is developed over time. This evidence-based research on reading strategies has made its way into the curriculum and, in some states, are even required to be implemented by law to ensure that schools are doing what they need to ensure students are learning effective reading skills. For example, elementary education license holders may need to show proficiency in scientific reading instruction and school districts may need to provide continuous training in evidence-based reading and curriculum evaluations to prove that the content is effective.

How We Learn to Read

There are multiple aspects that contribute to how we learn to read and multiple approaches that researchers have used to explain the learning process. Reading skills develop from a very young age and building blocks needed to grow these skills affect how children read later on. This is why it is so important that educators have solid foundations in teaching reading abilities.

Factors that play into how we learn to read include developing awareness of phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary skills, and reading comprehension. A major approach that has been used to explain the science behind reading includes the phonics approach.

➤ Reading Through Phonics
➤ Beyond Phonics
➤ Reading Failure
➤ Benefits of Reading
➤ Using Your Public Library to Read

READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 12

Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 17-18 yrs. old

(Twelfth graders)

How Libraries Support Nonprofits ▬ Medium.com

How Libraries Support Nonprofits

@EveryLibrary

Medium.com: 12.28.2020 by PC Sweeney

Local libraries are immersed in their communities and, in many cases, will work with and support non-profits on a local and national level to bring about impactful change. There are many non-profits located in your local community that benefit from the resources and support that libraries provide. Libraries have a lot to offer-just look at the endless stories of library and non-profit partnerships that have emerged throughout the years.

Nonprofit Resource Centers

Oftentimes, libraries host a nonprofit resource center for community organizations to utilize. The Central Library in Denver has resources curated specifically for nonprofits on the third floor of their library. Resources include books, periodicals, and databases that touch on funding, grantmakers, and a variety of community resources that help connect, enhance, and grow nonprofits. The library also has connections with the Colorado Nonprofit Association which is a great starting point for new nonprofit organizations to look to for guidance. The library has also compiled best practice guides and information on important nonprofit related topics like IRS status and filing as well as grant writing and creating funding proposals.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh also provides a collection of free resources for area nonprofits to access and learn from in their nonprofit resource center. The information they have compiled touches on nonprofit management, funding, and grant seeking. All of this information is accessible through their free databases and directories which serve as powerful and comprehensive research tools for those looking to get started or improve upon their nonprofit organization. Just a few of these resources include Foundation Maps which provides data on global philanthropy and Guidestar Pro which helps nonprofit organizations research and analyze financial data. Along with a robust digital resource collection, the Carnegie Library also provides print resources like books on proposal writing, nonprofit management, and community and economic development.

What’s great is that these print and digital resources can be integrated with free and fee-based programming offered by the library. This monthly programming helps nonprofit organizations become familiar with library resources and offers the expertise of professional consultants to cover topics like social media marketing, volunteer management, and developing nonprofit boards.

Stories of Nonprofit Support

There are plenty of examples where libraries have come to the aid of nonprofit organizations.

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Libraries have also been at the forefront of helping provide health and wellness resources to their communities. It is not uncommon to find libraries bringing in health professionals and offering screenings and education to the community in partnership with nonprofit organizations focused on improving community and national health.

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Recently, libraries have also provided fundamental support in the global health crisis.

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In addition to services and support provided by libraries to the health and wellness nonprofit sector, there are also examples of libraries working with a diverse range of nonprofit organizations to support early literacy, low-income communities, and education among many others.  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 16

Reading Level: very difficult to read.

Reader's Age: College graduate

Library Funding Map :: EveryLibrary Institute

Library Funding Map

EveryLibrary Institute

The EveryLibrary Institute is working with the Syracuse University School of Information Studies to establish this collaborative project between researchers and practitioners with the goal of developing an open-access interactive online platform that increases understanding of return on investment of public libraries at the local, state, and national level; identifies major factors influencing ROI, including similarities and disparities among libraries; and fosters collective impact communicating the value of libraries in the 21st century.

Our prototype library funding and return on investment map is built from data provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It includes data from every library that participated in the 2016 data collection. In this interactive map, you can find your library and view your library's preliminary return-on-investment (ROI) indicator. This ROI indicator is based on early data and is displayed only for informative purposes. While the project is ongoing, new data points will be incorporated to include local funding issues and more accurately represent the return on investment for our nation's libraries. In most cases, once that data in incorporated, these ROI measures will drastically increase.

Libraries increasingly need to demonstrate value, especially via quantifiable measures that link libraries to social and economic prosperity. Although various approaches can provide such measures, one effective method is ROI. ROI measures the value received (usually in dollars) as a result on of an amount invested in a particular asset. Most calculations rely on traditional methods, such as cost-benefit analysis, to demonstrate how investments to public libraries, such as taxpayer money, benefits both individual citizens and local communities. Data for these studies may be taken from local economic data, such as tax dollars collected, which are then compared with general estimates representing the dollar value of library collections, circulation and reference services, events, and programming. Other studies have used statewide survey data regarding public library use or interviews with stakeholders regarding library services: for example, a study of Colorado libraries compared time and money costs to use public libraries for a particular service vs. the time and money costs of alternative service providers.

We are working to bring U.S. public libraries a thorough, nationwide systematic study of ROI to demonstrate relevance in the contemporary information environment, advocate for support, secure ongoing funding, and allow libraries to make informed strategic decisions. Further research questions we are pursuing include:

What is the return on investment (ROI) for U.S. public libraries at the local, state, and national level?

What measurable outputs are necessary for such calculations? What models are most appropriate?

What similarities and disparities in ROI exist across public libraries in the US

What factors might contribute to these disparities?

READ MORE  >>

Library / Literacy Funding

Return On Investment - ROI

2019

Library Funding Map, EveryLibrary

Economic Impact of Public Libraries (various ROIs), WI Dept Public Instruction

Libraries Matter: Impact Research: Bibliography, ALA

Public Libraries – A Wise Investment - Library Research Service

2018

From Awareness to Funding: Voter Perceptions and Support of Public Libraries in 2018, OCLC

2017
Library & Literacy Funding Chart: FY 2017 -by President, House, and Senate, ALA (excel file)

2011
Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, ALA
2008
From Awareness to Funding: A Study of Library Support in America, OCLC
2007
Worth Their Weight: Assessment . . . Library Valuation, Americans for Libraries Council

Vote Libraries Month Throughout October via EveryLibrary

Vote Libraries Month Throughout October

Vote Libraries: 2018

Sign the pledge 

to vote yes for libraries in the United States!

#VoteLibraries

Over 90% of public library funding comes from the will of the local voters and the local politicians. That's why EveryLibrary, the first and only national political action committee for libraries, is launching Vote Libraries 2018 in October to highlight the importance of voting Yes for libraries on the ballot and for candidates who care about library funding.

Vote Libraries 2018 is a national marketing campaign designed to reach more Americans who believe in libraries and ask them to take the Pledge to Vote Libraries prior to the November elections. In dozens of communities, a library's local funding is on the ballot. Across the country, this election will set the direction for local, state, and national library funding by our elected officials. How you vote this November matters to the future of library funding. That's why we're asking you to sign the pledge to vote for libraries and for politicians who support libraries.

At EveryLibrary, we want children to have access to great books and literature or opportunities to learn to love reading and literacy. We need to ensure that libraries have the funding they need to continue to serve their communities. Without libraries, we deny people access to tools needed for career skills, tools to start new businesses, or to simply get ahead in life. We need to stand together to vote for libraries and to vote for politicians who support libraries. Libraries are crucial to American communities and the livelihood of millions of Americans every single day. Vote Libraries month encourages us to stand together to support libraries so we do not lose them.  READ MORE >>

Take This Survey For Libraries via everylibrary

@EveryLibrary 

Take This Survey For Libraries

Everylibrary: 1.05.2018

Take this quick 5 question survey for libraries and help us understand who supports our nation's libraries.

Take this quick 5 question survey and let us know if you are a voter who uses the library and if you would vote to support your local library. We're running this survey because we care about voters and we care about libraries and we want to find out more about the kinds of people who support our nation's institutions.

One Million Americans for Libraries :: EveryLibrary

One Million Americans For Libraries

Join the movement! Help us find one million Americans who love libraries on Facebook.

EveryLibrary: 9.05.2017

For our 5th Anniversary we want to be able to reach even more Americans with a pro-library message. That’s why we’re announcing our One Million Americans For Libraries Campaign today!

Join us on Facebook and invite your friends to help us find one million Americans for libraries.

We’re so excited about the work that libraries are doing to help communities across the country. From storytimes to job placement assistance to helping people start new businesses, learn skills, and get ahead in life, librarians are really making a huge difference. We want to do everything we can to promote the importance of libraries to everyone in the country, and, with your help, we can do it through our Facebook page.

Starting on September 5th through November 7th (Election Day) we are going to campaign to reach one million Americans who love their public libraries and we want to get you involved in changing the landscape of library advocacy in the United States.

We created this event page so you can get involved in this campaign and make a huge difference for libraries across the country. Starting September 5th we are going to share great content for your walls, badges and images, stories and news, and share ways that you can get more involved. For now, please invite your friends to get involved here!

We do this work because we believe that libraries are critical to communities and that Americans rely on their libraries for important programs and services. We believe that libraries are the cornerstone of American society and that they truly make our country stronger.

This is crucial because we are seeing more politicians trying to defund and deny Americans access to their libraries. You probably seen libraries close in Douglas County, Oregon. Many of you helped us fight back when they tried to close the libraries in Mary Esther Florida. We were able to push back when the mayor tried to defund the libraries in Miami-Dade and we have fought against unjust legislation against libraries like the Michigan Gag-Order bill. And, of course, with your support we are able to work on dozens of local library campaigns and elections every year to help libraries win over 250 million dollars in annual funding.

None of this was possible without your support and the support of people just like you. The more people we can reach when there is a crisis, the more we can fight against these kinds of threats. I know that many of you believe in libraries but we know there are millions of Americans who also believe in libraries who we haven’t spoken to yet. The next time there is a crisis we want to be able to reach them to take action. The quickest and easiest way to reach millions of Americans for libraries is through our Facebook page.

That’s why we're asking you to help us reach one million Americans for libraries by liking and sharing our Facebook page on September 5th through November 7th and I’m also going ask you to take a just a few minutes and use the invite feature to invite your friends to like our page too.

We also want to hear from you about what we can do to reach this big huge goal!  READ MORE @

Copy and paste this into Facebook messenger

and send it to your friends.

There are people in the United States who are fighting to deny you access to your local public library. That’s why I just joined EveryLibrary’s campaign to find one million Americans who love libraries. I want to show my support for libraries in the United States and I’m challenging you to join me by liking the EveryLibrary Facebook page and sharing this message.

It’s easy to share by holding your finger down on this message and at the bottom it will say “forward.” Touch that and then click on the names of your friends in your list and it will send it to them. Show that you support libraries by liking the EveryLibrary Facebook page at facebook.com/everylibrary.   

EveryLibrary Speaking Tour

EveryLibrary Speaking Tour!

EveryLibrary: 8.08.2017 by pcsweeney

@EveryLibrary

We are excited about traveling across the country in the next few months and speaking to librarians in dozens of states about building a better future for funding libraries through political organizing and action. Our webinars, keynotes, staff workshops, and panel discussions focus on training librarians to understand their political environment and how to influence local voters and politicians to support libraries to improve funding. The political strategy that we teach is based on data and research as well as practical experience from over 60 ballot campaigns in small towns and large cities and from our work organizing communities of library supporters against closures and defunding initiatives from local, state, and federal officials.

If you’d like more information about hiring EveryLibrary to speak at your event or training opportunities for your staff or to contact us for speaking engagements please visit us here.  READ MORE @

Preserve Funding for the IMLS, NEA, the NEH, and PBS :: Sign the Petition :: everylibrary

Preserve funding for the IMLS, NEA, the NEH, and PBS

Sign the petition to Preserve Funding for the IMLS, NEH, NEA, and PBS

everylibrary: March 2017

At EveryLibrary, we believe that any threatened cuts to funding for libraries and museums, arts, humanities, and cultural programs is a threat to all cultural institutions. President Trump has just released his "America First" budget that eliminates federal funding for all of the institutions that support these programs. These programs account for incredibly insignificant portion of the national budget (less than 0.5%) and while he diverted these funds for the Military, we have to ask; what are we fighting for, if not the arts and humanities? These are the simple human things that make life worth fighting for.

“The arts are essen­tial to any com­plete national life. The State owes it to itself to sus­tain and encour­age them….Ill fares the race which fails to salute the arts with the rev­er­ence and delight which are their due.” - Winston Churchill

IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Cutting this funding means that countless libraries will lose access to the grants that allow them to replace crumbling technology and infrastructure that many rural and urban communities depend on. Libraries often provide the only broadband access to rural communities and many Americans in all areas often rely on libraries to apply to jobs, access training to learn new skills, and many entrepreneurs use the resources found in the library to get a competitive edge in an increasingly global marketplace. In fact, for every dollar spent on libraries, more than $5 are returned to the community.

We also need to stand up and speak out now to our elected officials about the importance of the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Public Broadcasting Service. Yes, only a small portion of their $741 million combined budgets goes to libraries for programs. But those are the pretty significant programs through libraries that improve the cultural, artistic, and social lives of many communities. We are asking you today to help hold the line on IMLS and NEA and NEH and PBS, not just for those library programs, but for the cultural and artistic life of our country

Please use this form to contact your members of Congress today and ask them to preserve IMLS, NEA, NEH, and PBS funding in the next and future budgets. You can make a difference today by sending this message early about cultural programming and our libraries.

Let your elected officials know that these are American budget priorities.

Update: Read the IMLS statement on March 16 about how eliminating this unique library program would impact "library services to every state and territory in the country".

District Dispatch

ALA-Washington Office

Defund Libraries. Create a Nation of Fools.

Defund libraries. Create a nation of fools.

St Louis Post Dispatch:  3.27.2016 by the Editorial Board

Little did the Plainfield, Ill., Public Library District supporters know that the Americans for Prosperity had them in their sights.

By the time they found out that they had been targeted by a national political action committee opposed to taxes and government regulation, it was too late. The robocalls and misinformation were relentless, distributed by the influential conservative committee funded by Charles and David Koch.

Plainfield needed to raise $39 million to replace a 26-year-old library that no longer meets community needs. Thanks to the Koch brothers’ onslaught, the community of slightly fewer than 40,000 failed on March 15 to pass a bond issue and a property tax increase.

St. Louisans are facing a similar campaign regarding the city’s 1 percent earnings tax. Local financier and tax opponent Rex Sinquefield is spending $2 million to fight the tax, which raises about $160 million a year and accounts for a third of the city’s general revenue budget.

Voters who will decide on April 5 whether to continue the earnings tax should keep the Plainfield experience in mind. Taking away tax money needed to fund services — whether libraries, police or fire districts — cripples communities and hurts the people who live there.  READ MORE @

Bill to change library funding halted

A bill that would change funding for public libraries in Kansas has stalled after library advocates spoke against it.

McPherson Sentinel: 3.28.2016 by Josh Arnett

The *bill would make it optional for cities to fund public libraries. Currently, library funding is a requirement.

Opponents said if cities choose not to provide funds, libraries could be devastated and even closed down.  READ MORE @

*Librarians, others throw book at House bill clipping tax authority  House Bill 2719

everylibrary

Any library ballot initiative anywhere
matters to every library everywhere

EveryLibrary Announces VoteLibraries

EveryLibrary Announces VoteLibraries, an Online Collection of Campaign Resources for Libraries

EveryLibrary: 6.02.2015 by John Chrastka

EveryLibrary, the first national political action committee for libraries, is pleased to announce the launch of VoteLibraries, a new campaign to give libraries the resources needed to advocate for themselves in their communities. Created through a partnership with the Creative Action Network (CAN) and funded by partners including Mango Languages, this campaign will provide libraries with a new, dedicated set of advocacy and outreach tools online for campaign success.

VoteLibraries is the first and only library advocacy site focused on local library funding campaigns, whether at the ballot box or through town/city/county negotiations. It includes an extensive set of campaign and outreach tools while providing a comprehensive industry­-wide call to action for funding at local, state, and national levels. The campaign’s website, www.votelibraries.org, features extensive tools for voter outreach and constituent engagement as well as new, high­-quality art and design from the Creative Action Network (CAN) for free use by libraries across the country.

VoteLibraries.org also provides an easy pathway for library campaigns and other local stakeholders to access support directly from EveryLibrary.  READ MORE !

Follow VoteLibraries on

Facebook  & Twitter

Check out the Rapid Response Fund: designed to amplify the voices of local library advocates during a crisis by supporting paid ads for outreach and action.

Tea Party Case Against Kentucky Libraries Overturned Today ::: everylibrary

Tea Party Case Against Kentucky Libraries Overturned Today

EveryLibrary: 3.20.2015 by John Chrastka

State of KentuckyEveryLibrary is relieved that the Kentucky Court of Appeals held with reason and the law to overturn the Tea Party’s case against Kentucky libraries today. It is a significant loss for anti-library forces in the state, and around the country, affirming that the libraries followed the law when setting tax rates. It will hopefully clear the way for library leaders across the state who have been facing real uncertainty to again focus clearly on supporting education, business development and jobs skills, and community outcomes. In making its ruling, the Appeals Court was clear:

     While appellees/taxpayers argue that these provisions should only

      apply to library districts created by ballot and not petition, that

      interpretation defies logic and common sense given the circumstances

      that existed when the statute was originally passed in 1965.

This wasn’t a false alarm. Lawsuits like this are a tried and true way for anti-tax groups to advance their agenda. We must remember that the reason this got to the Appeals Court in the first place is that the libraries lost in the Circuit Court. Libraries will be a target of anti-tax lawsuits across the country again. The national advocacy ecosystem for libraries needs to be ready for the next one.  READ MORE !

EveryLibrary Announces :: "Vote Libraries"

Announcing “ Vote Libraries ”

EveryLibrary: 1.20.2015 by John Chrastka

Our job is to help library campaigns communicate better with voters. One problem is that the visual images, the ‘creative deck’ for library campaigns to use on on social media, in print and on yard signs, is kind of uneven. What’s available on the open web is OK….

Library campaigns need high quality design to open eyes and reach voters. We need specific “Vote Libraries” messages to cut through the clutter. So we need your help to improve the impact of local voter engagement.

In 2015, we hope to launch “Vote Libraries” to create new, professional, high-quality, high-impact visuals for library campaigns to use on social media, on yard signs, and in voter outreach. With your help, “Vote Libraries” we will be a new suite of copyright-free images created by designers and artists who know how to do campaign communications right.  We will commission the artists and designers with creativity and talent to help pass library bonds, levies, and other referendum.

With your support, EveryLibrary can bring this same type of high-quality, high-impact images for libraries.

EveryLibrary needs $10,000 to make “Vote Libraries” happen for 2015 campaigns. We are looking for 25 people to donate $100 to kick this off. If you want to “buy a share” in a new Vote Libraries image and be thanked by name forever, we’d welcome your $500 donation. And, any new $10+ per month donor between now and mid-February who comments #votelibraries at rally.org/everylibrary will get a commemorative print of the image of their choice. If you are a $100 or $500 donor, you’ll get a commemorative print too. Don’t worry. But put #votelibraries in the comments just to be safe.

Donate today. And Vote Libraries.