Literacy – Spanning North America :: Harrison Co WV :: Prince Albert SK :: Lansing MI

Literacy: Spanning North America     

Literacy Volunteers

Harrison County

Literacy Volunteers of Harrison County WV Provides Vital Services For Local Learners Of All Ages

WV News: 12.28.2018 by Charles Young

The Literacy Volunteers of Harrison County works to provide a variety of free educational, tutoring and test prep resources for local students of all ages.

Melissa Sinisi, executive director, said the organization offers a number of different specialized programs.

“We serve all of the residents of Harrison County,” she said. “We have an English as a Second Language program with tutors, we have a pre-TASC (Test Assessing Secondary Completion) program where they do TASC prep on the computer, then we also have basic tutoring in math, English, science and social studies.”

The organization also helps high school students prepare for pre-collge [sic] exams like the ACT and the SAT, Sinsi said.  READ MORE >>

Prince Albert

Literacy Network

Literacy Network Surpasses Goal

Prince Albert Daily Herald: 12.27.2018 by Peter Lozinski

Thanks to a wave of community support, the Prince Albert Literacy Network (PALN) successfully hit its Shine a Light for Literacy goal.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, PALN had a booth set up at the Gateway Mall. For a $2 donation, residents could contribute to lighting a light on a tree. The trees had a total of 1,000 lights. A late surge of donations led to a total of $2,440 raised to buy new materials for the various literacy network programs.

“We’re just so pumped that the donations came in and we are over the top with lighting the literacy trees in Gateway Mall,” said volunteer Kim Orynik.

“Just the last few days, the donations started to roll in a little more quickly. $2,440 will buy a whole lot of resources for us.”

The funds will go to help repair and build story sacks for the family literacy programs. The story sacks go out to many groups and agencies in Prince Albert. They play a huge role in the volunteer component of the program.

Story sacks are resources that encourage parents and children to read together in an interactive way. They contain high-quality picture books, props and costumes for acting out the story, an audio recording, a non-fiction book and an idea card with activities to do together.

Story sacks are free for people to borrow.  READ MORE >>

Capital Literacy

Coalition

It’s Raining Caps, Gowns & Good Will At The Capital Area Literacy Coalition

Lansing State Journal: 1.03.209 by Judy Putnam

Barb Schmidt knew there had to be gently used graduation caps and gowns out there.

Maybe they were resting in drawers, stored in attic trunks or forgotten in the backs of closets.

Schmidt, the GED coordinator at the Capital Area Literacy Coalition, hoped she could get 15 sets donated to the literacy nonprofit. That way newly minted GED grads could wear caps and gowns at their ceremonies instead of just passing them around for pictures.

The literacy coalition, also known as the Reading People, offers GED study guides, tutors as needed, and free testing for those wanting to earn their GEDs on their own, rather than attend classes. GED are generally considered the equivalent of a high school diploma.  READ MORE >>

The Right to Literacy in California via Medium

The Right to Literacy in California

Medium: 1.15.2019 by Ethan Mora

A Californian’s “*Right to the Opportunity to Become Literate”

The Issue

Does the California Constitution afford California public school students a right to an opportunity to acquire basic literacy skills?

Alternatively: Does the California Constitution guarantee the right of every student in California’s public school system an opportunity to not remain illiterate?

The Short Answer

Yes. Although the California Constitution does not mention any specific qualitative or substantive standards for education, an appreciable body of historical and legal sources reflects the State’s assumed constitutional obligation to provide its citizens with a public education that includes, at minimum, the opportunity for students to achieve literacy in the English language.

My Analysis

The meaning of the word “education” is the core issue in establishing the constitutional right to an opportunity to attain literacy. The following discussion demonstrates that historical accounts pertaining to the drafting of the California Constitution, as well as current statutory language and jurisprudence, support the notion that literacy is, and always has been, presumed to be included in the definition of “education.” The California courts, Legislature, and the State’s constitutional framers, have all appreciated that no citizen can possibly have an education — let alone a basic, rudimentary, adequate, or quality education — if he or she is illiterate. Were the opportunity to become literate not inherent in the fundamental right to an education, the right to an education would be rendered meaningless. The opportunity to become literate is the foundation upon which the right to education is premised.

A. California Constitution & Judicial Interpretation

The fundamental right to an education as interpreted by the California courts is found primarily in article IX of the California Constitution. Courts have recognized education as a constitutionally protected right because of its universal relevance in society, its importance in preserving democracy, and its significance in shaping the culture. Literacy, as a foundational element of education, must be constitutionally protected for precisely the same reasons. Being literate is indispensable to one’s capacity to fully participate in society, and to exercise other constitutionally protected rights. An illiterate person, for example, cannot exercise his right to contract (Cal. Const. art. I, § 9), or his right to petition the government for redress of grievances and to access information concerning the conduct of the people’s business (Cal. Const. art. I, § 3).  READ MORE >>

*New Lawsuit :: Only One Fourth-Grader at a School in California Can Read at Grade Level via LA School Report

literacyspace:  7.20.2018

What Is The Role Of Libraries In The Digital Age via ebookfriendly

What is the role of libraries in the digital age (infographic)

Ebookfriendly: 10.26.2018 by Ola Kowalczyk

The infographic shares facts and figures about the state of reading in the European Union, and is a great way to start a discussion about the role of libraries.

In the digital age, libraries are more important than ever before, and it’s worth discussing their future.  READ MORE >>

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Oceanside CA :: Pontotoc Co OK :: Miami FL :: Grand Island NE

Literacy: Spanning the U.S.     

@OsideLibrary

An Assessment of the Library's Adult Literacy Program

A Report for the Oceanside Public Library

Oceanside Library: August 2018

The Oceanside Public Library worked with Library Consultant Joseph Matthews from February to August 2018, and is now proud to share the result of Joe's hard work. Our many thanks to Joe for his dedicated research and discussion with people in Oceanside and the literacy community.

The proposal was requested to: "...review all aspects of the Library’s provision of literacy services for English-speaking adults... The Consultant’s recommendations may be applied to the Oceanside READS Literacy Program, or to any Adult Literacy services the Library may provide or coordinate.  The consultant will be expected to address the following areas and make recommendations:

--Community adult literacy needs and outcomes analysis

--Progress and status tracking for adult learners

--Resource management to meet objectives and service level needs

--Tools and materials

--Marketing and collaboration

Executive Summary

The Oceanside Public Library (“the Library”) asked the consultant to review its operations related to the Oceanside READS Adult Literacy service (“READS”), and provide a set of recommendations based on the best practices from adult literacy services in other public libraries.

The Library management team, together with the READS Literacy Coordinator, should, on an annual basis, review its goals and track the overall performance of the program, to determine whether any changes need to be made.

If the READS program is to expand its reach, and grow to accommodate 50 or so learner/tutor pairs, then the Literacy Coordinator position will need to become a full-time position, and more space will need to be found to accommodate more learner/tutor pairs working together simultaneously.   READ MORE >>

Pontotoc Co

Literacy Coalition

New Logo, Same Mission

Literacy Coalition teaches reading, writing and other skills

Ada News: 12.26.2018 by Eric Swanson

The Pontotoc County Literacy Coalition has a new logo, but its mission remains the same: Helping people master basic skills.

The coalition recently adopted a logo designed by Brandon Dean, a native of the Bahamas who recently graduated from East Central University with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design.

“He came up here, and he said he was looking to use his gifts to do some volunteer work,” said program director Erin Ritter. “And so we asked him if he’d be interested in doing a logo for us. He came up with this idea, and so there we have it.”

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Teaching people to read

Since 1984, the coalition has taught reading, writing and other skills to high school students and adults. The coalition also helps its students get ready to take General Educational Development tests, prepare for the ACT or learn English as a second language.  READ MORE >>

Exchange for Change

Literacy Is The Pathway To Freedom And Other Thoughts From A Graduation Ceremony Behind Bars

WLRN: 12.26.2018 by Sammy Mack

The fall semester is over for students across South Florida—and at Exchange for Change, it's been a particularly meaningful semester.

The program teaches writing and fosters literacy within South Florida prisons, and earlier this month, it hosted a formal graduation ceremony at Everglades Correctional Institution.

There were no caps or gowns, just the same blue uniform of every other day, but graduates were called up to a microphone to read their work to the audience of fellow inmates, guards and civilian teachers and visitors.  LISTEN 02:24

@litcouncilofgi

At Work And With Tutoring, Working To Learn English

Grand Island Independent: 12.27.2018 by Yousif Toto

My name is Yousif Toto. I came to America from Sudan. In Sudan, I learned to read and write in Arabic.

I am a student at the Literacy Council of Grand Island and I work at JBS. We speak English at work. So with work and the Literacy Council, I am learning reading and writing in English. My plan is to become a citizen of the USA.

Literacy Council Student Making Progress

Grand Island Independent:  12.27.2018 by Karla A. McGeorge, Director of programs, Literacy Council of Grand Island

I would like to provide background on an inspirational student who wrote a letter to the editor on behalf of the Literacy Council of Grand Island, Yousif Toto.

Yousif first registered as a student at the Literacy Council in 2017. Yousif came to our organization speaking very little English, but always arrived after working a long shift at JBS, smiling and eager to learn. Before Yousif was matched with his current tutor, Eunice Kehler, he could speak very little English and had difficulty writing the Latin alphabet, as his native language is Arabic.

Yousif began by slowly learning the English language alphabet. He quickly progressed from learning to read and write the alphabet to learning to read and write small words in English.  READ MORE  >>           

Librarians, Let’s Make 2019 the Year of the Book via PW

Librarians, Let’s Make 2019 the Year of the Book

@ala_rusa

Libraries today offer a range of vital, innovative services, but books are still our bread and butter

PW: 1.18.2019 by Sari Feldman*

This week, the library world will gather in Seattle for the American Library Association’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting, where a slate of great authors will take the main stage to give keynotes, and where publishers and other content-related service providers will make up the bulk of the booths on the exhibit floor. As always, the publisher booths will be the most prominent and widely visited booths at the show. Anyone who has ever been to an ALA conference knows well that librarians will happily wait in long lines (often with bookbags slung over both shoulders) for the chance to meet authors and get signed ARCs. That’s because America’s libraries are built on a foundation of books and literacy.

Even as the digital age has progressed, changing the way many people access information, surveys shows that books and literacy remain closely associated with the library brand, and that reading services remain a major source of support and advocacy for libraries, as well as for the ALA. But as libraries continue to expand and transform in response to evolving community needs, I sometimes question whether the ALA is losing sight of just how central books and reading are to the work of libraries.

As I glanced through the professional program for this week’s conference, it seems to me that the ALA and its divisions are offering less conference programming focused on books—particularly adult books. Aside from a handful of publisher-led Book Buzz sessions, what’s happened to the programs that provide practical advice to librarians who want to support adult readers? And what does this shift in programming say about the future of libraries?

If I could suggest one New Year’s resolution for the ALA, it would be to make 2019 the year of the book.  And a good place to start that effort is with the ALA’s Notable Books Council.

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When I see recent trends indicating a national resurgence of independent bookstores, I am thrilled to think of new homes for readers. But I also fear that libraries will lose ground if we don’t compete better for readers’ attention. So I am calling on ALA to explore ways to better support our book-related services, and to ensure that the next generation of readers’ advisors will have a home in libraries.

When ALA introduced its successful Libraries Transform campaign in 2015, it was meant to build on our foundational principles. What’s more foundational to libraries than books? If we envision 2019 as the year of the book, imagine the transformation we might lead.  READ MORE >>

*PW columnist Sari Feldman is executive director of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Cleveland, Ohio, and a former president of both the Public Library Association (2009–2010) and the American Library Association (2015–2016).

Advancing Community Goals: The Evolving Role of the Public Library via ICMA

Advancing Community Goals: The Evolving Role of the Public Library 

ICMA: 11.26.2018 by Rebecca DeSantis

Libraries have always served as a resource and gathering place for communities, but their role is evolving as community needs change. Jessica Cadiente, ICMA member and library director of the Santa Barbara Library in California for just over three years, is actively helping her library fit the needs of the residents in Santa Barbara. "Local libraries are flexible and nimble," she states. "We joke that we are always in draft form because as our communities change so do we." 

When the Thomas fire hit the area in December 2017, the library sprang into action to help provide services for the community. Cadiente explains: "While everyone was trying to leave town and many other organizations, businesses, and community centers across town closed, our library team stayed. We knew it was an all hands on deck moment and everyone stepped up to extend services. We immediately added more programming, more classes, more events."

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In both immediate actions and long-term initiatives, libraries across the country are working with the community to provide resources and services that meet the needs of each generation of library users. In 2016, ICMA partnered with the Aspen Institute and the Public Libraries Association to conduct the nationwide survey “Local Libraries Advancing Community Goals,” which focused on the evolving role of public libraries in advancing community goals. In this month's "facts and stats" blog, we pull out some of the highlights from this survey and what this means for libraries today.

> 53% of jurisdictions cited foundations and nonprofit organizations as part of their strategy to ensure financial sustainability of the library system.

> 73% of responding jurisdictions ranked “access to high-speed internet service” as an important or highly important role of their local library.

> 60.1% of respondents rate the level of public interest in library services in the community as “high” or “very high.”  READ MORE >>

Adult Literacy Is A Real Problem. How Do We Fix It? :: Listen via WNPR

LISTEN 49:24

Adult Literacy Is A Real Problem. How Do We Fix It?

WNPR: 1.17.2019 by Lydia Brown & Lucy Nalpathanchil, Where We Live

Literacy. It's something many of us take for granted. The ability to read health forms, headlines, or the latest bestsellers. Yet, across the U.S., there are millions of adults who have difficulty reading.

This hour, we find out why. We talk with literacy experts and advocates, and we also hear from you.

GUESTS:

Komi Agbenohevi

- Literacy student and Hartford, Connecticut resident

Carol “CJ” Hauss

- Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford,

a Connecticut-based nonprofit (@LitVolHartford)

Kevin Morgan

- President and CEO of ProLiteracy, an international nonprofit

based in Syracuse, New York (@ProLiteracy)

Dr. Shlomy Kattan

- Executive Director of the Adult Literacy XPRIZE (@xprize)

LISTEN 49:24