Adults Making Magic--- This was long afternoon for me (1:30-5:30) because what I heard pretty much I already know. I wish that more non-literacy people attended so that they can learn more about what we do in literacy. Anyway, our 3 learners (that includes Tammy) received a standing ovation. Unfortunately, the workshop was too long for most people and some decided to leave early and they didn't see the most important piece, the learners' testimonials. I'm glad it was videotaped and will be available at the CLLS website later on. Susan Hildreth was in attendance and she looked at my badge and saw "Rancho Cucamonga" and she shook my hand and said, "oh, yeah, Rancho - we love Rancho." It felt so good. It made my day!!!
The American Dream Starts @ Your Library Speakers: Therese Bigelow, Chesapeake, VA Public Library System; Cindy Welsh, High Plains, CO Lib; Anne Watts, Boynton Beach, FLA Library; Miguel Vicente, Athens, GA Lib
These libraries all received $5,000 literacy grants from a store called Dollar General (unfortunately, they don't have any stores in CA) Each library rep discussed the immigrant group that they work with in their community and how they used the funds to help them. What I learned: 1) in Mexico, only the wealthy people and university students can use the libraries, so Hispanic immigrants need to be taught that the library is free and for everyone and that the library does not check their immigration status 2) Hispanic parents traditionally don't read to their children because they think that is what schools do
For more info about this session, check: htt://olos.ala.org/libraryliteracy
One of my favorite programs at ALA was "Inside Stories: Prison Literacy Programs." I attended this program on Monday from 8-10 AM. The program started off with Ray James talking about his time in prison and his path to becoming a prison librarian.
Currently there are over 2 million people in prisons, jails and juvenile detention centers. If you also count the people that are on probation or parole, then there are 7.5 million people in the correctional system. One of the most common question librarians and other people ask themselves is "why would we offer education/literacy programs to prisoners?" Ray answered this question, and I've also always been a big believer in this: if you have an education you're less likely to go back to prison. The recidivism rate is extremely high for those that don't know how to read and write.
We watched a short video provided by Alameda County Library System that featured juveniles talking about their experience with literacy programs and having authors go into their detention centers and be a motivation to them. Many of the teens talked about how they read a book for the very first time while in their detention center. One of the guest authors they had at the detention centers was: Jimmy Santiago Baca, who learned to read at age 25 while in prison, and grew up in orphanages.
After the video, we heard from Vikki who works in the Queens Library system. She provides outreach to juvenile detention centers. Out of all the detention centers she's been to around the U.S. all the teens have one thing in common...the way they look: lost and in need. She was able to get a grant from Time Warner to teach the young ladies about media and how it affects the way it feels about themselves.
I didn't get the name of the last panelist, but she works with the Iowa Prison State library and as a Consultant to the Department of Corrections. She became interested in working with literacy programs when she worked in the library while she was incarcerated.
The top 2 things I took away from the program are:
1) Even though we are a public library, we can still do outreach in many ways. One idea is to donate books to jails, prisons and detention centers so that kids and teens can read while they wait in the waiting room to see their relatives.
2) If you are going to provide this type of service, the people you are providing it to have to be able to trust that you will be consistent with your service.
One last thing before I end this really lengthy blog... We have two AMAZINGLY AWESOME literacy programs at this library thanks to Allen and Rosie! Hearing literacy success stories is something that will always warm my heart. I wish I would have gone to the program Rosie mentioned!
3 comments:
Adults Making Magic---
This was long afternoon for me (1:30-5:30) because what I heard pretty much I already know. I wish that more non-literacy people attended so that they can learn more about what we do in literacy. Anyway, our 3 learners (that includes Tammy) received a standing ovation. Unfortunately, the workshop was too long for most people and some decided to leave early and they didn't see the most important piece, the learners' testimonials. I'm glad it was videotaped and will be available at the CLLS website later on.
Susan Hildreth was in attendance and she looked at my badge and saw "Rancho Cucamonga" and she shook my hand and said, "oh, yeah, Rancho - we love Rancho." It felt so good. It made my day!!!
The American Dream Starts @ Your Library
Speakers: Therese Bigelow, Chesapeake, VA Public Library System; Cindy Welsh, High Plains, CO Lib;
Anne Watts, Boynton Beach, FLA Library; Miguel Vicente, Athens, GA Lib
These libraries all received $5,000 literacy grants from a store called Dollar General (unfortunately, they don't have any stores in CA) Each library rep discussed the immigrant group that they work with in their community and how they used the funds to help them. What I learned:
1) in Mexico, only the wealthy people and university students can use the libraries, so Hispanic immigrants need to be taught that the library is free and for everyone and that the library does not check their immigration status
2) Hispanic parents traditionally don't read to their children because they think that is what schools do
For more info about this session, check: htt://olos.ala.org/libraryliteracy
One of my favorite programs at ALA was "Inside Stories: Prison Literacy Programs." I attended this program on Monday from 8-10 AM. The program started off with Ray James talking about his time in prison and his path to becoming a prison librarian.
Currently there are over 2 million people in prisons, jails and juvenile detention centers. If you also count the people that are on probation or parole, then there are 7.5 million people in the correctional system. One of the most common question librarians and other people ask themselves is "why would we offer education/literacy programs to prisoners?" Ray answered this question, and I've also always been a big believer in this: if you have an education you're less likely to go back to prison. The recidivism rate is extremely high for those that don't know how to read and write.
We watched a short video provided by Alameda County Library System that featured juveniles talking about their experience with literacy programs and having authors go into their detention centers and be a motivation to them. Many of the teens talked about how they read a book for the very first time while in their detention center. One of the guest authors they had at the detention centers was: Jimmy Santiago Baca, who learned to read at age 25 while in prison, and grew up in orphanages.
After the video, we heard from Vikki who works in the Queens Library system. She provides outreach to juvenile detention centers. Out of all the detention centers she's been to around the U.S. all the teens have one thing in common...the way they look: lost and in need. She was able to get a grant from Time Warner to teach the young ladies about media and how it affects the way it feels about themselves.
I didn't get the name of the last panelist, but she works with the Iowa Prison State library and as a Consultant to the Department of Corrections. She became interested in working with literacy programs when she worked in the library while she was incarcerated.
The top 2 things I took away from the program are:
1) Even though we are a public library, we can still do outreach in many ways. One idea is to donate books to jails, prisons and detention centers so that kids and teens can read while they wait in the waiting room to see their relatives.
2) If you are going to provide this type of service, the people you are providing it to have to be able to trust that you will be consistent with your service.
One last thing before I end this really lengthy blog...
We have two AMAZINGLY AWESOME literacy programs at this library thanks to Allen and Rosie! Hearing literacy success stories is something that will always warm my heart. I wish I would have gone to the program Rosie mentioned!
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