Adult Literacy Services Your Library Public Library Literacy

Adult Literacy Services @ Your Library Public Library Literacy Programming to Meet Community Needs

What I’ll discuss today l l l Definitions of Literacy Adult Literacy Facts Established Library Contributions to Literacy Library Literacy Partnerships/Collaborations Partnership-driven Library Contributions to Adult Literacy

Common Definitions of Literacy l l l The ability to read & write The ability to understand, interpret, & use printed materials The ability to learn in order to achieve one’s goals & to participate fully in society

Community Literacy or Literacy Infusion l l l l Basic reading, writing, & numeracy English fluency Family Literacy Health Literacy Financial Literacy Computer & Technological Literacy Workforce Literacy Civic Literacy

Adult Literacy & Adult Education l l Adult Literacy: Using printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential. Adult Education: Educational program serving adults, 16 years of age and older, who are functioning below the high school completion level – emphasis on reading, numeracy, and English literacy.

Adult Literacy Facts l l 93 million adults in the U. S. (43% of adult population) function below high school level. Only 3% of these adults have access to classes and other services. Business lose more than $60 billion in productivity each year due to employees’ basic skill deficiencies. Children’s literacy levels strongly linked to their parent’s literacy levels.

More Adult Literacy Facts l l l 75% of prison inmates & 60% of state welfare recipients don’t have a high school diploma or GED Arizona has one of the highest high school dropout rates in the country Nearly 1 in 5 adults in Arizona is functionally illiterate At least ½ of all adults who are functionally illiterate live in poverty Children whose parents can read are 5 -6 times more likely to succeed in school 80% of the fastest growing jobs in the U. S. require some post-secondary education

Benefits to Society of Improving Literacy Rates l l l Increases tax revenue Decreases cost of social services Reduces crime Increase health Offers qualified workforce to current and prospective employers Provides people the opportunity to function in their families and in society

Established Library Contributions to Community Literacy l l l Equal Access to All Books, Print Materials, & Information Computers, Databases, & Online Resources Storytimes Homework Help Computer Classes

Pima County Public Library Literacy Collaborations l l l Literacy for Life Coalition (LLC) Literate Worker Partners Group Refugee Integration Service Provider’s Network (RISP-Net) Pima County Community Health Task Force (PCCHTF) Financial Education Collaborative of Southern Arizona (FECSA)

Pima County Public Library Adult Literacy Partners l l l l Literacy Volunteers of Tucson Pima Community College Adult Education Pima County Adult Probation / LEARN Centers Pima County ONESTOP Career Centers National OASIS United Way of Tucson & Southern Arizona AARP in Tucson & Pima County League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson

PCPL / Literacy Volunteers of Tucson Partnership at Santa Rosa Branch

State & National Literacy Partners l l l Arizona Department of Education Arizona State Library Arizona Library Association American Library Association - Office for Literacy & Outreach Services / American Dream Grant / www. buildliteracy. org National Institute for Literacy Powerline

ALA’s American Dream Literacy site l http: //www. buildliteracy. org English Language Class at a Branch Library Literacy Volunteer Helping a Student

Partnership-driven Library Contributions to Adult Literacy l Print & Online Resources / Multiple partners • High/Low Materials • Picture Dictionaries • CDs for Language Learning • Databases for Homework, Skills, Language Learning, & Test Preparation l l English Language Classes / Literacy Volunteers of Tucson GED & Citizenship Classes / Pima Community College Adult Education

GED Class at a Branch Library

GED Success Story – Sergio Curiel, GED student, Sam Lena-South Tucson branch l l l Before his GED class, his wife helped their sons with homework One day, when Sergio offered his son help, the son said he was waiting for his mom Sergio said he would try; and he was able to help When mom came home and asked about homework, the son said, “My dad helped me. ” Sergio wants to pass on to his kids to stay in school & finish.

More PCPL Partnership-driven Library Contributions to Adult Literacy l l l Computer Classes / OASIS Job Help / ONESTOP Fall Refugee Health Fair / RISP-Net & PCCHTF Tax Help & Financial Education/ United Way & AARP & FECSA Voting Info Tables, Issues Forums, & Mock Elections / League of Women Voters

Ideas for expanded Library Contributions to Latinos & the Spanish speaking Spanish Language Classes l More English Language Classes l GED study materials provided in Spanish l Grants to fund scholarships to pay for the Citizenship Test ($675) l

Summary l l l Definitions of Literacy Adult Literacy Facts Established Library Contributions to Literacy Library Literacy Partnerships/Collaborations Partnership-driven Library Contributions to Adult Literacy

Questions? ? ? l l l Dawn R. Gardner Community Partnerships Librarian Pima County Public Library 101 N. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85716 dawn. gardner@pima. gov 520 -594 -5616