Adult Literacy Services @ Your Library

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

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

3. Common Definitions of Literacy • The ability to read & write • The ability to understand,interpret, & use printedmaterials • The ability to learn inorder to achieve one’s goals & to participate fully in society

4. Community Literacy orLiteracy Infusion • Basic reading, writing, & numeracy • English fluency • Family Literacy • Health Literacy • Financial Literacy • Computer & Technological Literacy • Workforce Literacy • Civic Literacy

5. Adult Literacy &Adult Education • 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.

6. Adult Literacy Facts • 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.

7. More Adult Literacy Facts • 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

8. Benefits to Society of Improving Literacy Rates • 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

9. Established Library Contributionsto Community Literacy • Equal Access to All • Books, Print Materials, & Information • Computers, Databases, & Online Resources • Storytimes • Homework Help • Computer Classes

10. Pima County Public LibraryLiteracy Collaborations • 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)

11. Pima County Public LibraryAdult Literacy Partners • 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

12. PCPL / Literacy Volunteers of Tucson Partnership at Santa Rosa Branch

13. State & National Literacy Partners • 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 • Literacy Powerline

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

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

16. GED Classat a Branch Library

17. 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. GED Success Story – Sergio Curiel, GED student, Sam Lena-South Tucson branch

18. More PCPL Partnership-driven Library Contributions to Adult Literacy • 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

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

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

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