CHICAGO – Dale Lipschultz, project manager of the American Dream Starts @ your library, describes how a Dollar General Literacy Foundation grant program has helped public libraries around the country increase their literacy services to adult English language learners.

Thirty-four libraries in 18 states received one time, $5000 ‘American Dream’ awards. Libraries received grants in 18 states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Lipschultz says the libraries, which are located in all types of settings, including small rural locations and large urban areas, demonstrated a need to provide literacy services and resources to adult English language learners. – Contributed by Mark Gould, director, ALA Public Information Office.

Tags: Campaign for America's Libraries, Podcasts by admin
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Public awareness efforts help libraries break through the clutter and communicate effectively in the information age. This is demonstrated in a video screened recently at the ALA Annual Conference Opening General Session in Anaheim, Calif.

Featured in the video are current ALA President Jim Rettig, 2008 President Loriene Roy, ALA Executive Board Member Mario Gonzalez, 2009 Public Awareness Committee Chair Leslie Burger, 2008 Public Awareness Committee Chair Judith Gibbons and Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels.

The video explains how public awareness efforts use partnerships to amplify ALA’s messages; help communicate key messages through relationships with such celebrities as Julie Andrews and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; and use media relations to inform the public and decision makers about our stand on such core issues as privacy.

The video also shows how public awareness can drive change. Examples cited include the work ALA did to help restore the budgets of EPA libraries and the support it gave to the Spokane moms’ efforts to increase funding for school librarians in the state of Washington earlier this year.

The video was produced by the ALA Public Information Office and the Campaign for America’s Libraries. It was underwritten by ALA Champions. – Contributed by Mark Gould, director, ALA Public Information Office

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Deborah Caldwell-Stone, the deputy director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, talks about the annual list of the top 10 banned books, as well as other issues related to intellectual freedom in the first of a two-part interview. To listen, click here – Submitted by Steve Zalusky, manager of communications, ALA Public Information Office.

Tags: Podcasts by admin
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