Library Service to Underserved Populations
Services to Adult New and Non-Readers
Use this page to access resources, materials, and information related to literacy at ALA, literacy in libraries, and literacy in communities, both real and virtual.
- Committee on Literacy
- Building/Finding a Literacy Program
- Collaborating with Community Partners
- Reference Desk Tip Sheets | FAQs
- Virtual Literacy Community
- Libraries, Literacy and Advocacy
- Collection Development
- Content Areas Adult Basic Education (ABE) | Easy Reading for Adult Learners | English as a Second Language (ESL) | Family Literacy | Multicultural/Civic Participation
- Curriculum and Development
- Genre/Material Types Children's Books | Educational Activities | Literature | Tradebooks & Newspapers
- Selection Tools Print | Internet | Software
- Showcase
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Technology
Building/Finding Literacy Programs
How to Build a Literacy Program (Developing Literacy Services @ Your Library)
The Literacy Readiness Inventory will help you assess how your library approaches adult literacy services so that you can build or improve literacy programs and services.
LINCS Assessment Special Collection
Find a Literacy Program in Your Community
America's Literacy Directory Links you to literacy programs in your area.
Collaborating with Community Partners
BuildLiteracy is ALA’s partnership building web site. The website features information, materials, and resources about how libraries, literacy programs, and corporate partners work together to build stronger literacy partnerships and more literate communities. BuildLiteracy.org is generously funded by Verizon.
A Perfect Partnership -- Libraries and Literacy Providers
By Dale Lipschultz, Excerpted from Connecting, the quarterly magazine for members of the Family Literacy Alliance
Verizon Reads is the umbrella organization for Verizon's national literacy platform. Established in 1999, Verizon Reads is dedicated to the fight for a more literate America through meaningful programs that create awareness, raise funds, and encourage collaboration among literacy providers.
National Alliance of Urban Literacy Coalitions
Reference Desk
Tip Sheets
Literacy in Libraries Across America (LILAA) Fact Sheets
- Literacy-Readiness
- Building a Community of Readers Through Partnerships and Technology
- Tutor "Trickle-Down": Communicating with Literacy Tutors
- Retention Through Content-Based Instruction
- Advocating for Literacy and Learners
- Small Group Instruction in a Library Literacy Program
- How Rural Libraries Can Include Literacy Services
- Making Your Library Literacy-Ready
- Prime Time Family Reading Time (pdf)
- Reading Starts With Us: How to Build Your Family Literacy Efforts (pdf)
FAQs
- Libraries and Literacy
- Link to BuildLiteracy FAQs Other Resources
BuildLiteracy’s Authoritative Sources
BuildLiteracy’s collective wisdom stories
National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) Data
National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) Survey
PLA Top Titles for New Adult Readers
PLA's Adult Lifelong Learning Section compilation of outstanding books, fiction and nonfiction, that serve the needs of newly literate adults.
Virtual Literacy Community
A collection of websites that provide basic information about a wide range of topics--like a library. All websites are reviewed by librarians, and are accurate, up-to-date, and easy to use.
firstfind.info is a collaborative project of OLOS, Westchester Library System, Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library and Queens Borough Public Library. To learn more about the goals and implementation of this unique online resource, read the firstfind booklet.
Libraries, Literacy, and Advocacy
National Coalition for Literacy
ALA Public Information Office (PIO) Library Advocates Handbook
Get a Tool Kit to help with ideas for celebrating International Literacy Day (September 8).
Public Library Association (PLA)
Adult Lifelong Learning Section (ALLS) Basic Education and Literacy Services Committee Resources for the Adult New Reader Literacy Discussion Group
Collection Development
http://www.ala.org/ala/olos/olosliteracy/collectiondev/Default3682.htm
Content Areas
Adult Basic Education (ABE) Email Project: www.otan.dni.us/webfarm/emailproject/email.htm
Lifelong Learning Online (LLLO): www.otan.dni.us/cdlp/lllo/home.html
MultipleIntelligences for Adult Literacy and Adult Education: http://literacyworks.org/mi/
Easy Reading for Adult Learners
Apartment Hunting: www2.wgbh.org/mbcweis/akira/iib/apt.htm
California Distance Learning Project: www.otan.dni.us/cdlp/cdlp.html
Nutrition Inquiry Map: www2.wgbh.org/mbcweis/ltc/sccc/Nutrlmap/example.html
English as a Second Language (ESL)
LINCS ESL Special Collection: http://literacynet.org/esl/
Self-Study Quizzes: http://iteslj.org/quizzes/
Computer Resources for ESL : http://sppro.ocdsb.edu.on.ca/orlac/
Adult Education ESL Teachers Guide: http://humanities.byu.edu/elc/teacher/teacherguidemain
Center for Applied Linguistics: www.cal.org
Glossary of Second and Primary Language Acquisition Terms: www.earthrenewal.org/secondlang.htm
Dave's ESL Café: www.eslcafe.com/
The ESL Quiz Center: www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/quiz/
ESL Slang Page: http://eslcafe.com/slang
English as a Second Language: www.rong-chang.com
ESL Home Page: www.lang.uiuc.edu/r-li5/esl/
ESL Lesson Plans and Resources: www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/eslplans.html
Grammar Safari: http://deil.lang.uiuc.edu/web.pages/grammarsafari.html
Monthly Idiom: www.comenius.com/idioms/
Virtual English Language Center: http://www.comenius.com
VOLTERRE-FR: www.wfi.fr/volterre/inetpro.html
Family Literacy
Community collection for family literacy handbook (in LINCS)
CYFERNET : www.cyfernet.mes.umn.edu/
Family Literacy Annotated Bibliography of Resources: www.mb.literacy.ca/family/flresour/cover.htm
LINCS Family literacy Special Collection: http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/FamilyLit/
Family programming at the public library: Story kits (GSLIS - U IL - Champaign-Urbana)
National Center for Family Literacy: www.famlit.org
Parents and Children Together Online: http://reading.indiana.edu/
Multicultural/Civic Participation
http://www.yourdictionary.com/
Civic Participation and Community Action Sourcebook: http://hub1.worlded.org/docs/vera/index.htm
National Immigration Forum: http://www.immigrationforum.org/
U.S. Citizenship Study Pages: http://www.uscitizenship.org/
Outreach and Technical Assistance: http://www.otan.dni.us/
Curriculum and Development
Curriculum guides and suggestions, approaches and methodologies can be incorporated to design , in ongoing fashion, programming that meets particular needs of particular people . No one curriculum can, or should, be able to fit all settings all the time. We use curricula/guides, I hope, to give us ideas about what's possible, to see what others have done that we might learn from, but they're all useless without careful attention to the strengths and needs of the people with whom the program interacts.
- ABLE net online lesson plans -- http://www.lhup.edu/ablenet/profdev/lessons/lessonplans.htm
- ArtsEdge: Teaching materials -- http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/teach
- Family literacy and more lessons -- www.hudrivctr.org/es.htm
- How to Buy a Home in the United States: www.geocities.com/sgaer/home/
- Literacy Assistance Center Curricula and lesson plans -- www.lacnyc.org/resources/curricula
- Capitol Region Education Council www.crec.org/
Resources for adult educators in response to the World Trade Center crisis and its aftermath -- www.lacnyc.org/resources/wtc/resources.htm
Teaching & learning with Internet-based resources -- http://novel.nifl.gov/fellowship/reports/susanc/inthome.htm
You Work Hard for Your Money: http://cls.coe.utk.edu/lpm/workhard.html
EFF Content Framework -- www.nifl.gov/lincs/collections/eff/eff_framework.html
Massachusetts State curriculum frameworks -- www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/
Teachers' Internet Use Guide -- www.rmcdenver.com/useguide/index.htm
NOTE: Visit the LINCS Special Collections and select the audience button from the left within the collection that matches your interest area.
Genre/Material Types
Children's books
The Coretta Scott King Book Award Committee Discussion Guide: www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookawards/winnersa/pastwinnersa/cskdiscguide.htm
Every Child Ready to Read Project: www.ala.org/ala/pla/plaissues/earlylit/earlyliteracy.htm
The Childrens' Literature Web Guide: www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/
Using Multicultural Children's Literature in Adult ESL Classes: www.cal.org/ncle/DIGESTS/Kidlit.htm
Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site: www.carolhurst.com/
Educational activities
250+ activities . . . (in LINCS)
Adult Educator Lesson Plans from Northeast Literacy Tech: http://hub1.worlded.org/nelrctech/user/lessons_sites.html
Virtual Frog Dissection Kit: http://george.lbl.gov/ITG.hm.pg.docs/dissect/info.html
Eureka! http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/index2.html
GED pre-testing resources: http://cite.telecampus.com/GED/index.html
Gateway to Educational Materials: www.thegateway.org/
Learning Resources: http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/
LiteracyLink: www.pbs.org/learn/literacy/
One World, One People ESL Lessons: members.aol.com/jakajk/ESLLessons.html
On line Lesson Plans: www.lhup.edu/ablenet/profdev/lessons/lessonplans.htm
Online Publications of the Louisiana State Literacy Resource Center: www.doe.state.la.us/slrc/index.htm
- Childcare SUCCESS,
- Environmental News,
- Getting Your Commercial Driver's License,
- Project Metamorphosis, AND other locally produced curricula
Science and Technology Special Collection: literacynet.org/science/
Web-Based Lesson Plans: www.alri.org/lessonplans.html
World Wide Web Institute Lesson Plans Gallery: www.lacnyc.org/resources/curricula.htm
Mediadesigns: home.earthlink.net/~mediadesigns/Index.html
Literature
Fluency Through Fables: www.comenius.com/fables/index.tpl
Tradebooks & Newspapers
Recommended Trade Books for Adult Literacy Programs: literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/Resc/Trade/
Impact! Online home page: http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/Impact/impact_homepage.html
Key New Readers Newspaper: www.keynews.org/
Selection Tools
Print resources
Great Reads: Literacy Connections: Resource for Literacy Programs and Reading Teachers
PLA Top Titles for New Adult Readers
Pura Belpre award winners www.ala.org/alsc/belpre.html
Internet Site Reviews
Literacy Webliography: alri.org/pubs/webliography.html
How Adult Learners are Using the Internet: http://alri.org/pubs/learnerfocusgroups.html
Software review resources:
Adult Education Software List: www.wcs.k12.va.us/Departments/psoft/adulteducationsoftwarelist.htm
Project Software Evaluations: www.wcs.k12.va.us/Departments/psoft/bookindex.htm
CALL @ Chorus (a database of Computer-assisted language learning software reviews): www-writing.berkeley.edu/chorus/call/index.html
Showcase
Today's Librarian magazine: www.todayslibrarian.com
FirstFind.info: www.firstfind.info
Program Management: Learning from public library literacy programs- www.edrs.com/DocLibrary4/0494/ED364254.PDF
So I Made up My Mind --- www.mdrc.org/Reports2000/MDRCLibLit.pdf
Libraries and Literacy - www.wallacefunds.org/publications/pub_lit/lib.htm
Curriculum and Instruction
ALA: Retention Through Content-Based Instruction
LILAA Fact Sheet Produced by: Centers For Reading and Writing, New York Public Library
ALA: Small Group Instruction in a Library Literacy Program
LILAA Fact Sheet Produced by: Project READ, Redwood City Public Library
Software Reviews from Redwood City Project READ
Redwood City Project READ
Teaching and Learning with Internet-based Resources
Susan Cowles, Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, Oregon
Instructional Materials for Teachers and Tutors
Lake County Adult Learning Connection
Technology
Adult Literacy and Technology Network (ALT)
The National Institute for Literacy Technology Electronic Discussion List
Contact
For more information on adult literacy, please contact: Dale Lipschultz Literacy Officer, Office of Literacy and Outreach Services American Library Association 50 East Huron Street Chicago Illinois 60611-2795 Fax: 312-280-3256 Phone: 800-545-2433 ext 3275 or 3211 dlipschu@ala.org