ALSC, YALSA launch new youth literacy program with grant from Dollar General Literacy Foundation

CHICAGO - The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded $210,000 to two divisions of the American Library Association. The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Services Association (YALSA) will receive funding to support Everyone Reads @ the Library, a new youth literacy program.

YALSA will use the funds to develop materials and programs to support summer reading programs for teens, Teen Read Week™ and materials in Spanish for teen readers. In 2011, YALSA will offer mini grants to libraries for summer reading programs and Teen Read Week. In addition, YALSA will distribute sets of the 2011 Teens’ Top Ten nominees to libraries in need and develop Spanish-language materials, including a website and reading pamphlets for Teen Read Week.

“This grant will be a tremendous asset in YALSA’s efforts to provide mini grants for Teen Read Week and to support our development of materials to assist libraries in promoting summer reading programs for teens in communities across the nation,” said Kim Patton, YALSA president. “This funding means more teens will have the opportunity to participate in Teen Read Week and summer reading programs on the local and national level. On behalf of YALSA, I would like to thank the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for supporting literacy initiatives for teens.”

ALSC will significantly expand its El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Día), also known as Children’s Day/Book Day, program to include and celebrate a wide variety of cultures. Mini grants will be awarded to libraries that demonstrate a need to better address the diverse backgrounds within their community.

ALSC will enhance Día’s resources on the Día website, create marketing materials for the libraries to use in their children’s rooms and provide a Web-based program to library staff that will train them in the selection of multicultural titles.

“As we recognize the growing cultural diversity of the communities our members serve, we thank Dollar General for helping us to expand Dia’s reach,” said Julie Corsaro, president of the Association for Library Service to Children.  “With this grant, we expect to provide resources to libraries so they can offer more culturally relevant programs and services year round.”

The Dia celebration was founded in 1996 by children’s book author Pat Mora, who proposed conceptually linking the existing Children’s Day with literacy. The founding partner of Dia is REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking.

ALSC is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,300 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit www.ala.org/alsc.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audiobooks for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, visit www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390, or e-mail, yalsa@ala.org.