Coordinator's Corner

Summer is upon us!

In early June, our Yolo County Library Literacy team attended the 2023 California Library Association Conference in Sacramento.

Literacy staff learned about assessing library resources, examining existing programs and services, and directly engaging with high-needs communities. The conference discussed ways in which library literacy services build partnerships and raise community awareness. We learned how to create and center dialogue around addressing known and emerging inequities.

Nancy with California State Library Literacy Services staff members: Beverly Schwartzberg, Library Programs Consultant (left); Allyson Jeffredo, Literacy & Grants Analyst (right

California Library Literacy Statistics

The 2021-2022 CLLS Statistics were shared by Bev Schwartzberg and Allyson Jeffredo during the “CLLS New Coordinators and Directors Orientation” at the 2023 California Library Association Conference on June 1. 

AmeriCorps Corner

Building and Pandemic Recovery with the AmeriCorps Initiative: We are proud of Becky McMannis, Yolo County Library Yolo Reads Adult & Family Services AmeriCorps Service Member!  She served on a panel at the CLA conference where she spoke about her AmeriCorps experience. The panel focused on AmeriCorps members who are recruiting and tutoring adult learners, helping learners engage in family literacy and ESL programming, and doing outreach in their communities.

Here are some of the questions Becky answered at the CLA presentation.

CLA: Why did you become a member and what do you see as the rewards of being a member?

Becky: For me, the biggest reward of being a member is working with learners and watching their progress. Seeing the direct impact my work is doing is one of the most satisfying things I’ve experienced. 

CLA: What challenges have you experienced as a member?

Becky: Getting started with tutoring was a challenge for me -  in the beginning. I was unsure of my own abilities to be able to teach other people. One of the things that helped me is my favorite quote by Carrie Fisher: “Stay afraid but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.”

The Right to Read: A documentary about the early literacy crisis in America

California Library Literacy Services invited literacy programs across the state to meet the “family” featured in "The Right to Read" documentary. Our literacy team watched the film and participated in a virtual meet and greet workshop with the family featured in the film.

When a child can’t read, their chances of incarceration, homelessness, and unemployment increase. That’s why Oakland based NAACP activist Kareem Weaver believes literacy is one of the greatest civil rights issues of our time and is fighting for better reading instruction. “What good is winning the right to vote if we can’t read the ballot?” Fed up with bleak reading scores in his own community, Kareem files a petition with the Oakland Unified School District demanding change.

Becky, YCL AmeriCorps Service Member, gave some insight into the documentary:

I found this movie to be very informational. They discuss different strategies for teaching children how to read that are used in schools today, which ones work and why. I found it interesting how school districts are holding on to outdated curriculums that do not work. I don’t know how accurate this statistic but one expert in the film remarked that if schools nationwide implemented the scientifically backed curriculums that the national average of illiteracy rates could go down to as much as 3%.

Classes and Conversation Groups

Conversation Groups

Our English/Spanish conversation groups are happening now. Whether you'd like to drop in and practice English in a fun and relaxed way, or brush up on your Spanish, we're here to help you meet your goals!

Pre-beginning ESL Classes

Classes for adults who do not speak English as their first Language

No personal documentation needed

Free class books included

Classes will be available at

Esparto Regional Library

Knights Landing branch library

South Davis Montgomery branch library

Winters Community Library

To learn more information about our classes or registration. Please contact Nancy Pacheco

530-666-8019

nancy.pacheco@yolocounty.org

Head Start Bookbag Giveaway!

Our Adult and Family Literacy Program, Yolo Reads, collaborated with the Yolo County Office of Education to award our local Head Start students book bags. In May, Head Start children received 590 books to create home libraries.

Summer is here! Enroll your entire family in our Summer Reading Program.

Summer is here, and our children are out of school! This is an excellent time to enroll your entire family in our Summer Reading Program.

How it Works

Sign up online beginning June 1. Everyone who signs up gets a free book.
Read and log your reading. ALL READING COUNTS!
Complete fun learning activities to earn badges.
Earn prizes for completing the program.
Beanstack: Reading Challenges and Personalized Recommendations 

You can download the Beanstack App on your mobile device to track your Summer Reading activity.
      

Prizes

Earn 1000 points to complete the Summer Reading Program. Read for 20 minutes OR complete an activity = 20 points.

o    Everyone who finishes gets a free book of their choice.

o    Children ages 0-12 who finish get a reading medal and a certificate for a free kid’s meal at Raising Cane’s.

o    Teens who finish get a reading medal OR a tote bag.

o    Adults who finish get a tote bag.

o    BONUS: Keep reading to earn 2000 points and get another FREE book!

Finish by August 15th to be entered in the Grand Prize Drawing. Visit any library branch to pick up your prizes before August 31st.

Featured Learning Resources

The library's online learning resources are always available and easily accessible through the YCL website. These are just a few of the resources we've found most helpful to our tutors and learners.