Libraries and Literacy

1
Libraries and Literacy Working Together

• Marcia Aronson
• Ottawa Public Library

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Pre-2001

• Ottawa Public Library (OPL) was a founding member
  of the Ottawa Community Coalition for Literacy
  (OCCL)
• OPL had a permanent seat on the OCCL Board
• OPL offered tours of the library to adult
  learners
• OPL maintained a modest literacy collection
• OPL allowed literacy agencies free use of meeting
  room space for literacy tutoring

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Post Amalgamation

• OPL Manager began to participate in OCCL projects
  and committees
• OPL Manager participates in the Selection
  Committee of the Golden Oak Adult Literacy Book
  Club and promotes Golden Oak to local literacy
  agencies
• OPL Manager participates in the planning of
  Family Literacy Day
• OPL is the lead on City of Ottawa Strategic
  Initiative Building a Learning and Literate
  Community (2005-2008)

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Building a Learning and Literate Community

• Objective develop, support and promote learning
  and literacy through
• service enhancements
• departmental and community partnerships
• Focus family literacy, enhancements for people
  with disabilities, newcomers, and adult learners

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Family Literacy

• Outreach to marginalized communities through the
  bookmobile
• Extend TD Summer Reading Program to city daycamps
  and daycares
• Implement Every Child Ready to Read in all OPL
  storytimes

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Enhancements for People with Disabilities

• Membership in CNIBs VISUNET Canada Partners
  Program
• Acquisition of DAISY Readers for loan
• Canadian Council for the Blind Book Club
• Implementation of assistive technology
  workstations in 7 locations

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Newcomers

• Your Library (DVD available in 9 languages)
• Partnerships with 5 local settlement agencies to
  support newcomer information activities in 9
  locations
• Participate in the evaluation of the Library
  Settlement Program Pilot
• Participate in the development of the model
  Library Settlement Program Report by Toronto
  Public Library

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Adult Learners

• Inventory of adult literacy programs in Ottawa in
  order to identify gaps
• Develop a manual to introduce adult learners to
  the library Getting to Know the Library
• Develop training for literacy instructors on
  using the manual
• Develop awareness training for library staff on
  literacy

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Getting to Know the Library

• Written by
• Chris Harwood
• for
• Ottawa Public Library
• in partnership with
• Ottawa Community Coalition for Literacy

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Background

• One visit isnt enough
• learners dont become comfortable and confident
• No resource for adult literacy instructors to use
• TPL good but too advanced for our learners
• takes time to create activities resource needed
• Need interaction with librarians
• need to take into account librarians other
  duties
• increases learners comfort level

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Process

• Focus Groups
• Writing Getting to Know the Library
• Review by Reference Group
• Pilot Revisions
• Translation
• OPL Website
• Presentation at CLA Conference, 2007

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Getting to Know the Library

• Students will
• become comfortable and confident in the library
• realize the librarys potential
• become familiar with all aspects of library
  services
• know how to use library services

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Delivery

• To be used by
• Literacy Instructors
• ESL Teachers
• Tutors
• with students in their programs
• It may also be used by used by day school
  teachers who want to encourage library use among
  their students

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Logistics

• Not divided into sessions
• Can be used
• in library branch or classroom
• as a curriculum
• by category e.g. choosing a good book
• as individual activities incorporated into other
  curricula or teaching plans e.g. pedometer

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Comment from a teacher

• I finally finished going through the whole
  wonderful work and I must say Im very impressed.
  It is a comprehensive document that should be
  useful for many different learners.

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Partnership with Librarians

• Explain goals
• Talk about the activities
• Decide how to work together
• Arrange visits and logistics
• Discuss how librarians can get involved

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Comment from a librarian

• Just thought I'd let you know that we've had 4
  ESL tours booked since the manual was sent out to
  teachers.  The classes have come in with
  exercises to do while in the library, and some
  had done exercises before coming, all from the
  new manual.  The teachers are thrilled at having
  this resource, and are obviously using it.  It
  helps us too, because the classes are at least
  somewhat prepared before their first visit.

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Characteristics

• Builds knowledge of the library step-by-step
• Builds skills using a scaffold approach
• Gives explicit information
• Incorporates transferable skills
• Improves communication skills
• Provides support for students to become
  independent library users

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Structure

• Participant Manual
• Menu of 65 activities
• Plain language, clear layout and design
• Different learning styles auditory, visual,
  kinesthetic
• Instructor Pages
• Instructions, materials and handouts
• Possible answers
• Learning Outcomes from Level Descriptions Manual
  (Ontario Literacy Coalition)

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Graphic Icons

• ? Important points
• Q Question
• ? Writing activity
• ? Listening activity

• ? Role play
• ? Computer
• ? Internet
• ? Movie

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Types of Activity

• Reading directions, books, quizzes
• Writing notes, letters, lists, answers
• Listening stories, videos, DVDs, discussions
• Speaking asking questions, discussions
• Observing library
• Computer OPL catalogue, internet
• Demonstrations quizzes, comparisons

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Your Library - Movie
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Fiction and Non-Fiction

• Activity 2 Differences and categories
• Activity 3, 4, 5 Genres, favourite genres,
  interests, symbols on
  book spines
• Activity 22 Fiction based on fact
• Activity 23 Separating fact from fiction
• Activity 36 Judging a book by its cover
• Activity 37 Book blurbs
• Activity 38 Steps for choosing a good book

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All You Need to Know
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Being a Library Member

• Library card, 15
• Borrowing items, 16
• Receipts, 17
• Fridge magnets, 18
• Returning items, 21
• Getting items back on time, 55
• Talking to a librarian, 62

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Topics

• American Sign Language
• Native Art BC
• Canadian History
• Islam
• AIDS
• Authors
• Healthy Lifestyle

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Aboriginal Art
BEAVER Creative, Artistic, Determined An
important crest of the Haida and very often seen
on totem poles, Beaver is said to have once been
a woman. Tsimshian legend tells of a woman who
dammed a stream so she could swim in it and then
she refused to get out. She was transformed and
her leather apron became Beavers tail. The
beaver was a sign of wealth due to the fur trade.

BEAR Strong, Humble - Mother and Teacher
Powerful and human-like, Bear is seen as an
elder and is treated as a high-ranking guest when
killed. A legend shared by many tribes tells of a
chiefs daughter abducted by a bear she later
married the bear and gave birth to twin cubs.
OWL Wise The Owl is one of the many crests of
Northwest Coast Natives. It represents the souls
of deceased ancestors and is treated with
respect.
RAVEN Knowledgeable Raven is known as
Transformer, Trickster, Hero and Creator and is
one of the two main crests of the Haida. Legends
tell that Raven released the Sun and Moon,
brought water and fish and discovered mankind in
a clamshell.
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Authors

• Students are fascinated
• Want to know more about the people behind the
  stories
• Want to learn how authors get characters and
  stories for their books

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Pedometer

• Shows library is not just about books and videos
• Health benefits of physical activity
• Introduce 10,000 Steps a Day challenge, 19, 20

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Using the OPL Website

• Finding the nearest library, 6
• Checking your library account, 42
• Renewing items online, 45
• Opening the library catalogue, 47
• Searching for a title, 48, 49
• Searching for an author, 50
• Searching for a subject, 52, 53

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Screen Shot
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Cataloguing

• Fiction alphabetical order, 30

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Who is this?

• Cataloguing non-fiction
• Dewey Decimal System, 31 35, 54

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Making Reading a Family Event

• Tips to create good reading habits , 46
• Linked to Every Child Ready to Read and TD Summer
  Reading Program
• Literacy activities for adults to use with
  babies, pre-school, elementary school age children

35
Books

• Golden Oak
• Novels for adult learners Kate Ferris/Don
  Sawyer
• Quick Reads
• Lists in Appendices 1 - 3

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Job Search

• Librarian gives tour of job search resources at
  the library, 57
• Librarian and instructor teach skills as needed

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Museum Pass

• Gives information about museum passes and free
  access times, 60
• Opportunities to use computer in library for
  online virtual tour of museum
• Ties to theme of aboriginal art, 24

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Results and lessons learned

• Partnerships are crucial
• Involve learners in planning
• Provide training
• Finding funding takes time
• Promote widely
• Make materials freely available

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Free Download

• Please download a copy from Ottawa Public Library
• Getting to Know the Library
• http//www.biblioottawalibrary.ca/explore/getting_
  e.html
• Apprendre à connaîtra la bibliothèque
• http//www.biblioottawalibrary.ca/explore/getting_
  f.html

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Getting to Know the Library

• Thank You
• Contact information
• Marcia.Aronson_at_biblioottawalibrary.ca
• marywiggin_at_occl.ca
• chrisharwood_at_rogers.com