Questions and Concerns Relating to Special Collections for ABE Students, Including Organization and Kinds of Materials

DOCUMENT RESUME 'ED 247 464 CE 039 567 AUTHOR Weibel, Marguerite Crowley TITLE The Library Literacy Connection. Using Library Resources with Adult Basic Education Students. INSTITUTION Public Library of Columbus and Franklin County, OH. SPONS AGENCY Department of Education, Washington, DC.; Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus.; Ohio State Library, Columbus. PUB DATE Aug 84 NOTE 56p. PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom Use (055) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Adult Basic Education; Adult Literacy; Adult Programs; Adult Students; *Agency Cooperation; *Beginning Reading; Evaluation Criteria; *Library Collections; Library Material Selection; Library Role; *Public Libraries; Readability ABSTRACT This handbook for librarians and adult basic education (ABE) teachers examines existing and potential library-literacy connections. ChapterI discusses methods and criteria for selecting and evaluating books for new readers. Both readability levels and the quality of books are considered. The second chapter examines the library's general collection to find a whole range of materials that can help adult students at all levels from beginning reading through high school equivalency. It acquaints librarians and ABE teachers with the skills that adult new readers must master, the techniques and materials used to teach those skills, and the kinds of materials any public library will have on hand to help new readers develop those skills. Chapter III discusses questions and concerns relating to special collections for ABE students, including organization and kinds of materials. Chapter IV suggests ways public libraries and ABE programs can work together to motivate students to use the public library. A process model for library-ABE cooperation is offered. Appendixes include sources of materials for adult new readers, a classification scheme and evaluation forms for adult new reader materials, a selected bibliography from the general collection, and a bibliography of suggested readings. (YLB) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** "7. a Y LITERACY ..AaNNE%,TION using library resources with adult basic education students U S DEPARTMENT OFEDUCATION NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION r Dyf a iu.ni Ht ';)uFici s 'NI ORMATION ENTIH ,IN;IHtrp.,:PprOdir. ed as '.... 1".f1(111 111(idOlirMOn ar Vt '11,1. t, 1, 1r1,fPIll frpr,,ve - - Sf, ---21111: 1 ..fr. P"'"` tc, O Marguerite Crowley Weibel t The Adult New Reader Logo which appears on the front cover and throughc-lt this handbook was adopted by the Ohio Library Association's Task Force on Services to Adult New Readers. It is the hope of the Task Force that this logo will be adopted by public libraries throughout Ohio to advertise their collections of books and materials for Adult Basic Education students and adult new ,readers. The Adult Education Logo which also appears on the front cover has been adapted by many local and state education agencies in the United States. It represents the message and the hope that many adults, regardless of age or background, are capable learners and can use adult education programs to help build a better future for themselves and their families. THE LIBRARY ft LITERACY s., CONNECTION Using Library Resources With Adult Basic Education Students by Marguerite Crowley Weibel Coordinator Library Learning Centers Public Library of Columbus and Franklin County Sponsored by The Ohio Department of Education and The State Library of Ohio The activity which is the sub- ject of this report was sup- ported in whole or in part by The U.S. Department of Educa- tion. The Ohio Department of Education, and The State Library of Ohio. Funds for pro- duction and distribution of this handbook were provided by the Adult Education Act, Sec- tion 310 and the Library Ser- vices and Construction Act, Title I. However, the opinions ex- pressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of these agencies and no official endorsement should be inferred. August, 1984 This project is the result of a In addition, the author wishes cooperative effort carried on to thank the following persons by The Ohio Department of for their contributions to the Education, The Public Library ideas and programs that are of Columbus and Franklin the basis for this handbook: County, and The State Library Kathy Woo ley Frank, former of Ohio. Adult Services Coordinator, Public Library of Columbus The Ohio Department of and Franklin County. Education Professor Ron Carstens, Direc- Division of Educational Services tor of the Humanities Program, Ohio Dominican College, James W. Miller, Director Columbus, Ohio. Harry R Meek, Associate Director Adult and Community Education James Bowling, Consultant Adult Basic Education John Ecos, Coordinator Adult Basic Education The Public Library of ColUmbus and Franklin County Richard Sweeney, Executive Director Larry Black, Assistant Executive Director Cecilia McAdams, Adult Services Coordinator Kathy East, Children's Services Coordinator Barbara Fellows. Assistant Director, Main Library Gloria Campbell, - Driving Park Branch Learning Center Eve Fine, Linden Branch Learning Center Martha Gostely, Franklinton Branc-h Learning Center Bonnie HansonBuckley, Northside Branch Learning Center Shirley Walker, Martin Luther King Branch Learning Center The State Library of Ohio Richard Cheski, State Librarian Blane Dessy, Deputy State Librarian for Library Services Sandra Scott, Consultant Book designed by Mike Jaugstetter, Consultant Gail A. Peelman TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction P. 1 CHAPTER I (- Selecting and Evaluating Library P. 3 Materials for Adult Basic Education Students ...determining readability ...evaluating quality CHAPTER II The Adult Basic Education Student and the P. 9 Library's General Collection ...basisskills of reading ...teaching methods ...usirlg,the general collection with new readers ...the adult collection ...the juvenile collection ...reading to children ...other library resources CHAPTER III Special Collections for Adult New Readers P.19 ...organization ...kinds of materials CHAPTER IV THE LIBRARY AND THE ABE PROGRAM. MAKING THE CONNECTION P. 27 ..the adult new-reader population ...getting together with the partner agency APPENDIX A Sources of Materials for Adult New Readers P. 33 APPENDIX B Classification Scheme for Adult New Reader Materials P 36 Evaluation Forms for Adult New Reader Materials APPENDIX C Selected Bibliography from the General Collection P.41 APPENDIX D Bibliography of Suggested Readings P.48 INTRODUCTION Libraries and Adult Basic materials. Some libraries have teachers, tutors, and students Education (ABE) programs developed special collections working in community-based must be partners in a corn- of materials for adult new literacy programs as well as munitv's efforts to reduce il- readers; others are planning to public school ABE programs. literacy among its adult do so. But even those libraries Librarians generally refer to population. Working together, which don't have special col basic education students and libraries and ABE programs lections will contain many literacy students as adult new can support and supplement books that can be used by readers gild these terms are each other's programs and ABE students or adapted to used inteTchangeably greatly enhance the ledrning their use by teachers and throughout the handbook. As opportunities available to the tutors. described by Helen Lyman, an undereducated adults they It is the =pose of this hand- adult new reader is one who seek to serve. is somewhere on a continuum book to examine existing and "from beginning literacy to an In one-to-one tutoring sessions, potential library-literacy con- increasingly mature use of in learning labs, and in ABE nections. Chapter I discuses print."' Thus our discussion en- classrooms, many adi," methods and criteria for selec- compasses students who are students are learning to read ting and evaluating books for totally illiterate, those who are for the first time or learning to new readers. The second striving to become functionally improve inadequate reading chapter, and this is really the literate, and those who are skills. As students learn the heart of the book, examines workirg to develop the skills basic skills necessary for the library's general collection necessary to pass a General mature, independent reading, to find a whole range of Educational Development test teachers search for materials materials that can help adult (GED) or gain entrance into and teaching strategies that students at all levels from higher education programs. It will offer their students many beginning reading through also includes students who are opportunities to practice those high school equivalency. learning to read and speak skills by reading informative Chapter III discusses questions English as a Second or entertaining materials of and concerns relating to Language (ESL). adult interest written at easy special collections for ABE reading levels. students. Finally, in the fourth All who have worked on this The public libraryany chapter, we will suggest handbook hope it will con- public libraryhas such several ways public libraries tribute to the ongoing and ABE programs can work dialogue between adult together to motivate students educators and public to use the pr iblic library. librarians in Ohio. ' Helen Huguenor Lyman. Reading Discussions and recommenda-

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