no time, no staff, no money…. 10 tips for adding literacy services @ your library!

No Time, No Staff, No Money….

10 tips for adding literacy services @ your library!

Dale Lipschultz

Literacy Officer, dlipschu@ala.org Office for Literacy & Outreach Services

The LRI is an online tool designed to:

1. Help library administrators and staff conduct a thorough inventory of their library’s literacy services and programs

http://www.buildliteracy.org/toolkit/index.html

And

2. Provide resources and links to help address service gaps.

http://www.buildliteracy.org/toolkit/index.html

The LRI Library

The LRI Library is a dynamic collection of resources and web links.

The Library includes field-based examples of effective library literacy practices.

LRI Content

The LRI inventories library activities in four sections :

Understands its community; Demonstrates a financial commitment; Provides services for adult learners; Offers access to technology.

Using the LRI

The LRI is your tool!

Select a section Respond to each activity

Yes, our library does this. No, our library doesn’t do this now, but

we would like to.

Each “yes” or “no” response generates specific resources from the LRI Library.

10 tips for adding literacy services @ your library!

Tip 1: Know your community

1. History

2. Economics

3. Demographics

4. Services

Tip 2: Know your library

Who do we serve? How do we do it? Who are we missing? What’s the impact of library

services?

Tip 3: Recognize your resources

Hidden and visible Human and fiscal

TIP 4: Break down barriers

1. Get to know your neighbors. 2. Invite potential partners to the

library.3. Talk about strengths & challenges. 4. Brainstorm action steps.

Tip 5: Be prepared to be the

• advocate • convener • note taker • copy maker• problem solver • peacemaker • community resource

Tip 6: Don’t take no for an answer.

If at first you don’t succeed…

1. Reflect on your experience.

2. Reexamine your approach.

3. Regroup your efforts.

4. Try again!

Tip 7: Assume nothing!

Partnerships demand compromises.

Partnerships need nurturing. Partnerships take time.

Tip 8: Learn from your mistakes.

See mistakes as ‘lessons learned.’

Share these lessons with your partners.

Develop new strategies. Take risks. Be brave!

Tip 9: Tell your story!

Use numbers & narratives. Include your partners. Tell your story to everyone.

Tip 10: Manage change

1. Build on your successes.

2. Realize when change is necessary.

3. Acknowledge that change is hard.

Next Steps

Try the LRI online. Use the LRI @ your library. Identify your strengths. Recognize your barriers. Develop an action plan.

We want to hear from you!

There’s a feedback button at the bottom of each section of the LRI.

Did you find what you were looking for? Were the LRI resources useful? What else do you need? What can you contribute to the LRI Library?