Activity Details
Title: Community Literacy Grants
Narrative:
The Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) is in the unique position to provide leadership, support, and resources to library and community-based literacy programs. As a state agency, the state library may be able to obtain targeted appropriations for adult literacy. In ODL's case, these funds made it possible to offer community literacy grants.
Statewide, twenty-one grant funded local literacy programs reported services were provided to more than 2,400 adult learners utilizing volunteers from the community. More than 800 volunteer tutors provided over 35,000 hours of instruction. Additionally, 1,787 hours of assistance/support were provided by non-tutoring volunteers. Using the value of volunteer hours, according to Independent Sector, those services provided a return on investment of nearly one million dollars!
ODL's community literacy grants were a significant factor in the stability of local literacy programs throughout the state. The grants encouraged program accountability by requiring such things as learner assessment and tracking, a plan of operation, and defined measures of project success. Grant reports and project monitoring helped identify what technical assistance and training was needed by local programs, and where ODL staff could provide technical assistance and/or resources.
Offering Community Literacy Grants is just one way the ODL can help develop or expand local literacy efforts, and in doing so, state libraries indirectly serve individuals with low literacy skills and/or individuals who are unable to communicate in English.
Local literacy programs—tutors, adult learners, and volunteers—are in the best position to share how literacy programs benefit individuals and communities. They can be powerful advocates for the need of funding for literacy. It is important for state legislators to understand how illiteracy impacts such issues as employment, health, incarceration rates, etc., and how local library literacy programs accomplish so much with minimal investment.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Activity: Content
Mode: Other
Format: Physical
Other: grants to support local programs
Quantity
Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No
Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No
Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Urban
Suburban
Rural
For what age groups: 18-25 years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Ethnicity Not Applicable
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: No
Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: BARTLESVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY LITERACY SERVICES
Address: 600 S. JOHNSTON AVE.
City: BARTLESVILLE
State: OK
Zip: 74003
Name: CLEVELAND COUNTY LITERACY PROGRAM
Address: 225 N. WEBSTER AVE.
City: NORMAN
State: OK
Zip: 73069
Name: CREEK COUNTY LITERACY PROGRAM
Address: 15 N. POPLAR ST.
City: SAPULPA
State: OK
Zip: 74066
Name: DUNCAN AREA LITERACY COUNCIL
Address: 2300 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD
City: DUNCAN
State: OK
Zip: 73533
Name: GREAT PLAINS LITERACY COUNCIL
Address: 421 N. HUDSON ST.
City: ALTUS
State: OK
Zip: 73521
Name: LITERACY LINK
Address: 8143 E. RENO AVE.
City: MIDWEST CITY
State: OK
Zip: 73110
Name: MCALESTER REGIONAL LITERACY COUNCIL
Address: 401 N. 2ND ST.
City: MCALESTER
State: OK
Zip: 74501
Name: MCCLAIN COUNTY LITERACY PROGRAM
Address: 919 N. 9TH ST.
City: PURCELL
State: OK
Zip: 73080
Name: MIAMI PUBLIC LIBRARY LITERACY SERVICES
Address: 200 N. MAIN ST.
City: MIAMI
State: OK
Zip: 74354
Name: NEW DIMENSION LITERACY COUNCIL
Address: 320 E. ST. NW
City: ARDMORE
State: OK
Zip: 73401
Name: NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA LITERACY COUNCIL
Address: 1500 W/ MAIN ST.
City: WOODWARD
State: OK
Zip: 73801
Name: OIC OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY
Address: 3033 N. WALNUT ST.
City: OKLAHOMA CITY
State: OK
Zip: 73105
Name: PONCA CITY AREA LITERACY COUNCIL
Address: 515 E. GRAND AVE.
City: PONCA CITY
State: OK
Zip: 74601
Name: PONTOTOC COUNTY LITERACY COALITION
Address: 124 S. RENNIE ST.
City: ADA
State: OK
Zip: 74820
Name: POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY LITERACY PROGRAM
Address: 101 N. PHILADELPHIA AVE.
City: SHAWNEE
State: OK
Zip: 74801
Name: ROGERS COUNTY LITERACY COUNCIL
Address: 1515 FLORENCE AVE.
City: CLAREMORE
State: OK
Zip: 74017
Name: RUTH G. HARDMAN ADULT LITERACY SERVICE
Address: 2901 S. HARVARD AVE.
City: TULSA
State: OK
Zip: 74114
Name: STILLWATER LITERACY COUNCIL
Address: 1107 S. DUCK ST.
City: STILLWATER
State: OK
Zip: 74076
Name: WAGONER LITERACY GROUP
Address: 102 S. STATE ST.
City: WAGONER
State: OK
Zip: 74467
Name: WESTCENTRAL OKLAHOMA LITERACY COALITION
Address: 219 E. FRANKLIN AVE.
City: WEATHERFORD
State: OK
Zip: 73096
Name: WESTERN OKLAHOMA LEARNING CENTER
Address: 1502 W. 8TH ST.
City: ELK CITY
State: OK
Zip: 73644
