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G2S Project Code: 2022-DE-92661
State: Delaware
Fiscal Year: 2022

Grantee
Delaware Division of Libraries

Project Director
Director Name: Anne Hiller Clark
Director Phone: 3022573018
Director Email: anne.hillerclark@delaware.gov

General Information
Title: Delaware Communities of Excellence
State Project Code:
Start Date: 10/01/2021
End Date: 09/30/2023
Abstract: The goal of Delaware Communities of Excellence (DECOE) is to improve literacy rates across the lifespan and enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans through development of a comprehensive literacy ecosystem providing equitable resources and services. As the backbone organization, the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) collaborates with state agencies, nonprofits, and private sector organizations to create literacy improvement opportunities that are accessible, equitable, cost effective, and show measurable, impactful results. More than 20% of Delaware’s adult population have low literacy skills, and 49% of third graders are not proficient readers. Results in the third project year included expansion of active subcommittees on early childhood literacy, health literacy, and adult literacy. Awareness of the dire literacy situation statewide and across the lifespan increased within many sectors, including the state legislature, and the desire to create improvements grew. Direct programs supporting this work include Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Overdrive’s SORA eBooks for Delaware students, and, in partnership with Literacy Delaware and Northstar Digital Literacy, assessment and training for adults. Late in the project year DECOEs Advisory Council conducted a strategic planning session with statewide stakeholders. During that session it also launched its rebranding as the Delaware Literacy Alliance.
State Goal: Lifelong Learning

Budget Information

LSTA

MATCH-State

MATCH-Other

Total

$130,864.31

$108,818.63

$0.00

$239,682.94

Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Education
Literacy

Activities
Activity Details
Title: Adult Literacy
Narrative: Adult literacy is one of the Delaware Literacy Alliance’s focus areas and subcommittees. DDL has an adult literacy coordinator whose role is to 1. develop a comprehensive list of organizations and who they serve 2. to build trust relationships between them because many of these organizations are concerned about funding or other impacts if they collaborate with others doing similar work and 3. be an active member and leader of the DE Literacy Alliance adult literacy subcommittee. Trust relationships bring the understanding that working together we have a better chance of obtaining legislation and funding to serve more people faster. The subcommittee brings together the people working in these areas to learn about service gaps and share planning, challenges, and goals. Literacy Delaware is one of the key participants in this work.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Planning & Evaluation
Mode: Prospective
Format: In-house

Quantity
Number of evaluations and/or plans funded: 1
Number of funded evaluation and/or plans completed: 0

Partner Information

Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
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: General

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types

Public Libraries: 33
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 1
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 0
Other: 0

Activity Details
Title: Literacy Mapping
Narrative: DDL contracted with the Delaware Manufacturing Excellence Partnership (DEMEP) to conduct a literacy mapping effort. The goal was to engage DDL staff and other stakeholders to identify literacy-related organizations throughout the state and their activities and then to map the relationships, overlaps, and gaps between and among them. The results helped to graphically show the developing literacy ecosystem in the state and provided a basis for strategic planning.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Planning & Evaluation
Mode: Prospective
Format: Third party

Quantity
Number of evaluations and/or plans funded: 1
Number of funded evaluation and/or plans completed: 0

Partner Information

Public Libraries: 0
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 0
Other: 0

Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
1) Awareness of the issues related to low literacy levels across the life span increased through a variety of means, including public meetings, screenings of the film The Truth About Reading, state, county and local governmental proclamations for literacy weeks and months, and direct communications. 2) The State Legislature passed legislation in spring 2023 to bring the Science of Reading into teacher training curricula. 3) The Delaware Literacy Alliance Strategic Planning Session was held on May 31, 2023. 4) The health literacy subcommittee partnered with other organizations to present a virtual forum on the topic in spring 2023.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
These outcomes all show increased awareness of the dire literacy situation in Delaware and increased interest in improving the situation. Increasing literacy rates and associated benefits for Delawareans will take a long time to fully develop, but we are heartened to see the positive steps being made and fully expect them to grow in the years ahead.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
The importance of patience, collaboration, and active listening to all stakeholders are some of the most significant lessons learned from this project to date.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:

Exemplary: Yes
Exemplary NarrativeThe Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) has a long and successful history of partnerships with many organizations throughout the state. To take that work to a higher level, DDL became the backbone organization of Delaware Communities of Excellence (DECOE) by joining the Communities of Excellence 2026 national program. This project is noteworthy because it is the first involving libraries and the first statewide program in the network. DECOEs ongoing efforts to build a statewide ecosystem of partners to improve foundational literacy across the age spectrum, including dual-generational relationships, strengthens existing partnerships, creates new ones, and aligns partners’ literacy activities for greater impact statewide.

Project Tags: literacy