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Bedfordshire Libraries
took on a reader outreach worker for basic skills with short-term
funding from the local Learning and Skills Council's Capacity
Building Fund. The outreach worker built on links made during
the pilot phase of the Vital Link with local providers and
other agencies in order to bring learners into libraries and
make tutors more aware of what libraries have to offer. Contact Anthea Slark on slarka@bedfordshire.gov.uk
Birmingham Core Skills Partnership
took a whole-city approach to equipping libraries with the
support they needed to cater for adult basic skills audiences.
This involved purchase of appropriate stock, awareness training
for staff and partnership with socially excluded groups who
would benefit from better library access. Contact Geoff Bateson
on geoff@coreskills.co.uk
Bury Libraries worked with local
adult education providers to encourage basic skills learners
to make the most of what the library has to offer. Together
they developed a four-week course (two hours a week) mapped
to the adult literacy core curriculum and using the First
Choice collection. They hoped to run a further course which
would lead learners to the national tests at Level 1 or 2.
Contact Judy Atherton or Alison Ratcliffe on AlisonR@bury.gov.uk
Croydon Libraries
ran a stock development and outreach project with support
from the local LSC's Capacity Building Fund accessed via the
South London Learning Partnership. Activities included visits
to classes by librarians, staff training and the development
of a community informationpack for learners. They disseminated
lessons learnt from this work to other London library authorities.
Contact Fiona Tarn on fiona.tarn@croydon.gov.uk
or Liz Moss on liz.moss@croydon.gov.uk.
Essex Libraries continued their
Quick Reads project with funding from Essex LSC's Local Initiative
Funding (now Local Innovation and Development Fund) until
March 2004. This enabled them to extend their well-established
work with learners from adult community colleges to the FE
sector. Learners and tutors were involved in selecting and
reviewing appropriate fiction for the Quick Reads collection
and reading for pleasure was integrated into basic skills
classes.
Contact
June Turner on june.turner@essexcc.gov.uk and see http://askchris.essexcc.gov.uk/adult/welcome.asp
Kirklees Libraries ran regular
staff awareness training, which was built into core training.
New stock, which complemented the 2 collections already held
in Kirklees, was circulated to ensure greater numbers of users
had access to basic skills materials. A series of visits to
Ravensthorpe library were organised for local school children
and their parents. The children worked on an art display for
the library while parents helped with the art work, joined
the library, looked at library resources or browsed details
of local learning opportunities. Ravensthorpe library also
hosted a course of I.T. sessions, arranged in partnership
with the local college. These included a session of advice
and guidance with Connexions staff. A creative writing course
was planned in Dewsbury library, organised in partnership
with the local college and the Probation service. Contact
Judith Robinson on judith.robinson@kirklees.gov.uk
Knowsley Libraries worked closely
with Knowsley College to build on activity achieved during
the pilot phase of the Vital Link. A writing group, The Write
People, met at Page Moss Library and Access Coordinator Lin
Rice visited classes to talk about reading and encourage students
to write short reviews for the website and college magazine.
There were First Choice collections on two college sites and
Lin used the reading diaries in her work with learners. Contact
Lin Rice on lin.rice@knowsley.gov.uk
Leicestershire and Leicester
City Libraries were able to take on a basic skills development
officer with short-term funding from the Leicester City and
Leicestershire Learning Partnership. They bought the First
Choice collection and developed their own methodology for
selecting further stock based on the Vital Link and Essex
Libraries criteria, including an interactive website. Theywere
'pushing at open doors' when making contact with tutors in
local colleges. Contact Andy Cooke on acooke@leics.gov.uk
Liverpool Libraries
had drop-in study centres (DISCs) situated in seven community
libraries. Librarians in these locations worked closely with
tutors to encourage reading and use of the library. A new
weekly reading group for learners at Walton Library thrived
and met monthly over the summer break with the support of
the library manager Neil Campbell. DISC manager Lynn Clement-Douglas
integrated the reading group activity into class work and
was very positive about the new worlds being opened up for
her learners. She commented: 'I couldn't have done it without
the support of the library. They provide the materials and
the enthusiasm about the books.' Contact Neil Campbell on
neil.campbell@liverpool.gov.uk
Luton Libraries established a
reading group for adult basic skills learners using the First
Choice titles and other stock. They undertook visits to classes
and built links with the local college. Response from all
those involved was hugely positive and encouraging: 'Last
week our seven members each took home at least three books
of their own choosing, and I am pretty sure they will have
read them by the time we meet again. Tutors working with these
learners are reporting that they are much more confident.'
Contact Fiona Marriott on MarriottF@luton.gov.uk
The North East Museums
Libraries and Archives Council embarked upon an extensive
development programme to support basic skills across the region.
Funded through the DfES Need to Read programme, a basic skills
development officer was able to set up awareness training
for frontline staff from libraries, museums and archives.
Some staff undertook adult learner support training at Level
2 which involved placements to work with students in basic
skills classes. It was also possible to set up a literacy
project in Tyne & Wear which allowed professional writers
to work with students in order to produce high-quality reading
resources. All five library authorities were involved in the
project which was supported by the reader development forum
Reading North as well as NEMLAC.
North West Four library authorities
in this region - Blackburn with Darwen, Cumbria, Liverpool
and Warrington - focused on family reading activity for
parents and carers with low literacy levels. Working with
the Time to Read North West Reader Development Partnership
and the Vital Link, they got feedback from families on adult
and children's titles in order to develop a family reading
collection. Contact Jane Mathieson on nwreader@libraries.manchester.gov.uk
If you are currently working with families with a focus on
parents/carers with low literacy levels, please contact Ruth
Harrison on
ruth.harrison@readingagency.org.uk
North Yorkshire Libraries
continued to promote the First Choice titles throughout the
county. Building on partnerships made during the pilot phase
of the Vital Link, they also made links with a homeless project
in Harrogate and an Army garrison in York. Contact June Scatchard
on june.scatchard@northyorks.gov.uk
Plymouth City Council created
a skills resource centre in the city's Central Library by
teaming up with the Devon and Cornwall LSC, learndirect, the
Government's Link Up basic skills volunteering programme and
other local agencies. The Studio for Life opened in March
2003 for learners, tutors and anyone else who might want to
use it. It houses paper and CD material, photocopiable resources,
basic skills software, learning aid packs, leaflets, relevant
magazines and a large basic skills collection including the
First Choice titles. Contact Carol Primmer on carol.primmer@plymouth.gov.uk
Read On - Write Away! worked
with Derbyshire Libraries to build libraries' capacity
to support the Skills for Life agenda. With funding from the
Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and the Learning Partnership, they
ran a strategic training and development programme for staff
in seven libraries in the Bolsover district. This was designed
to improve the stock available, increase reader development
activity with the basic skills audience and further develop
an award scheme for libraries undertaking this work. Contact
Lynn Ludditt on lynn.ludditt@derbyshire.gov.uk
Shropshire Libraries undertook
new work around basic skills. Kickstarted with a small amount
of funding from the LEA Adult Learning Plan, this included
stock development and partnership building with tutors. A
buying trip to Waterstone's proved very successful and there
was been a particular focus on non-fiction, talking books
and picture books without words for use with young parents.
Contact Susan White on susan.white@shropshire-cc.gov.uk
Trafford Libraries used the
proposed levels of library
provision for basic skills as a checklist for their own
planning and progress to date. Community Learning Librarian
Pat Southern made good contacts with the Adult and Community
Learning team and local colleges and there were plans for
library tours outside library hours and visits to classes
with materials. Contact Pat Southern on pat.southern@trafford.gov.uk
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