Focus on Gender Equity
The DeKalb County (GA) Public Library's Project Horizons received the Urban Libraries Council's first Award of Excellence. The award recognizes library service that fills an urban need, can be easily replicated, is not costly, and has proven results. Project Horizons provides eight homeless shelters with resources designed to serve the changing needs of residents.
Special collections of books housed at the shelters and regular visits from a storyteller afford opportunities for developing language skills necessary for school and job success. Four of the shelters also offer computer learning labs. Reading one-on-one to infants, a Babysitters Club for job-hunting parents, and computer classes for teens are a few of the varied ways Project Horizons serves the homeless families of DeKalb County.
As a result of these activities, project staff observed a significant increase in kids reading independently. They also saw more parents reading aloud to their children.
A community library has a great deal to offer young people, but typically teenagers don't view the library as a "cool" place to go. How to make the library inviting and help teenagers recognize its value was the challenge embraced by the Alameda County (CA) Library's Youth at Risk Project, which was honored by the American Library Association as one of the nation's top 10 programs for Excellence in Library Services to Young Adults. The Carnegie Council also profiled it as one of nine exemplary case studies in a national report.
One of the most successful activities was the series of interactive, informational youth forums. In a focus group setting, teenagers were asked about their needs and interests, and forum issues were selected accordingly. Priority topics were jobs and careers, multicultural issues, and health and sexuality. Library staff planned the programs with help from a young adult consultant group of a dozen teenagers and a youth-at-risk planning team of eight community members. Both groups helped publicize the events, and teenagers also assisted with set-up, refreshments, and clean-up.
At one forum, local employers discussed job opportunities and interview skills and gave feedback to mock interviews. At another, a local rap group put on a "rap against racism" with discussion of the cultural significance of rap music. Teenage participants responded positively. In fact, many wanted more forums and suggested future topics.
It should be noted that partnering with community groups was important to the success of both projects. More than 50 volunteers and 35 organizations donated time and resources to Project Horizons. Central to the Alameda County Youth at Risk Project was the needs assessment of teenagers and the involvement of community groups in developing programs.
For information about other state-administered library grant projects, contact Formula Library Programs at 202-219-1303. For information about Project Horizons, contact Sherry Des Enfants (404-370-8458). For information about the Youth at Risk Project, contact Gary Morrison (510-745-1492).