Our Literacy for Social Change model continues with our partner program in Colombia, Fundación Bien Humano, which focuses on family literacy. Recently, the program introduced a digital literacy initiative for adults with the goal of empowering them not just with literacy, but by giving them the skills to access important information related to laws and rights.  

At the Northwest Ohio Literacy Council, a ProLiteracy member program in Lima, Ohio, instructor Norma Penn strives to meet the needs of her students. Whether that means learning how to teach English pronunciation, arranging class times to fit student schedules, teaching over Facebook, or helping a scared student leave an abusive relationship, Norma finds a way to make it work. 

Four years ago, after years of providing childhood literacy services, the Mandel Public Library started an ESOL program for the adult English language learners in its community—a great example of how libraries are uniquely positioned to meet the needs of the communities they serve.  

Fifty years: Few others have dedicated as much time to one adult literacy program. Sandra Malone has. 

For over 20 years we’ve given adult literacy programs the opportunity to better meet the needs of their students by providing free instructional materials through the National Book Fund. The grant program started simply to ensure programs with limited budgets had the high-quality materials they needed. It continues because the grants give programs so much more than just books.