This tip sheet has been developed to assist libraries with the Minimum Standards for Rhode Island Public Libraries.

Standard 43: The library develops and implements specific strategies to inform people with disabilities, people with a first language other than English, adult new readers, and non-users of its materials, programs, and services.

Libraries can let practitioners and literacy organizations know that they have adult reader collections and/or adult literacy programs by adding these services to the library’s website. Rhode Island public libraries are encouraged to standardize the setup of literacy information on library websites. If all libraries used the word “Literacy” as their subject area for creating links on their homepage, learners, practitioners, researchers, and interested individuals would search more successfully the RI library network for literacy information, for example. The standardization could be shared statewide through LORI as an added effort to increase awareness. Let other literacy organizations know about the library’s literacy website and encourage them to link to the library literacy information on their web pages. If the library has any mission statements or objectives in their long range plan relating to adult new readers, state them in the Literacy subject area on the library website. 

Other literacy organizations which RI public libraries should promote their services to and encourage electronic links to are Literacy Resources/Rhode Island, Rhode Island Adult Literacy Council and Literacy Volunteers of America-Rhode Island, Inc. See Standard 40 Tip Sheet for the list of key literacy organization in Rhode Island. Contact literacy organizations in Rhode Island without a website and inform them about your Literacy link on the library website. Encourage these organizations to link to your literacy site when they create a website for their organization. Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative: Family Literacy Programs’ website is under construction, for example.

The above is just one example of a strategy to inform people with a first language other than English and adult new readers. It is mentioned because it is believed to be a powerful strategy. Just supplying the address of a library website and the subject area word “Literacy” in itself has the potential to open the doors to an abundance of information about literacy services in the library. Adult new readers probably can’t read the brochures and print advertising services but other individuals who can read such as family members, friends, teachers and co-workers can and should be considered the target audience in this strategy.

For more information contact:

Ann Piascik at OLIS 222-5776; email Annpk@olis.ri.gov