Service to Children and Teens
Specific services in this area have been enhanced to promote early literacy skills and reading readiness for children ages 0-5 and their parents or caregivers; to encourage school success and retention for students in grades K-12; to cultivate the developmental assets of teens; and to enhance library collections for children and teens.
Service to Seniors
The library will continue to enhance the large print and nonprint collection
for seniors and will continue to improve library services by scheduling
programming and special events addressing the needs of seniors. The library
will also continue to collaborate with area agencies serving seniors in
order to utilize community resources more effectively.
Literacy Services
The three library based literacy services in Fresno County will
be continued in conjunction with the California Literacy Campaign. The
Adult Literacy Program provides one-on-one tutoring in reading, writing,
spelling and math for adults using specially trained volunteers. The Families
for Literacy Program teaches adults enrolled in the Adult Literacy Program
who have a child under the age of five how to promote literacy and learning
at home and prepare their children for kindergarten. Families for Literacy
services include workshops for the parents, fun family literacy-based
events and free children's books. The AprendoVan program brings family
literacy services to Mendota, Tranquillity, San Joaquin, Cantua Creek,
Five Points, Firebaugh and Oro Loma using a 32 foot RV custom built for
the project. Eligible parents can use the two computers on board, receive
training in developing literacy in their children, bring their children
to a puppet show at the built-in puppet show stage, check out educational
toys and receive free books for their children under age five. In addition to and separate from the above California Literacy Campaign programs, English conversation practice and citizenship study groups are offered in the Mendota Library English Language Resource Center, as well as books, CDs, DVDs and electronic resources to help people improve their English skills.
Library Book and Materials Collections
The library will continue to acquire materials at a level three times that of prior funding. Besides traditional books, the library will continue to purchase books on CD and portable players, DVDs, music CDs, video games, and large print books. Sufficient quantities of these materials will be added to keep pace with the growing population and to particularly focus on children, teens and seniors in our service area. The library will continue to purchase materials to address such community needs as literacy and jobs/careers, including popular and literacy works in other languages where demand warrants.
