The
Salinas Californian
November 1, 2006
by JOY NEWMAN
One of the key programs making a difference for young people,
families and other residents of Monterey County received a $52,000
boost in September - but has hopes to raise more.
The 94-year-old Monterey County Free Libraries system relies on
donations for many of its services. It operates 17 branch libraries
outside the cities of Salinas, Carmel, Monterey and Pacific Grove,
which have their own library systems. It also offers two bookmobiles,
a books-by-mail program, collections at local schools and a literacy
outreach program, all free to Monterey County residents. Funding
comes from property taxes, some state money, donations and library
fees.
But when it comes to "enhanced" services,
the system turns to the Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries.
Cathy Lindstrom, the Foundation's executive director, said the
Foundation supports technology, story time, class visits, two bookmobiles,
a reading safari van, literacy programs, homework centers, summer
reading programs and more from Parkfield to Pajaro.
Without its support, many of those services wouldn't be around.
"These programs are beyond what the Free Libraries can fully fund,"
Lindstrom said. "Last year, there were over 9,000 kids who used
the homework centers."
The Foundation started in 1989 with $100,000 of seed money from
philanthropist Mark Massel. Massel had learned the Free Library
faced a critical financial shortfall, since the county's cities
couldn't take in enough money to support the enhanced services.
Since its inception, the Foundation has donated more than $2.5
million dollars toward those services. A Sept. 21 fundraiser at
the Embassy Suites in Seaside raised more than $52,000 for the
Foundation.
Three of the primary services that will benefit from this money
will be the system's 10 homework centers, its summer reading program
and literacy program.
"The enhanced services make such a difference," said Lindstrom,
herself an avid Free Library patron. "They even help them prepare
for college."
Boosts academics
County Librarian Robert McElroy said the homework centers, piloted
in the late 1980s and paid for entirely by donations, have been
recognized nationally by the Young Adult Library Service Association
for their success.
Kurt Ellison, branch manager for the Marina Free Library, said
the Foundation provides top quality entertainment and prizes attracting
entire families to the summer reading program.
"It encourages students to keep up and advance their reading while
school is out," Ellison said.
Studies have shown local teachers, after summer, don't have to
go far backward to rebuild kids' academic skills, McElroy said.
Keeps kids off streets
Lindstrom said the program also keeps students off the streets
and gives them a worthwhile place to go.
More than 300 children attended summer
reading programs in Soledad this year, McElroy said. "For a city of about 12,000, that's a
huge turnout," he said. "In the rural areas, there is simply no
other place for families to go than to the library."
The system's two bookmobiles, which serve north and south county,
stop at 74 sites, said Jayanti Addleman, managing librarian for
the Free Libraries. The outreach program exposes children, most
of whom are academically disadvantaged, to story time, checking
out books and give-away book incentives. The libraries gave out
nearly 100 books in 2005.
"They (get a chance to) learn about new things," Addleman
said.
The literacy programs provide comfortable one-on-one tutoring
for not only children, but their entire families.
"Everyone in the family learns to read," said
McElroy.
The reading safari van makes 30 stops each month to sites such
as day care centers, distributing fun craft packets to help with
phonetics and colors for children in rural areas who wouldn't normally
be reached.
Addleman said that because of the Foundation, students' lives
have changed forever. He said the system constantly hears from
former patrons, such as one who intended to work in agricultural
fields, but after being encouraged and supported by the Free Libraries
went on to Stanford University.
McElroy said donations are welcome to the Foundation, including
those earmarked for specific services. Young adult author Beverly
Cleary, for instance, was the primary donor for the first bookmobile
in 1993 and the second in 1995.
"These were two of our crowning achievements during that period," he
said, but added the Free Libraries need more donors to help the
community.
The Foundation is applying for a $100,000 grant to help grow the
Monterey County Free Libraries' services to students and families,
Lindstrom said.
"The need is huge," said Addleman, referring to the county's financial
and educational needs. "This is going to improve society."
|
