Literacy Support Council of Placer County

"Read to Me, Grandpa!"

Lewis's two-year-old granddaughter thrust a book into his hands: "please read me this story, Grandpa!" But Lewis was speechless...because he couldn't read. Lewis is 66 years old. A devoted family man, he has worked hard all of his life, harder than most people...because he couldn't read. Telling lies - to hide his embarrassing lack of reading skills - was a way of life. He had managed to bluff his way through his working years, cleverly charming his workmates and supervisors. It wasn't easy. Every workday he faced frightening challenges. Given paperwork to read and sign, he'd tell his boss he needed "to look it over more carefully" and "return it later," or he would ask a coworker, "what does this say? I've forgotten my glasses."

During his working years, while his children were growing up, he had found plenty of excuses for his kids when they asked, "Daddy, can you help me with my homework?" Lewis had put them off every time: "ask your mother to help you," or "my eyes are tired; I've been working all day." But now, as a retiree slumped in his easy chair watching television, Lewis could not find any more excuses. At that moment, seeing his granddaughter's eager face when she opened the book, he wanted to read to her. He knew that sharing books would create special grandpa-granddaughter memories for her. This was his decisive moment: he would ask for help. He would learn to read.

Your gifts to LSC provide the tools that help give adults like Lewis the gift of reading...and lift up their lives, their families, and our communities.

Placer County Library Literacy Coordinator/Senior Librarian Tony Carmack explains, "Placer County Library Literacy is a program that serves to provide the Placer community with the tools for improving reading and writing skills to reduce illiteracy for the children and adults of the County. We have bolstered the collection of print and online materials available to an even larger number of library users by putting literacy and other English language resources in circulation. As Literacy Coordinator, I've promoted our circulation collection as well as new digital resources available through funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and the California State Library to the stakeholders in Placer County."

Your gifts to LSC fund Adult New Learner Book Collections (high interest/low vocabulary materials), books for Placer County Jail inmates, Vox Books and Wonderbooks "Talking Books," Parenting Collection books, popular digital materials for all ages, and sponsor the Summer and Winter Library Reading Programs for children and adults throughout the Placer County Library system.

And your donations help Placer County Library's successful Outreach Program at Acres of Hope structured living near Auburn for women (with children) who are overcoming poverty and trauma. Library staff lead events at the facility that provide soft teaching, modeling, improving children's fine motor skills, and preparing them - in a fun way - for learning. At each "Supercharged Storytime" at Acres of Hope, each child receives two take-home books, craft materials, and snacks.