You have requested a page that has been archived. It has been left at this URL to ensure the persistence of links that have been made to it from other resources. It may contain broken links and out-of-date information.
You have requested a page that has been archived. It has been left at this URL to ensure the persistence of links that have been made to it from other resources. It may contain broken links and out-of-date information.
The Upper Murray Regional Library has been involved in the provision of resources for literacy for about 15 years. For most of that time the library has worked with the Albury-Wodonga Continuing Education Centre and there are two programs currently operating: a literacy program and an English as a second language program.
Our literacy program is called 'Second Chance' and incorporates literacy and numeracy tutoring and resources for students and teachers.
The tutoring is provided on an individual basis and in classes, and is coordinated by the Albury-Wodonga Continuing Education Centre. A collection of resources for students and tutors is provided by the library. The library also provides space free of charge for classes and individual tutors to meet. The program operates at Albury, Wodonga and Lavington branches and at other smaller branches when required.
Recently, the number of sessions has been increased at all libraries because of their rising demand.
The Upper Murray Regional Library also coordinates a regional collection called the Riverina Second Chance Collection on behalf of Bland Shire, Central Murray Regional, Leeton Shire, Riverina Community Library and Western Riverina Community Libraries. Resources are circulated among the six libraries.
At present we have in excess of 1500 items in circulation among these libraries. The Upper Murray has lent approximately 1000 items through its branches in the region.
The Second Chance Program has been operating for over ten years and in the International Literacy Year was the recipient of a National Award for a Community Program.
A community services announcement was made for television with the assistance of a grant from Arts Victoria. The advertisement focused on the literacy resources available from the library and the tutoring available from the Albury-Wodonga Continuing Education Centre. It featured extensively on a local commercial stations.
Another recently developed program is our English Learning Centre which is also operated in conjunction with the Albury-Wodonga Continuing Education Centre.
The success of the Second Chance program encouraged the establishment of the English Learning Centre, an independent learning centre which uses computer-assisted learning packages and operates with an attendant tutor, who may specialise in either adult literacy or English as a second language.
This centre is again a joint project between the Upper Murray Regional Library Service and the Continuing Education Centre (Albury-Wodonga) Inc. and was made possible by the sponsorship of:
· The Reader's Digest and the State Library of New South Wales Hands-on Reading Project from whom we gained support for software and equipment
· Osborne Computers who donated a personal computer.
Financial assistance for tutoring was also provided by the New South Wales Board of Adult and Community Education and the Victorian Adult Community and Further Education Board.
For people of non-English speaking backgrounds, participating in the program at the library provides an introduction to the community. It is heartening to see new residents confidently bringing their children to storytime or reading to them in the library as they see other parents doing. They also practice their English on the library staff as they come to sessions and borrow library materials.
There are now sessions at differing times on each day and evening to cater for all students' needs, and on some days there is more than one session.
The tutors appreciate the wider range of computer-based materials we are able to acquire to supplement the print-based workbooks which they use for students. They also find that they can work more successfully with students who are at differing levels of competency by using the computers as well as the listening post and workbook groups at the same time.
The Upper Murray Regional Library is very happy to work in partnership with another organisation to provide services which neither organisation would have sufficient resources to do properly.
Anne Burnett, Upper Murray Regional Library, Queen Elizabeth II Square, PO Box 368, ALBURY NSW 2640. Tel (060) 23 8199 Fax (060) 41 2747
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA, Canberra, ACT 2600,
AUSTRALIA, ABN: 28 346 858 075
Telephone + 61 2 6262 1111; Facsimile +61 2
6257 1703; TTY: 1800 026 372