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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 05202008 - C.43 I .......... 0 4., P3 Co ;a TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Costa FROM: Anne Cain, County Librarian o' CountyDATE: May 20,2008 rq -- fc SUBJECT: APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Contra Costa County Librarian to Apply for and Accept a We the People Bookshelf Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association SPECIFIC REQUEST (S) OR RECOMMENDATION (S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION Approve and Authorize the Contra Costa County Librarian to apply for and accept a We the People Bookshelf grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association, which will provide the Oakley Library with a collection of seventeen classic hardcover books for young readers (K-12), a "History in a Box" resource kit, and supplementary materials for programming on the theme "Created Equal." (District V) FINANCIAL IMPACT No matching funds are required. BACKGROUND Oakley is a young and increasingly diverse community that will benefit from opportunities to embrace and celebrate its diversity, and the We the People Bookshelf will provide an excellent means to do so. The library will promote the Bookshelf throughout the community, and related activities will highlight the collection and engage young readers. Programs for all ages will encourage children and their parents to read several of the books and discuss what it means to be "Created Equal". CONTRA COSTA CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT The We the People Bookshelf program introduces young readers to important literature and promotes an understanding of vital ideas in American history. This year's We the People Bookshelf provides an opportunity for students of all ages to explore the central tenet of American identity: that all people are created equal. This program supports the Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families community outcome. CON INUED ON ATTACHMENT: ❑ YES SIGNATURE: &1-� w E�IIRECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ❑ RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE E�AfPROVE ❑ OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BO �DN APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER ❑ OTE OF SUPERVISORS: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF UNANIMOUS(ABSENT �o ��1 AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED Contact: Anne Cain,County Librarian JOHN CULLLERK OF THE BOARD OF (925)646-6423 SUPERVISO AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR cc: County Library Administration County Administrator County Auditor By Deputy O:\BOS\FY 07-0813oard Orders\Oakley We The People Grant 2008.doc a ' i • i Applicant Contact Information Liz Fuller Contra Costa County Library / Oakley Library 1050 Neroly Rd. Oakley, CA, 94561 Ifuller@ccclib.org 925-625-3589 Recipient Library Information Oakley Library 1050 Neroly Rd. Oakley, CA 94561 Narrative Oakley is a young and increasingly diverse community that will truly benefit from having a collection focused on equality. According to the 2000 Census, 35% of the population is under the age of 18 and of the 27,428 residents, 63% are White, 26% are Hispanic, 4.7% are Asian, 3.5% are African American, and 1.5% are Native American. This is a significant shift from 1990, when 73% of 18,374 residents were White, 22% were Hispanic, 3.2% were Asian, 1.4% were African American, and .8% were Native American. Oakley will benefit from opportunities to embrace and celebrate this diversity, and the Bookshelf will provide an excellent means to do so. The library will promote the Bookshelf in various ways: we will distribute bookmarks advertising the new collection to patrons, hang posters available from the kit in a prominent area of the library, place bookplates in the Bookshelf collection, and develop programs around the "Created Equal" theme. The library web page will advertise the new collection and the programs associated with it. The library will send press releases to local newspapers such as Oakley Press, Contra Costa Times, and Fronteras, a Spanish language weekly, to feature articles about the new collection. Also, our library is located on a high school campus, which will make it easy to reach teens through morning announcements, the Principal's newsletter, and bookmarks. We will offer the following activities to highlight the collection and engage young readers: • The Ugly Duckling will be incorporated into a storytime for K — P grade students, with a follow-up craft activity to reinforce the theme. • The high school/public library teen book club will read and discuss a selection from the Bookshelf for one of their sessions. • Local leaders will participate in a panel discussion, highlighting the themes of the books, and how these themes may or may not represent the Oakley community. • The high school will be asked to provide students with extra credit for reading the books and/or participating in the programs. • Local author Robert Allen, The Port Chicago Mutiny, will be asked to do a presentation around the theme. • Certificates and/or awards from local businesses will be offered to students who read all books for their age level. These programs will encourage children in the community to read and discuss several of the books in the Bookshelf collection, and will spark debate about what it means to be "Created Equal". Certificates and prizes are great incentives for getting children to read certain books, as we have seen in our successful Summer Reading Program. Also, programs for older students each include an element of discussion in them. i �• ' The books in this collection are classics, and will continue to be used here at the Oakley Library. In addition, we will continue to draw attention to them during future programs. We will revisit the "Created Equal" theme and discuss what changes have occurred in the community since we received the collection. Certifying Official First Name: Anne Last Name: Cain Title: County Librarian, Contra Costa County Library r Certification of authorizing official By checking this box and submitting this application, the authorized representative for the applicant organization certifies that all statements contained herein are true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief; and that the applicant organization is neither presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal department or agency.