The Benicia City Council approved a grant by the California Library Literacy Services (CLLS) grant to the tune of $18,000 for the library’s Adult Literacy Services (ALS) and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs at Tuesday’s meeting. 

   In 1987, the Benicia Public Library established its ALS program, which provides 1:1 tutoring and computer lab assistance to English speaking adults who live or work in Benicia, are 16 years or older, no longer in school and want to improve their reading and writing skills. The program is funded through the CLLS Literacy Award, which is offered annually to libraries in the state that offer literacy services and meet the grant criteria. 

   Additionally, Library Director David Dodd wrote in a staff report that 38 volunteers and one instructor in the 2017-18 fiscal year assisted in 86 adult learners in improving their English language skills. 

   “Learners were able to supplement their skills through use of the computer lab, building keyboarding skills, learning to use various software programs, strengthening their speaking, reading and writing skills, studying for the high school equivalency tests (GED), learning to access the Internet, and receiving additional support from dedicated volunteers,” Dodd wrote.

   Dodd noted that learners and their tutors are required to complete a “Roles and Goals” form to identify goals they desire to accomplish together, including progress updates on monthly tutoring reports submitted to the ALS office. The statistics are then reported to the CLLS offices.

   The literacy funding formula is based on three components:

• A baseline amount of $18,000 to provide a minimum level of local literacy staffing and services.
• An amount per adult learner served in the previous year.
• A match on local funds raised and expended for adult literacy services.

   The remaining grant awards for the 2018-19 fiscal year would be determined by applying the latter two steps in the funding formula in the fall, utilizing the actual service statistics and financial data reported to the California State Library.

   Dodd requested authorization to accept the award of $18,000 for the baseline grant. Without any discussion, the council voted 3-0— Councilmembers Mark Hughes and Alan Schwartzman were absent— to accept the grant funds as part of the consent calendar.

   In other matters, the council voted to continue the second reading of the Accessory Dwelling Unit zoning amendment to a later meeting to give staff more time to answer questions the council had about fees and other topics. Mayor Elizabeth Patterson also read a list of applicants to the city’s boards and commissions and noted that applications were still being sought. The applications will be voted on at a later meeting.

   The council’s next meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 2. 

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