Literacy Advocate Award Presented to HHSA Employee

Felipa Vargas, HHSA Self Sufficiency Resource Specialist, was named the quarterly Literacy Advocate Award recipient today. Brian Lewis, County Librarian, made the presentation to Ms. Vargas on behalf of the Library’s Read to Succeed program. Ms. Vargas was chosen for the honor because she has referred and encouraged her clients to participate in the joint Health and Human Services/Literacy Center literacy project.

The Literacy Advocate Award spotlights HHSA staff members who have referred clients to the HHSA/Literacy Center program. These clients' reading, writing and mathematical skills are limited, making it difficult for them to find and keep employment. The joint venture is aimed at improving these basic skills so that learners are job ready when opportunities arise. The HHSA clients are assessed, then matched with literacy volunteers who provide one-on-one tutoring.

The award was conceived by Patricia Habeck, the Literacy Center Specialist, as a way of thanking and honoring those HHSA staff who encourage their clients to participate in the literacy program. Since the program’s inception, over 200 referrals have been made by counselors from the five TulareWORKS offices in the county.

In addition to Mr. Lewis and Ms. Habeck, Donna Ortiz, TulareWORKS Division Manager; Jackie Whitney, HHSA Visalia Office Unit Manager; Tessa Houston, Employment Services Program Specialist, and Win Doyle, Literacy Office Coordinator for the program, attended the ceremony.

Independent Film Night, October 21st

The library will host a free showing of the independent film, Welcome, on October 21st at 5:30pm in the upstairs "blue" room. Independent Film Night is just one of several ongoing, free events planned for our adult library users. To see a complete schedule of events, please visit the library web site's Free Adult Programs page.

Friends of the Library Meeting, October 14

The Friends of the Tulare County Library will be holding their monthly meeting on Thursday, October 14, at 7 PM in the library's upstairs (blue) meeting room. Everyone is welcome to attend! Please contact Sheryll Strachan at 713-2709 for more information.

Wednesday, October 13th @ 10AM: Preschool Storytime

Join us for stories, songs and fingerplays at our preschool story time every Wednesday @ 10AM.

Tuesday, October 12th @ 10AM: Baby/Toddler Time

Every Tuesday at 10AM, we will have a special time for babies (0-2) to play and interact with one another while building literacy skills!

Socrates Cafe, October 12

The next Socrates Cafe will be held on October 12 at 6:30pm in the library's "blue" room. We will explore the question: "What is Democracy?" Please join us for this free event. For more information, please call Judith Wood at559-713-2706.

Oldies Dance Fundraiser a Great Success!

The Oldies Dance fundraiser held recently by the Library Literacy Center was a rousing success, according to Center Manager Patricia Habeck.

“We had great support from our sponsors, and I want to thank them publicly. Without the help of District 3 Supervisor Phil Cox, the Target Greatlands store, Costco Warehouse and Jail and Prison Ministries, we could not have hosted the event. The oldies car show put on by Classic Dreams, Brown Society and Lindsay’s Finest car clubs played a big role in drawing attendance at the dance. This event raised money for books and supplies for the Read To Succeed program and I am grateful for both our sponsors and the Tulare County community for their efforts.”