Programs for Adult Literacy

Public libraries are one source of adult literacy programs within communities (Kroe, Garner, and Sheckells 2001).¹⁷ Literacy programming includes direct literacy instruction, as well as activities such as providing funding, materials, or staff to support the literacy program of another literacy provider. Literacy programs included in this study may be provided within library outlets by the individual library outlets themselves, by the library systems to which the outlets belong, or by outside organizations in collaboration with the library outlet. This chapter provides information about adult literacy program offerings supported by public library outlets, including the types of literacy programs offered and the groups for which adult literacy programs are specifically offered. Reasons library outlets do not offer adult literacy programs are also discussed.

Adult Literacy Program Offerings

Adult literacy programs, including adult basic literacy skills, pre-GED, GED, English as a second language, and family literacy, were offered by 17 percent of public library outlets during the 12 months prior to the survey (figure 2). For this survey, a library outlet was considered to offer an adult literacy program if the outlet provided funding, instructional materials, or staff to support the literacy program, or if the library system ran the literacy program within or on behalf of the individual library outlet. Thus, adult literacy programs that took place within the library outlet but were run by other agencies or organizations (such as the local school district or the Literacy Volunteers of America) with no other involvement of the library outlet or system were not considered offerings of the library outlet or system.

The likelihood of offering adult literacy programs was related to outlet size, as measured by the number of persons who entered the library outlet in a typical week (referred to in this report as the number of library visits per week). While 5 percent of small outlets offered adult literacy programs, 19 percent of medium-sized outlets and 31 percent of large outlets had such offerings (figure 2). The likelihood of offering adult literacy programs was also related to metropolitan status, with outlets in urban areas offering literacy programs more often than outlets in rural areas (26 percent compared with 15 percent). Adult literacy programs were offered by 16 percent of outlets in suburban areas.¹⁸

The 17 percent of library outlets that offered adult literacy programs were asked about the types of adult literacy programs that were offered during the 12 months prior to the survey. Programs in adult basic literacy skills (defined as skills at the fourth-grade level and below) were offered by 63 percent of outlets that offered literacy programs (table 3). The other types of adult literacy programs (pre-GED, defined as skills from the fifth-grade through the eighth-grade levels; GED, defined as skills from the ninth-grade level through high school equivalency; English as a second language; and family literacy) were offered by 42 to 48 percent of outlets that offered literacy programs. ¹⁹

Library outlets that offered adult literacy programs were asked whether they offered any adult literacy programs specifically for certain groups during the 12 months prior to the survey (see table 4). About half of outlets offering literacy programs offered such programs specifically for adults who were limited English speaking and/or recent immigrants (50 percent) or for parents (48 percent). Adult literacy programs specifically for high school dropouts were offered by 40 percent of outlets offering literacy programs. About a quarter (26 percent) of outlets with adult literacy programs offered programs specifically for adults with learning disabilities, and 11 percent offered programs specifically for adults with hearing impairments.²⁰

About a quarter (27 percent) of library outlets that offered adult literacy programs offered such programs at offsite locations during the 12 months prior to the survey (not shown in tables in text).²¹ Computers were used as a hands-on learning tool for adult literacy programs during the 12 months prior to the survey by 52 percent of outlets that offered adult literacy programs (not shown in tables in text).

Reasons Adult Literacy Programs Are Not Offered

The 83 percent of library outlets that did not offer adult literacy programs during the 12 months prior to the survey were asked to indicate how important specific reasons were in the outlet's decision not to offer these programs (see table 5). The reason most frequently indicated as very important in the outlet's decision not to offer adult literacy programs was that the outlet did not have the staff or resources to offer the programs (77 percent). About half of the outlets (53 percent) indicated that the presence of other groups or educational institutions in the community (including other library outlets) that offer adult literacy programs was very important in their decision not to offer such programs. An emphasis on other groups (e.g., children, senior citizens) in the outlet's programming was indicated as very important by 37 percent of the outlets. The reason least often indicated as very important in the outlet's decision not to offer adult literacy programs was that the community served by the outlet does not have a strong need for adult literacy programs (20 percent); almost half of the outlets (48 percent) indicated that this reason was not important in their decision.

The likelihood that outlets would view specific reasons as being very important in their decision not to offer adult literacy programs showed some variation by outlet characteristics (see table 6).

Large outlets were less likely than medium-sized outlets to indicate that lack of staff or resources was very important in their decision not to offer adult literacy programs (68 percent compared with 80 percent). The presence of other groups or educational institutions in the community that offer adult literacy programs was cited as very important more often by large outlets than by medium-sized or small outlets (71 percent compared with 52 and 45 percent, respectively); this reason was cited as very important less often by rural outlets than by suburban or urban outlets (47 percent versus 59 and 64 percent, respectively). Small outlets were more likely than large outlets to indicate as a very important reason for not offering adult literacy programs that the community served by the outlet did not have a strong need for adult literacy programs (24 percent compared with 14 percent).

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