Winfield Public Library was selected nationally among 100 libraries for the Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that helps library workers better serve their communities.
The competitive award comes with a $20,000 grant that will help the library implement the Winfield Literacy Collective, a teen and adult literacy program.

“We are grateful to be chosen for this opportunity,” said Library Director Tabitha Hogan. ”This grant will allow our library to address needs identified through community conversations and by the Legacy Foundation’s A Closer Look at Cowley Kids Data Walk project. We believe this project will help us to meet the needs of Winfield residents and help us build a happier and healthier community for our families.”

There are many reasons that adults and teens struggle with reading and writing. One, often undiagnosed, reason is dyslexia. Recent research by International Dyslexia Association estimates that 1 in 5 individuals are dyslexic. Many have never been diagnosed as there are myths around dyslexia including that it is limited to those who see backwards letters. Dyslexia can take many forms and impacts people in different ways. While impacting reading, it can also limit the ability to learn another language, do math problems, and memorize. According to the Winfield Literacy Collective Reading Facilitator, Kim Hutto “it is never too late to improve reading and text skills, we can help.”

The program is for all teens and adults who struggle with reading and writing including those who are learning English as a second language. The Winfield Literacy Collective aims to help learners improve their reading skills and maximize tech tools to manage real-world tasks. The program is confidential and designed to be offered in person and online in one-on-one sessions at times convenient for participants.

The Winfield Literacy Collective is currently accepting learners. The program will begin in March 2024 for participants. If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer or would like to participate as a learner, please contact Ruth Bumgarner at (620) 221-4470 or visit wpl.org for more information.

“Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).”