The NCLA Literacy Committee met on March 20, 2002 at the Chapel Hill Public Library.  Members present were Chairman Mark Pumphrey, Anne-Marie Elkins, Mary Dunn Siedow, and Joyce Burgart.  Visitors include Dr. Pauletta Brown Bracy and Gail Greenlee.   Absent: Betty Meehan-Black, Jeanne Fox, Steve Sumerford.

Mark Pumphrey called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.  The minutes of the meeting of January 14, 2002 were unanimously approved as written.

Members introduced themselves to Gail Greenlee, who attended the meeting as a representative of committee member Steve Sumerford, and of the Greensboro Public Library.  Ms. Greenlee shared with the committee her experiences working at the Glenwood Branch of the Greensboro Public Library with multicultural programs including literacy and English as a Second Language programs.  Each committee member also shared updates of current literacy activities in their organizations.

Committee member Anne-Marie Elkins passed out copies of data gleaned from the State Library website concerning the Hispanic Services Project.  The committee is reviewing this data as part of the planning for a one-day workshop on English as a Second Language programs in libraries to be held in the Fall of 2002.  Discussion of the Hispanic Services Project and survey data connected to it followed.

The committee decided to plan to hold the workshop at the Glenwood Branch of the Greensboro Public Library, on a day during the week of September 30-October 4, 2002.

Gail Greenlee agreed to check on dates during that week the Glenwood Branch would be available to hold the workshop.

Mark Pumphrey reported back to the committee on NCLA committee budget guidelines provided by Ross Holt and Catherine Wilkinson.  Though more information will be available on funding available to committees at the April 19 NCLA Board Meeting, Ms.

Wilkinson indicated we have approximately $300 for committee expenditures which could be earmarked for our committee workshop in the Fall upon request.  Additional funding for special projects is also a possibility.  Chairman Pumphrey was asked by the committee to explore further the availability of funding to support the workshop at or after the April 18 NCLA Board Meeting.  In addition, the committee agreed that a $20 registration fee for the workshop should also be considered to help defray the costs of the workshop.

Potential speakers for the ESOL workshop were discussed, and include Carolyn Michel, ESOL lab director and library assistant at the Polk County Public Library; Gail Greenlee, coordinator of literacy programs for the Greensboro Public Library; and staff of the Burke County Library coordinating the Hispanic Services Project there.  Committee members volunteered to contact each potential speaker, and Mary Siedow agreed to serve as facilitator for the ESOL workshop.  It was agreed to hold the workshop from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.   The potential audience for the workshop was discussed.  Potential co-sponsors were also discussed.

In other discussions by the committee, a suggestion to work cooperatively on a Hispanic Services program for the October, 2002 SELA Conference in Charleston was considered but tabled by the committee.  We decided to focus our attention on providing a workshop in North Carolina first, which could then conceivably be replicated in other places. 

Dr. Pauletta Brown Bracy mentioned her interest in two exciting ideas she is pursuing: a Literacy Award to be given through NCLA; and corporate sponsorships of NCLA conference programs focused on reading and reading motivation.

The committee chose May 21 at 10:00 a.m. at the Glenwood Branch of the Greensboro Public Library as the date, time and place for their next meeting. 

The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m.