 |
Intergenerational Literacy Project
Partnerships for Literacy Success
Community Literacy & Writing Projects
Accidental Vestments
Book Clubs
Bookmaking
Books for Humanity
ESL Classes
Literacy Through Poetry
Kids At Work
National Writing Project
Poetry in Motion
The Wordshop Project
The Writing Mentor Project
YouthOn Restorative Justice
Research @ the Center for Community Literacy
Community Partners & Local Literacy Networks
Literacy Network of Larimer County
Upcoming Reading and Writing Events
Literacy-Related Positions Available
The Center for Community Literacy Key Initiatives
The Intergenerational Literacy Book Club and Writing Project
The Intergenerational Book Club and Writing Project provides free books, access to online book discussion groups, writing workshops, and publishing opportunities for people of all ages in Fort Collins and surrounding communities. By providing these free and accessible reading and writing opportunities, we help to make literacy a regular and enjoyable extracurricular activity for our participants. The following are detailed synopses of the four components of this project.
Book Club
Reading partnerships read one of six free books focused on a chosen theme-"change," for instance. Each partnership is provided with one copy of the book of their choice and a welcome packet (including a set of "discussion prompt" bookmarks and instructions for participation). The books are selected based upon recommendations from reference librarians at the Fort Collins Public Library and faculty at CSU.
Online Book Discussion Groups
One of the unique benefits of this program is the opportunity to learn in a collaborative environment that bridges generational and cultural differences. The online book discussion groups allow participants to bridge geographical differences as well. The online forum is part of a website developed by the Fort Collins Public Library. The library offers a training session for how to use the online forum. Participants thus gain both formal training and practice using technology.
Creative Writing Workshops
Writers from all over the community, not just those who participate in the book club, are invited to attend a series of writing workshops. The workshops give individuals the opportunity to write critically and creatively about their lives and to discuss their writing with a diverse group of people.
Publication
The writing which is produced in the writing workshops are compiled into an short anthology, which is published annually and distributed in multiple locations in Fort Collins.
Project Goals
- To provide free and accessible reading and writing opportunities to a population that does not always have the time or resources to make literacy a regular and enjoyable activity;
- To increase literacy activity through intergenerational community-based literacy work;
- To engage parents and children in active dialogue and collaboration through literacy activities (reading a shared text and responding in writing);
- To invite participants to engage in cross-generational self-reflection and to recognize learning as a lifelong process;
- To bring together a diverse group of Fort Collins community readers and writers, both virtually through online book forums and physically through the creative writing workshops;
- To provide fun and engaging English-language literacy opportunities to compliment efforts of people in our community learning English as a second language;
- To improve technology literacy by engaging adults with new technologies through the training and use of online book discussion forums.