Book festival donates $150,000 to groups

By Jamar Younger, Arizona Daily Star / October 2, 2011
The Tucson Festival of Books continued its contribution to local literacy causes by donating $150,000 to various organizations.

Bill Viner, the festival chairman, presented the money Saturday during the Rally for Literacy at Jacome Plaza outside the Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave., downtown.

The money will go to groups including the Literacy for Life Coalition and Reading Seed, which were involved in Saturday's rally, Viner said.

The University of Arizona BookStores will also receive money from the donation, he said.

The festival has donated about $500,000 since it began three years ago.

Viner also provided updates on the festival, which will take place March 10-11 at the UA. The event will feature several big-name authors including Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana, John Sandford, Lisa See and T.C. Boyle.

The Science Pavilion will be expanded with more activities, and the UA mirror and tree-ring labs will offer tours, Viner said.

Florida Adult and Family Literacy Month
Other ways to promote literacy during Literacy Month and ALWAYS!

Organize a special event to take place in your school and invite key people from government, business, education, and media to attend and participate. Ask an adult learner involved in a literacy program to give a testimonial.
Have older students make books of their own to be shared with younger students at their school on International Literacy Day.
Conduct a read-a-thon where individuals get sponsors to raise money for a community literacy program by reading.
Invite a publisher to your classroom to discuss how books are developed.
Approach a local bookstore about donating books for disadvantaged children, or to use as school prizes for reading awards.
Establish a book discussion group with adult learners.
Ask a manufacturer in your region to help heighten awareness about a reading or literacy topic. A supermarket might agree to print a literacy message on its shopping bags.
Organize an essay contest about “A Book That Changed My Life.”
Sponsor a book collecting drive. Give books to nursing homes, schools, and adult learner centers.
Sponsor a book reading with local authors reading their favorite book.
Ask your governor to get literacy on the National Governor’s Association’s agenda.
Invite key officials to sit in on a class at your community’s literacy center on Sept. 8.
Make Sept. 8 a Swap-a-Book day at your adult learner center. Have your students swap a book with another student and explain why they liked it.
Take learners to the library to get library cards.
Recognize community literacy centers in a press release or at an event.
Compile a calendar of book reading events. Distribute them throughout your community and schools.
Publicize and distribute a recommended list of books for beginner readers.
Sponsor a child or adult in a reading program.
Invite students, parents, or guests who have lived in other parts of the world to read a story from or to talk about literacy issues in those countries.
Form links with a school or educational group in another country and have letter-writing campaigns, book collections, and other activities that generate media and public interest in your school or group’s activities as well as interest in literacy issues in other parts of the world.
Invite city council members, the mayor, or other public officials to visit and observe classes.
Identify opportunities for adult learners to volunteer in children's tutoring or mentoring programs.
Publish a book or e-book of learner writings and have a party to celebrate.
Announce a new partnership with another community organization.
Hand-deliver a list of student accomplishments to politicians, community leaders, and the media, with a cover note from the learners.
Take a field trip to a local literary landmark.
Publicize and distribute lists of recommended books for readers of all ages.
Give awards for reading achievement.
Compile a calendar of community book and reading events.
Sponsor a book fair