CLARKS SUMMIT — The Abington Community Library launched its IDEAL PARTNERS campaign to highlight and increase awareness of local partnerships that are cultivated throughout the year.
This campaign focuses on the five Pennsylvania Library Association’s (PaLA) 21st Century Literacies Initiative, PA Forward, which was conceived to give voice to what the library community already knows: with the right support, libraries are ideally positioned to become the community centers of information, technology, and learning that will fuel educational and economic opportunity for all citizens.
This initiative focuses on five literacies: basic, civic and social, health, information, and financial. These five literacies are the focus of Library programming and services over the five months of the campaign. Posters representing the five literacies showcasing the IDEAL PARTNERS are put on display at the library. The original photography was done by Guy Cali, of Guy Cali and Associates, who donated his time, talents, and all materials to create the images of the IDEAL PARTNERS.
IDEAL PARTNERS for civic and social literacy include three familiar groups that are civic-minded and social in nature: the Abington Business and Professional Association, Abington Heights Civic League, and Rotary Club of the Abingtons. Many throughout our community, including the library, benefit from all three of these organizations.
As a community-centered organization, the library hosts many events, classes, collections, and programs that are focused upon the community at large and their needs, as well as those that attend and/or contribute their time and talent. One example, is its Scrabble Group, which meets each Thursday to outwit one another. The group always welcome new members.
Another example, the current Anime Club that has been part of the library’s core programming for teens with a unique interest in Japanese animation and manga for over eight years. Most members are avid readers of manga with many titles included in the graphic novel section. Because studies show good readers make good citizens and regular readers are more likely to volunteer for charities, the library hopes to move civic-focused organizations forward with membership as teens get involved in their community and remain committed as adults.
For more information about current civic and social literacy programs, contact the Abington Community Library at 570-587-3440 or visit lclshome.org/Abington.
