"Books are a uniquely portable magic."
-- Stephen King
FAQ
Ozark Literacy Council
WHEN — 8 a.m-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday
WHERE — 2596 Keystone Crossing in Fayetteville; tutoring is offered at Springdale Public Library, 405 S. Pleasant St. during regular hours
COST — Free
INFO — 521-8250, ozarkliteracy.org
FYI
Read Across NWA
Schedule
Springdale
9-10 a.m. — Morning kickoff at Mill Street Market
10 a.m.-noon — Book and A Blanket: A Flash Mob Readathon at Luther George Park, 300 Park St.
10-10:30 a.m. — Book Bike Little Free Library dedication at the intersection of Razorback Greenway and Meadow Street
10:30-11 a.m. — Book Bike Little Free Library reception at Ozark Montessori Academy, 301 Holcomb St.
10:30-11 a.m. — Rattle & Rhyme Toddler Time at Springdale Public Library, 405 S. Pleasant St.
Fayetteville
9-10 a.m. — Morning kickoff Fayetteville Farmers’ Market
10 a.m.-noon — Book and A Blanket: A Flash Mob Readathon at Wilson Park, 675 N. Park Ave.
10:30-11:15 a.m. — Matt Sandbank’s Shadow Factory at Fayetteville Public Library, 401 W. Mountain St.
Noon-3 p.m. — Cool Off With A Book at Nightbird Books, 205 W. Dickson St.
2-3 p.m. — Book Signing with Talya Tate Boerner at Barnes & Noble, 4144 N. College Ave.
2-4 p.m. — Outside the Lines: Coloring for Adults at Fayetteville Public Library, 401 W. Mountain St.
5:30-7 p.m. — Community Gathering at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 224 N. East Ave.
Bonus — Helen Tyson Middle School EAST students have created an interactive map that shows the Little Free Libraries in Northwest Arkansas. Find the map on the Ozark Literacy Council’s website.
Source — ozarkliteracy.org
Ozark Literacy Council is encouraging everyone in the community to read outside on Saturday.
"Read Across NWA," a full day of activities to celebrate literacy and raise awareness of the council's services, will begin at 9 a.m. in Springdale and Fayetteville.
The day's activities will take place in both of those cities.
"Being outside is important to people in Northwest Arkansas," says Jim Mitchell, director of development for Ozark Literacy Council. "You can enjoy being outdoors and enjoy reading at the same time."
"Read Across NWA" activities include a dedication of the Book Bike Little Free Library in downtown Springdale, a Book and Blanket readathon at a park in each city and a community gathering in Fayetteville.
Books will be available at various Little Free Libraries, Mitchell says. An interactive map on Ozark Literacy Council's website -- created by STEM students at Helen Tyson Middle School in Springdale -- will direct people to the registered little libraries in the area.
The map shows kiosks from three systems -- ones placed by Ozark Literacy Council, ones placed by the middle school and ones placed by individuals that were registered with littlefreelibrary.org, he adds.
The day's activities -- and many kiosks -- are close to the Razorback Greenway so even people out for a walk or bike ride can participate.
Ozark Literacy Council offers adult basic literacy and English as a second language classes for adults in both Fayetteville and Springdale.
"Demand for our service is exploding. This time last year, we had 300 students. Now we have just over 400," Mitchell says.
The adult illiteracy rate in Washington County is 13 percent. That number includes both native English speakers and nonnative English speakers, he says.
"In some instances, people have dropped out of school, or they stayed in school but slipped through the cracks," Mitchell says. "Others are people who move here from another country for work."
No matter the reason, the council can help people learn to read. All services are free.
-- Kelly Barnett
NAN What's Up on 07/15/2016