Literacy Resources, Free Books, Online Books and More

Did you know that at least 50% of the unemployed are functionally illiterate? That an estimated $5 billion a year in taxes goes to support people receiving public assistance who are unemployable due to illiteracy? That the average kindergarten student has seen more than 5,000 hours of television, having spent more time in front of the TV than it takes to earn a bachelor's degree? That 44% of all American adults do not read one book in the course of a year? Are you as saddened by these statistics as I am? Here are a few things you can do to change them:

* Learn more by visiting the National Institute for Literacy (www.nifl.gov) or Proliteracy Worldwide (www.proliteracy.org).

* Donate books to children by clicking the bright red button on The Literacy Site (www.theliteracysite.com) Do this now! It takes less than 10 seconds. And don't forget to click tomorrow.

* Volunteer to teach someone to read. Find an organization near you at www.literacydirectory.org. This is important since adult reading scores improve approximately one grade level with just 35-45 hours of tutoring. Use the directory to identify tutoring services for people in need of help, and to learn more about learning disabilities.

* Join with Heifer International (www.heifer.org) and use their Read to Feed curriculum to teach children reading skills and sustainable development.

* Volunteer at your local library.

* Read to your children. Read as a couple. Read as a family. Join a bookclub.

* Give books as presents.

I imagine you know how valuable it is to be able to read. Help someone else experience that joy. (Did you click that bright red button?) Is it too cold to go out to the library? Would you rather not spend money to buy books? Are you tired of reading the books you already have? Do you know someone who is? Then check out the sites below for FREE access to tens of thousands of books. We're talking full text! Last year, I read Brave New World online for a class. It was fast, easy and free. In most cases the books are in the public domain in the US, and so are older. Search for your favorite titles today!

* The University of Pennsylvania Library (http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/) offers over 25,000 free books with new ones added all the time.

* Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org) is the oldest producer of free electronic books (eBooks or etexts) on the Internet. They list over 20,000 books, most are older literary works that are in the public domain in the United States.

* The National Academies Press (http://www.nap.edu/topics.php?browse=1) offers over 3,000 free books online. Most deal with science, engineering or medicine.

* The Internet Public Library (ipl.org) has books, photos, reference materials and much more.

Interested in materials other than books? You're in luck:

* Read newspapers online. Many newspapers make much of their material available on their websites. Often it's free, requiring only a free registration. This is a great way to keep up on news outside of your region. I read the Arkansas Times online, and often send my parents articles from the Atlanta Journal Consitution. My husband reads the Christian Science Monitor online. I also sometimes check out the New York Times, the Washington Post, and non-US newspapers. It's helpful to have another perspective on events. Don't be limited by language; use Google to translate articles.

* Read magazines online. Many magazines make material available online. Check out the sites of your favorite magazines and journals. Also, consider subscribing to and reading those that publish only online.

So browse the vast resources on the internet and read online. It's often free. Plus, you'll learn more, be entertained, and produce less waste.

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." - William James