Madison County Read Ahead at Cazenovia Public Library
Madison County Read Ahead - begun with a founding grant from the Central New York Community Foundation in February 2006 - provides free adult literacy tutoring programs in public libraries located throughout Madison County.  Volunteer tutors are trained and matched with learners at local libraries, and work one-on-one at flexible hours that suit their schedules. 

Tutor Training
Our literacy programs are always in need of new volunteer tutors. If you are interested in becoming a literacy volunteer, please contact Morris Atwood at matwood@midyork.org or at (315) 761.2525.

Read Ahead in Cazenovia
Sponsored by Cazenovia Public Library, we offer free adult literacy programs on site, as well as tutoring services at two satellite locations, CazCares Food Pantry and the New Woodstock Public Library.  Volunteer tutors work with adult learners in three different programs: adult basic education (Learn to Read), ESL (English as a Second Language), or preparation for the GED Examination (high school equivalency certification). 

New Learners
Need your GED? Want to improve your reading skills, or your English language skills? Cazenovia Read Ahead can help. For more information about literacy programs in Cazenovia, please contact Literacy Coordinator Cindy McCall, at Cazenovia Public Library (315) 655.9322 or (315) 391.3357.

News article: http://cnylink.com/cnynews/view_news.php? 

Early Literacy: The Story Room at CazCares

A collaboration between Cazenovia Public Library and CazCares Food Pantry, the Story Room
provides a free preschool program in an open, drop-in format. Learning concepts are emphasized through play, learning activities, and reading to children. The program also offers child care support for educational programs held on-site at CazCares, such as Read Ahead adult literacy and GED programs, and Cornell Cooperative Extension family nutrition programs.

Reading Books at Home
Studies show that children read more when books are in the home. With the help of the Friends of Cazenovia Public Library, we offer CazCares families free, age appropriate children’s books every time they visit the Story Room. We’ve given out hundreds of donated quality books since we opened our doors in 2007. In addition we’ve developed a list of “Favorite Books,” children’s classics that many preschool children are familiar with before entering kindergarten. Through a 2010 grant from The Women’s Fund of CNY, Cazenovia Public Library was able to offer families enrolled in literacy programs at CazCares a set of 20 classic children's books, providing parents with an essential tool for building family literacy at home.

Partners in Literacy
Adult Education programs at CazCares extend the reach of library-based literacy services to people who are not usually library users. We offer Learn to Read, ESL and GED programs on site, and serve as a resource for adult literacy programs held at New Woodstock Library and Cazenovia Public Library. We also act as a referral source for educational and career services programs in Madison County.

The Numbers
During the school year about 50 preschool-age children a month attend the Story Room. During the summer, an average of 150 children attend the Story Room monthly.

Hours
The Story Room is open on a drop-in basis whenever CazCares is open:
Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30 to 12 noon.

For more information
Contact Cindy McCall (315) 391-3357
Carla Zimmerman (315) 559-7591
CazCares
101 Nelson St.
Cazenovia, NY 13035
CazCares (315) 655-3174
Cazenovia Public Library (315) 655-9322
News article: http://madisoncountycourier.com/2011/05/14/cazenovia-college-students-paint-for-literacy-at-cazcares/