Lucy A. Barahona Literacy Center

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Services for Literacy

The Berwyn Public Library is committed to helping residents meet their lifelong educational needs.  We strive to offer a warm and welcoming environment for adult literacy and English as a Second Language (ESL) learners.  An adult learning and ESL specialist is on staff in the Outreach department; Esther Chase has been teaching and tutoring for adult literacy and ESL since 2007.

Through collaboration with local literacy agencies, faith-based programs, and our community college, the Library offers high quality materials and innovative services which supplement and enhance our partners' programs. 

As a result, Berwyn's adult literacy learners have a variety of opportunities for independent study, one-to-one tutoring, small group learning, and classroom instruction; all of which are necessary to having a positive and fulfilling learning experience.

Literacy Collection

We have updated the collection to serve literacy learners of all ages, teachers and tutors.  Located near the public internet access computers on the second floor, it is a "living" collection -- designed for browsing!  Materials are also delivered to Berwyn literacy programs, making it mobile as well.  The new literacy collection is organized around the following three categories:

1. Adult Basic Education (ABE) and GED

Need your GED?

As of June 22, 2010, GED prep classes at Morton College are only $9.  It is also possible to prepare for the test online through GED-i, however, it is necessary to register at Morton College first. 

Once you are ready to take the GED test, the fee is just $50.  At this time, only paper-based testing is available at Morton College's campus.  The official GED test IS NOT available online.  Any website claiming that you can take the test online is a scam.  Watch this video for more information.

Visit the Morton College campus at 3800 S. Cicero Ave. for more information about upcoming test dates, or go to the official GED site.

A diverse collection of leveled reading material is available for adults learning to read.  Two study rooms adjacent to the literacy collection are available for use by literacy volunteers and their students.  We partner with Literacy Volunteers of Western Cook County and Morton College's Project CARE to offer adult literacy tutoring here at the library.

The Library provides pre-GED and GED study materials in addition to the opportunity to take GED-i classes on the Library's computers.  Potential students in the Morton College district should first register and take a placement test at the college.  Registration dates and times are released approximately one month before each semester begins.  Please visit the college in person to receive current registration and test dates.  Once a student has been approved, they may take their GED-i classes online using the library's computers.  Computers without a time limit are available in the Reference department in the lower level of the library.  Please ask at the reference desk for more information.

We currently offer a GED study group on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 pm.  Check our online calendar to see if the group is in session this week.  Advanced registration is not necessary and there is no cost.  Adults from any community can attend; it is not necessary to be a Berwyn resident.  Please bring your library card from any library in the Metropolitan Library System to borrow GED study books. 

2. English as a Second Language (ESL)

The four basic skills--Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing--are represented in the ESL section of the Literacy Collection.  These materials are recommended for independent study, one-to-one tutoring, and small group tutoring for 5+ students.

• Dictionaries: Bilingual, Picture, Easy English, Thesauruses, Idioms, Homophones, Phrasal Verbs, Collocations
  
• Low-level Listening texts with Audio CDs
• Intermediate/Advanced-level Pronunciation Texts with Audio CDs
• Non-fiction Readers with Audio CDs
• Grammar Texts with Writing Exercises

Conversation Groups, Reading Groups, and Writing Groups - The Library offers ESL conversation groups and low-level book discussion groups for adults in partnership with Project CARE of Morton College. These groups give students a chance to practice the English in a friendly and informal environment.

Do you need to study for the Citizenship test? Our Citizenship study group is held on Tuesday mornings from 9:30-11 am.  Check our online calendar to see if the group is in session this week.  Advanced registration is required; please call (708) 795-8000, ext. 3044 to register.  

3. Outreach Services for Berwyn's Adult ESL Programs

Curriculum Support - We have classroom packs of textbooks with teacher guides, low-level book kits, games, flashcards, and themed lesson plans for circulation to ESL teachers and tutors.  Periodicals and books on ESL pedagogy provide current research and best practices for instruction.

Classroom Visits - Schedule a classroom visit with our ESL specialist for a library card registration day, promotion of the Library's current programs and new ESL materials, and delivery of News for You, a low-level adult newspaper.

Professional Development - The library can coordinate and deliver seminars and in-service workshops for volunteers at local literacy agencies and faith-based ESL programs.

For more information, get our ESL Program Support Brochure.

Our 2010-2011 ESL support programs have been made possible by an American Dream Starts @ your library® grant.   The American Library Association and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation have partnered to provide these mini-grants to libraries throughout the United States for ESL programs and collection development.  The Library appreciates the generosity of the Foundation to help adult learners succeed with their public library.

Our 2011-2012 GED and Citizenship Study Groups have been made possible by a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the George C. Veverka Bequest Fund.  We sincerely thank both parties for their generosity and support.

For more information about our adult literacy programs, please call Esther Chase at (708) 795-8000, ext. 3044.