For Immediate Release: December 21, 2006

Volunteer Storyreaders Needed:
Help Improve Oakland's Literacy

(Oakland, CA)—Share your love of books with a new generation of readers in Oakland. Books for Wider Horizons, a program of the Oakland Public Library, is seeking volunteer storyreaders to present weekly storytimes to preschoolers throughout Oakland, introducing children to the pleasure of stories and inspiring excitement about books. In a comprehensive storytime class that begins Tuesday, February 6 at the Rockridge Branch Library (5366 College Ave.), participants will learn the art of story reading from a true professional, Ms. Gay Ducey, whose storytelling talents have been featured on The Mr. Roger's Show. Call (510) 238-7453 to reserve a spot. Space will be limited so call today! Bilingual volunteers are needed, especially in Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Cambodian.

New volunteers must complete a free, seven-class series on how to select and share books and present engaging storytimes for preschool children ages three to five. The training dates are listed below and volunteers need to sign up in advance and attend every meeting to complete the course. Upon completion of the training, each participant agrees to prepare and present a weekly storytime at a partnering preschool site. Books for Wider Horizons facilitates the training course and the volunteer program.

TRAINING DATES: VOLUNTEERS MUST ATTEND ALL DATES

Instructor Gay Ducey is the Children's Librarian at the Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library. She has been a professor of storytelling at Dominican College, Santa Rosa College, UCB Extension, and the University of California at Berkeley Library School. She is the former co-chair of the National Storytelling Association, and co-founder/director of the Bay Area Storytelling Festival.

All trainings take place at the Rockridge Branch Library at 5366 College Ave. To register, or f or more information, please call (510) 238-7453. The Oakland Public Library is a department of the City of Oakland.

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