Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative

ISSUE AREA: PEOPLE

City: Providence, RI
Education - Families - Social Development

Contact:
Providence Public Library
150 Empire Street
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 455-8000

Date Published: September 2006

The Rhode Island Family Literary Initiative (RIFLI) was adopted by the Providence Public Library to provide language training to non-English speaking families. This initiative was created because these individuals and families were facing social, economic, and educational language barriers. The program accepts and celebrates the diverse cultures of its participants and provides opportunities for further educational growth through other community services.

On top of providing language training, the Providence Public Library branch of the Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative offers courses on citizenship preparation, computer skills, as well as children and teen educational support classes. The RIFLI was implemented in the 1980s by library staff across the state as a response to increased levels of immigration into Rhode Island. The program was based upon the ‘Even Start’ literacy programs but was altered to a library setting and, for added accessibility, the programs were offered in the evening. Currently, the RIFLI operates seventeen ESL language programs in thirteen library branches and community centers. They work with many local school departments and library associations as well as local development organizations such as Providence Head Start.

Over the past seven years, RIFLI has provided services to 1,252 families with 5,751 adults and 2,597 children. Program attendance has raised about 10 percent a year to the current level of 1,330 yearly participants. The majority of individuals who use the program are newly arrived immigrants who are commonly defined by their low-income status. RIFLI reports that in 2005, 16 percent of their students were unemployed, which is an increase from 2001 when the rate was 5 percent and even from 2004 when it was 11 percent. RIFLI recognizes the growing non-English speaking population and believes that more services and education are needed for these individuals so that they may enter the workforce.

In 1995, Congress removed the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) supported federal funding it had provided to libraries to maintain these programs. Responding to this loss of funding, librarians and literacy advocates collaborated to secure funding from the Rhode Island Foundation. Additional branch funding has been granted by Bank of America, the City of Pawtucket Community Block Grant Program, Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds through the R.I. Office of Library & Information Services and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Providence Public Library, and The R.I. Department of Education - Family Literacy and EL/Civics Funding. The Providence Public Library offers RIFLI classes daily and also provides one on one attention with individuals and families by appointment.

Resources:

www.rifli.org/
www.provlib.org/happening/familylit/default.html