School on Wheels
schoolonwheels.org
In the 2002/03 and 2003/04 academic years, MLIS students have organized several activities with the non-profit organization School on Wheels (SOW). Students interested in developing their children's librarianship skills have designed and implemented story times for children living in the shelters that SOW is involved with. Others have weeded, organized, and labeled book collections that are located in shelter Learning Rooms that were created by SOW. For information on how you can get involved with SOW, consult the ALE binder located in the MIT lab (ask lab staff).
School on Wheels is a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that has been providing children living in homeless shelters with tutoring and homework help since 1993. The program matches K-12 students with hundreds of volunteer tutors who strive to mentor and assist the children with their educational needs. There are currently nine Learning Centers housed in just a few of the dozens of shelters citywide (with more in the workings). The Learning Centers serve as resources for the tutors and the children by providing a workspace, some instructional materials, a small book collection, and computers.
School on Wheels Learning Centers needs caring volunteers with education or library experience to “adopt” them. The plan is to partner people with a fellow volunteer to work together at a center approximately once a month. This is your chance to collaborate with a fellow student and bring your GSE&IS skills to practical use. Some of the possible volunteer activities are listed below, but can be molded to fit the experience and commitment levels of individual volunteers. This is an ideal opportunity for altruists intent on making education and information more accessible to all children.
For more information about School on Wheels or the Learning Centers, visit www.schoolonwheels.org
While helping children, you’ll also help yourself…
- » make a difference in children’s lives by helping them receive the educational and informational services they need and deserve
- » gain experience maintaining and monitoring a Learning Center collection (primarily books and CD-ROMs) which may include some collection development and weeding
- » observe and participate in a flourishing after-school Homework Program with over 500 volunteer tutors county-wide
- » create and implement read-alouds, story times, arts and crafts projects, computer and information literacy instruction, and other educational outreach programs for children
- » get to know and collaborate with a fellow GSE&IS student
- » possibly use the experience as part of an independent study or course project in an education or information studies class
- » add to your resume
- » flexible time schedule can be arranged with no more than a once-a-month commitment
If you have any questions or are interested in volunteering, please contact Heather at hdaugher@ucla.edu.
Chiapas Archives
gesis.ucla.edu/faculty/chu/chiapas
ALE has been involved in an ongoing effort to provide services and resources for libraries and archives in Chiapas,Mexico, as well as studying them and maintaining a collaborative relationship with them. See the site History and Archives of Chiapas created by IS 207 for the Winter 2002 quarter.
Garment Workers Center Archive Project
sweatshopwatch.org
One of ALE's ongoing projects is archiving the files of of labor rights scholar and activist Edna Bonavich at the Garment Worker Center in downtown Los Angeles. Once the files have been processed, students will create a database to make materials accessible to GWC clients.
Weapons of Mass Instruction: Anti-War Books for Children
sol-plus.net/peace.htm
Librarians and educators are invited to help create a pro-peace children's book list. Your input is welcome.