ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 8, Number 88 September 9, 1999 In this issue: [1] International Literacy Day Highlights Education [2] SLD Announces New VP For Outreach [1] International Literacy Day Highlights Education September 8 was International Literacy Day, a celebration held annually in Washington, D.C. and this year also in Paris. The event, hosted by the World Bank and sponsored by the International Reading Association, the Library of Congress Center for the Book, the World Bank and other organizations, served as an introduction to a recent World Bank publication, "Education Sector Strategy." The audience was greeted by World Bank President James Wolfensohn, who cited education as the "key to opportunity." He mentioned the emergence of "distance learning with its possibilities for linkages" which could aid in uniting the world through education. Eduardo Doryan, vice president for the World Bank's human development network, told a moving story about attending the literacy class graduation ceremony of a 60-year-old South American woman who had finally learned to read. The woman also had encouraged her whole family to come to literacy classes. John Cole, director of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress, described the work the Center, funded by the Viburnum Foundation, is doing with literacy sites in libraries. He encouraged attendees to visit the Center's booth to pick up American Library Association pamphlets on how to start literacy programs in libraries. Other participants on the panel included representatives from Oxfam International and UNICEF. They stressed the high cost of illiteracy to the world and the work still to be done to increase education for all children. For more information about International Literacy Day and related links, go to http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/ild/ The World Bank publication, "Education Sector Strategy," is available for download in PDF format at http://www.worldbank.org/publications/educat.htm The press release on the event is available at http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/extme/037.htm [2] SLD Announces New VP For Outreach Note: The following is an E-rate Newsflash from The Schools and Libraries Division. For more information contact the SLD at http://www.sl.universalservice.org/ or toll-free 1-888-203-8100. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) announced today that Linda Schatz will join the SLD as Vice President for Outreach beginning on October 8. Since 1995, Ms. Schatz has served as Director of the Office of the Michigan Information Network in Lansing, Michigan where she worked to improve access to technology resources for schools, libraries, colleges and universities. Linda has established a statewide process for coordinating the purchase of telecommunications services among libraries, rural health care providers, schools and other educational and local governmental entities. As the statewide E-rate coordinator in Michigan, Linda worked with over 70 state representatives from the school and library community who assisted school and library applicants to obtain E-Rate discounts. Prior to moving to Michigan, Ms. Schatz served as the Director of Educational Telecommunications, for Iowa Public Television, where she was instrumental in developing the Iowa Communications Network, a statewide telecommunications infrastructure providing video, voice, and data services to Iowa's schools, libraries, colleges and universities. "Linda has been a pioneer and leader in bringing new technologies to the process of learning. Her knowledge and experience of the E-rate program will be invaluable and we are thrilled she is joining us," said Kate L. Moore, President, SLD. Ms. Schatz succeeds Mickey Revenaugh who resigned from the SLD on September 3 to accept a position with Broadband Networks, Inc., as the Director of Marketing. Ms. Schatz obtained a Masters in Higher Education from Drake University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. ****** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. To subscribe to ALAWON, send the message: subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc@ala.org or go to http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. 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