91´«Ã½

CHICAGO – From 10:30 to noon on Monday, June 28, representatives from the Bentonville (Ark.) Public Library; Hooper (Neb.) Public Library; and Wood County (Ohio) Library District will describe how participation in the American Dream Starts @ your library initiative helps their libraries provide literacy services for adult English language learners. The session will be held in the auditorium of the Renaissance Washington.

Rebecca Carson, chief of the Office of Citizenship, US Department of Homeland Security, will open the program and Vivian Wynn, Wynn Library Consulting, will provide an overview of the American Dream Starts @ your library initiative. Hadi Dudley, Bentonville (Ark.) Public Library; Karla Shafer, Hooper (Neb.) Public Library; and Maria Simon, Wood County (Ohio) District Public Library will share their unique experiences and insights and describe how and why the American Dream Starts at their library.

Since the initiative was launched in 2008, 104 public libraries in 24 states have been awarded the grants. American Dream libraries serve urban, suburban and rural cities and towns ranging in size from 850 to more than 1 million. This project is managed by the 91´«Ã½ Office for Literacy and Outreach Services and supported by a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

The program is open to all conference attendees. For more information about the program, visit .