Florida

Florida Public Libraries Celebrate a Milestone

Huge congratulations goes out to Flordia Public Libraries for graduating over 300 adults from Career Online High School. In 2015, Florida public libraries launched the program, providing Florida residents the opportunity to earn a free, accredited high school diploma. By early 2017, 28 libraries were offering the program and now more than 300 adults have graduated, with ceremonies … Read more

Offsetting the Diploma Deficit

Today, the high school dropout rate has reached epidemic levels. There are nearly 40 million Americans without a high school diploma—and those adults looking to return to high school have limited options. The startling figures below from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey, uncover just how many adults in each state has less … Read more

New library program can earn students a high school diploma

Posted April 20, 2016

By Livi Stanford

Originally published in the Daily Commercial

TAVARES, FL — Crystal Siblag lost her father at age 10.The event crippled her. She found it hard to focus on her studies. “My mom remarried when I was 16 and I took that hard,” Siblag said.

As a result, she did not graduate high school — a decision that affected her in numerous ways. But it was not until 15 years later that the decision came back to haunt her.

When Crystal’s husband was having a conversation with her son, Hunter, he informed him in passing that his mother did not graduate high school.

Hunter, in disbelief, had to directly confront his mother on the issue.

When Crystal faced her son to confirm her husband’s statement, she knew it was not a reality she wanted to live with for the rest of her life.

“I wanted to improve,” she said.

Read moreNew library program can earn students a high school diploma

New Library Program to Help High School Dropouts

Posted January 12, 2016

By Leslie Postal, Orlando Sentinel

High school dropouts can turn to libraries in Lake, Orange Counties for free help earning diplomas

Adults without high school diplomas who live in Orange and Lake Counties now have a new way to finish school, courtesy of their public libraries.

Read moreNew Library Program to Help High School Dropouts

Broward Libraries to Offer Online High School Diplomas

Posted on December 30, 2015; originally posted in the Sun Sentinel on December 29, 2015. 

By Brittany Shammas, Sun Sentinel

Broward County library to offer free, online high school diplomas to adults

Broward County adults who do not have high school diplomas will be able to get them – and some career training – through an online program launching at the public library.

Funded by the state for the first time this year, Career Online High School offers accredited high school degrees and career certificates. Enrolled students take all their courses online with the support of an academic coach.

The Broward County Library system is one of 11 in the state to pilot the program. It will provide full scholarships for 75 county residents to complete their degrees and certificates through the program, which normally would normally cost about $1,300.

“There are a lot of reasons people don’t complete their high school diplomas,” said Vonda Ward Byrant, learning services coordinator for the library system. “We want to give them a second chance.”

Read moreBroward Libraries to Offer Online High School Diplomas

Family Ancestry

By June C.

I was at a dead end to finding my family ancestry when one Saturday morning, sitting at a local tire station waiting for my car, I picked up the Florida Times Union and found an article by Amanda Durish Cook, titled, “Experts will guide the research of Jacksonville’s archive-worthy abodes,” telling the resources that are available at the Downtown branch of the Jacksonville Public Library on the fourth floor. There are a wealth of resources at my hands for FREE to research – I was thrilled and could not wait to get there to see if I had a new door opened for me and low and behold, there was a whole new chapter of my life story opened up. I found out that my great grandparent had come to the United States from Germany to New York, then to Jacksonville, Florida.

Read moreFamily Ancestry

It’s Always Been The Library

By Katherine M. 

Had someone from the future told me I would one day work in libraries…I would have not been too surprised! As a child, I visited the Fairfield Public Library (CT) children’s department and loved their wooden climb-thru cubbies and the bright tiny furniture almost as much as I loved borrowing a new story book. I tried my best to memorize the words and pictures knowing the book would not be mine for long. What an impression it made, taking my book to the big desk and seeing the ladies stamp with gusto, giving me looks over the counter top that wordlessly conveyed the message: “take care of this book and you can come back for more”. As a tween, I continued to visit the Fairfield Public Library; I walked from Tomlinson Middle School every Friday after school with my best friend to study. Instead of studying, we tried our best to suppress our endless chatter and tweenage “joie de vivre” with our undone homework spread out on a carrel. I used a copy machine for the first time, and shyly asked a librarian to show me how to use the card catalog. I checked out every Stephen King and Danielle Steele book I could find. Twice.

Read moreIt’s Always Been The Library

Rediscovering Libraries

By Jim M.  While out of work, I decided to use my extra time to reconnect with my local library. It had been almost a decade since I set foot inside a library building. I have always been an avid reader and some of my fondest childhood memories are of times spent in the old-fashioned … Read more

Thanks Librarians

By William G. 

Every story has a beginning and mine began when my mother brought me to 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA. There she introduced me to the librarian. Taking me by the hand she said, “So young man, you like books”, followed by some serious questions. “What would you like to be? Who would you like to know? Would you like to visit the past, see into the future, or perhaps fly on the wings of a dragon?

Read moreThanks Librarians