I loved this book! It'd be great for fans of Harry Potter with its mix of humor, adventure, mystery and friends who fight and stand up for what's good.

The ​​City of Bloomington Volunteer Network Be More Awards is the local community's way of honoring and applauding the outstanding, but often unrecognized efforts of its volunteers. Ten awards are presented annually during a celebration honoring nominees in which a $500 check is presented to each of the recipient's volunteer organizations in honor of their outstanding service.

Congratulations to Volunteers in Tutoring Adult Learners (VITAL) tutor Molly Gleeson for winning the 2019 Be More Knowledgeable (Education/Literacy) award, and to VITAL tutor David White for winning the 2019 Be More Dedicated (Lifetime of Service) award.

Molly Gleeson has been an adult literacy tutor with VITAL since August of 2012. With 1 of every 10 adults in Monroe County in need of help with literacy and language skills, her service is of great value. Molly's commitment to VITAL goes above and beyond the scope of a volunteer tutor. She freely offers her passion, intellect, time, and energy to this program and plans imaginative and inspiring real-life activities. Molly‘s generous nature and giving personality have impacted more than just those individuals who received tutoring, her diligent thoughtful efforts have also inspired fellow volunteers.

In partnership with South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP), David White currently is editor, publisher and financial supporter of the Safety-Net free community newspaper. David started Safety-Net in 2005 and continues to be the main organizer. He has called for community action on issues of the environment, civil rights, homelessness, and education. For those who lack resources, David provides what the overburdened system cannot. By his direct service, he has filled many unmet needs of social service agencies and more importantly given non-judgmental support to folks experiencing hard times. David White is a tremendous asset to people in need, to nonprofit organizations, and government agencies in Bloomington. David is also a VITAL tutor.

David and Molly are exemplary examples of the dedicated volunteers at VITAL, who by improving the lives of individuals one-by-one, improve our community at large.

Reviewed by Alejandria G. 

It’s impossible not to feel inspired while reading this gorgeous, well-written nonfiction picture book about the life of Texas congresswoman Barbara Jordan.

From a young age, Barbara Jordan had a remarkable voice. Her voice demanded attention and projected confidence beyond her years. As the author ponders, “What do you do with a voice like that?”. And so began the journey of Barbara Jordan from child to college student. From lawyer to Congresswoman. Jordan spent her career speaking up for those who had less power and protected the rights of those who were discriminated against. Chris Barton’s wonderful words remind us to honor Jordan’s legacy by making our own voices heard.

Ekua Holmes honors Barbara’s life with gorgeous mixed media illustrations. Bold colors and patterns fill the pages and add dimension to the story.

Short but sweet, this nonfiction picture book is a wonderful read for those interested in the true stories of strong women or the Civil Rights Movement. And the vibrant art will please those with an aesthetic eye.

After years of working in west coast bookstores and developing a specialty in rare books, Shannon
Bowman-Sarkisian is now studying to be a librarian at Indiana University and working as an Information
Assistant at the Library. Searching for meaningful opportunities to work on behalf of our community,
Shannon applied for and received the 2019 Pioneer Grant.

The Pioneer Grant invites Library employees to submit their enterprising ideas and lead the way to a
knowledgeable, inclusive, and engaged community empowered by the Library. Projects must be
innovative and beneficial to the community. The Friends of the Library provide funds to make the grant
project possible.

Shannon recently engaged with a patron who couldn’t provide proof of permanent residence in Monroe
County, one of the few requirements to be a Library cardholder. Shannon learned that the patron was
displaced from her residence as a result of domestic violence. However, the patron needed to access
Library services. Shannon wondered if this was a common problem in our community.

Shannon reached out to Middle Way House to learn more. Sure enough, she was told that displaced
survivors often encounter difficulties accessing services due to the lack of a permanent address.
Shannon began forming her grant project––Creating Access for Violence Survivors (CAVS).

"The grant application came out about the same time I had the interaction with this patron and I wanted
to know what could be done to help," Shannon said. "There’s a gap in the accessibility of our services, so
how do we reduce that?"

Shannon’s project has five goals:

1. To create Library protocol for Monroe County residents who are in hiding or in transitional housing due to escaping domestic violence.
2. To train Library service staff on domestic violence and related issues.
3. To reduce Library access barriers for domestic violence survivors.
4. To enable Middle Way House residents to access eLibrary and digital learning tools by providing curated iPads and LeapPad tablets.
5. To provide outreach and information about Library services to residents at The Rise and others who use Middle Way House services.

"Applying for the project grant was very intimidating for me because I'm an information assistant and am relatively new to the library," Shannon said. "Getting this grant and studying to be a Librarian feels like I'm on the right path. It's really important to me, and I think, to my community."

In keeping with the Library’s mission of equitable access and inclusion, Shannon’s project has identified and aims to answer a real need in our community.

"Survivors will benefit greatly from Shannon’s presence and compassion," said Marilyn Wood, Library
Director. "We appreciate her thoughtfulness and extensive research in developing this project."