According to the Literacy Council of Benton County, nearly 45,000 adults in Benton County cannot read or write English.  This statistic clearly conveys the need to improve functional adult literacy in our community. 

Functional literacy involves skills needed to cope at an adult level in everyday situations, such as reading a newspaper, helping a child with homework or filling out a job application.  People who lack these basic skills often suffer the effects of crime, poverty and unemployment.

Thanks to a generous grant from ALA's 'The American Dream Starts @ your library', a program funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, Bentonville Library was able to triple our adult literacy book and audio offerings.  Combined with existing resources and services, BPL strives to assist local literacy councils, tutors, Adult Education programs and many others to help adults in our community gain functional literacy skills.

BPL's Adult Literacy Collection and Services

  • A large selection of books and workbooks that cover grammar, reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary and math.
  • Easy-to-read novels as well as easy reading material in the areas of life skills, job skills, religion, sciences and social studies.
  • Everyday language guides, graphic novels, streamlined Shakespeare and US government books. 
  • Audiobooks with read-along books.
  • Rosetta Stone for ESL learners.
  • Learning Express online resource provides practice tests for GED prep.
  • Private study rooms for tutoring, at no cost.
  • Free access to public computers.

BPL's Adult Literacy collection is housed between the Inspirational Fiction section and the Foreign Language collection.  If you have questions or need assistance with our Literacy collections, please contact BPL's Reference Desk at 479-271-6815 or email hhays@bentonvillear.com.   

Recommended Sites

About Recommended Sites

Our goal is to provide you with educational, entertaining and reliable information on the internet.  All web content should be viewed with a discerning eye for accuracy, authorship and currency.  Please note, by providing these web links for easy access, inclusion does not imply endorsement by Bentonville Library.

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