Welcome
The Hillsborough Literacy Council (HLC), a nonprofit affiliate of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System, teaches functionally and marginally illiterate adults 18 years of age or older to read and write through its Adult Basic Literacy program.
In its English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, the Council teaches adult speakers of other languages to read, write and communicate in English.
Volunteer tutors are recruited, trained and matched with students in both the Basic and ESOL programs. Tutors and students meet at convenient county library locations. They meet once or twice a week at a mutually agreeable time. If you are interested in volunteering as a tutor or would like to find a tutor contact us.
The Hillsborough Literacy Council (HLC) was founded in 1986 through the collaboration of Geri Bethmann, a concerned Tampa citizen, and the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library. The goal of the program was to teach functionally illiterate adults to read and write. After receiving federal funding, the program became operational. This first program is now called the Basic Program. In 1993, the ESOL Program (English for Speakers of Other Languages) was added.
HLC is a non-profit corporation affiliated with ProLiteracy America, the U.S. Programs Division of ProLiteracy Worldwide. ProLiteracy America is the largest adult literacy organization in the United States. It is dedicated to providing the highest quality information, training, and technical assistance to advance the work of the adult literacy field.
Students may call to register with the council (813-273-3650). Volunteers also call to register and then train at one of the 6 tutor training programs offered annually. Students and tutors are matched by volunteer Area Representatives. The matches are determined by preferred county branch library location and by mutually agreeable meeting times. In the Basic Program the ratio of tutor to student is one to one. In the ESOL Program the match may be one to one or there may be a small group conversational class set up.
Each year HLC offers an Appreciation Assembly in September. Graduations are celebrated and outstanding students and tutors are recognized. Visions, an annual publication of student writings, is unveiled at the assembly each year.
HLC has helped thousands of adults since 1986. The Florida Literacy Data and Statistics Reference Guide shows that an estimated 20% of the adults in Hillsborough County function at the lowest level of literacy. As of the 2000 U. S Census there were over 1.5 million Florida residents who spoke little or no English. HLC is proud of its successes and continued efforts to fight illiteracy in Hillsborough County.
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