Office for Literacy and Outreach Services
50 E. Huron Street
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2795
USA
Telephone: 312-280-4294
800-545-2433 ext. 4294
Fax: 312-280-3256
Email: olos@ala.org
website shortcut: www.ala.org/olos
Find us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ala_olos
Page Navigation
Outreach Areas | Popular Resources | News | Events | Mission | Oversight Groups | Staff
Check out the 2009 Bookmobile Parade in our Events section!
Outreach Areas
Adult Literacy
Bookmobiles
Services to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered People
Services to Incarcerated People and Ex-Offenders
Services to Older Adults
Services to People of Color
Services to People with Disabilities
Services to Poor and Homeless People
Services to Rural, Native and Tribal Libraries
Other Outreach Areas
Popular Resources
FEATURE: Good Health Information (GHI)
What is "Good Health Information?"
The National Library of Medicine and the American Library Association want to show you how to find the information that will help you achieve good health. The site introduces the resources of the National Library of Medicine and provides information that helps communities of color in rural settings make good health decisions.
Why do I need this information?
The site specifically addresses the diseases and illnesses that disproportionately impact people of color by educating and making medical information more accessible.
How do I use the Good Health Information website?
Visitors will find quick links to health topics, as well as a tutorial to help them get started.
How do I find "Good Health Information?"
Simply visit Good Health Information (www.ala.org/goodhealth) to learn more!
Download a postcard to help promote GHI! 1-up | 4-up
(double-sided, print on 8.5"x11" cardstock)
And don't forget to look for Good Health Information at the Diversity and Outreach Fair, Saturday July 11, 3-5pm at ALA Annual Conference in Chicago!
OLOS Links
OLOS Toolkits
- The American Dream Starts @ your library Toolkit
- The Librarian's Guide to Gaming
- Mobile Services Handbook
- Non-English Speakers
- Older Adults (Working Doc, final doc to be launched Winter 08)
- Rural and Small Libraries
(The Small but Powerful Guide for Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library) - Rural and Small Libraries Online Toolkit
(The Small Is Powerful Online Toolkit for Winning Support for Your Rural Library) - Tribal Libraries
- TRAILS - Tribal Library Procedure Manual 3rd Edition 2008
Outreach Columns
- Older Adults @ your library - February 2009
- 21st Century Bookmobiles 17
View All Columns - Behind the Walls 13
View All Columns
News
- NEW column by Joyce Voss, Memories into Memoirs
- column by Fatima Perkins, Partnerships and Collaborations for Senior Programs
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 101 www.ala.org/knowyourstimulus
- Digital Television Transition Toolkit
- ALA's DTV transition home page
- OLOS joins Twitter, find us at www.twitter.com/ala_olos
- Coretta Scott King Book Awards recipients announced
- New Coretta Scott King Book Awards website launched
Events
OLOS at ALA Annual Conference 2009
The 2009 Parade of Bookmobiles was held on Bookmobile Sunday, July 12, 2009 at McCormick Place, Chicago, IL.
Chair of the Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture Fantasia Thorne (left) and this year's speaker, Kathy Mayo (right).
Mission
ALA’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) identifies and promotes library services that enable equitable access to the knowledge and information stored in our libraries. OLOS focuses on services inclusive of traditionally underserved populations, including new and non-readers, geographically isolated people, those with disabilities, rural and urban poor people, and those discriminated against due to their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, language and social class. OLOS ensures that training, information resources, and technical assistance are available to help libraries and librarians develop effective strategies and programs to improve services for library users.
Oversight Groups
- OLOS Advisory Committee
- Subcommittee on Bookmobiles
- Subcommittee on Library Services to Native Americans
- Subcommittee on Library Services to the Poor and Homeless
- Subcommittee on Older Adults
- Subcommittee on Dr. Jean E. Coleman Lecture
- Subcommittee on the Diversity and Outreach Fair
- Committee on Literacy
- Literacy Assembly
- Research-to-Practice Subcommittee
- Literacy Providers Subcommittee
- Program Subcommittee
- Committee on Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds
- Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT)
- Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table (GLBTRT)
- Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT)
- Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS)
- Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL)
Staff
Major Areas of Responsibility:
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Adminstrative oversight of the Office, its programs, services, and intiatives
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Budget and policy matters
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Advisory questions on outreach services

Dale P. Lipschultz
Literacy Officer
800-545-2433, ext. 3275
dlipschultz@ala.org
Major Areas of Responsibility:
- Advisory questions on literacy
- Verizon Literacy project
- Lila Wallace Literacy project
- Literacy programming
- ALA liaison to Build Literacy @ your library
- National Coalition for Literacy

Elliot Mandel
Program Coordinator
800-545-2433, ext. 4297
emandel@ala.org
Major Areas of Responsibility:
- Manages OLOS office
- Coordinates conference programs on behalf of:
OLOS Advisory Committee
Committee on Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of all kinds
Committee on Literacy - Conference programming liaison to three ALA round tables:
Ethnic Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT)
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered Round Table (GLBTRT)
Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) - Conference Programming Liaison to two ALA affiliates:
Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS)
Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) - Administers Corretta Scott King Book Awards and Breakfast
