FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:  Heather O'Connell, Community Relations Coordinator, Lee County Library System
                         (239) 461-2924

LEE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM PRESENTS AWARD WINNING LITERACY TELEVISION PROGRAM

FORT MYERS, Fla., June 9, 2003- The Award winning Crossroads Café literacy program will now be airing on local television. The Lee County Library System recently purchased tapes (with broadcast rights) for the 26 episode series that helps people who speak English as a second language improve their English reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

Crossroads Café will begin airing this week on Lee TV, the county government’s cable channel.  The award-winning program, a 26 episode series, is based on the lives and experiences of employees and customers of a friendly multicultural café.  Each episode concentrates on a specific topic of interest to many new immigrants and features grammar and cultural clips to help improve English skills as well as confidence in addressing unfamiliar cultural situations.

The episodes will air on ComCast Cable System Channel 11 and on the Time Warner Cable System Channel 16 three times each week:  Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m., Thursdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 4:00 p.m.  Each episode will run for two weeks.

Copies of the Crossroads Café videos and workbooks may be borrowed for free from any branch of the Lee County Library System and the Bookmobile. The materials are used in the Library System’s Literacy program and in partnership with other literacy organizations throughout the area.

For more information about the Crossroads Café program and for help finding classes and programs to help you learn or improve your English, contact the Lee County Library System Literacy Program at 461-5885.