A digital front door to literacy support

Helping residents find the right reading support with dignity and confidence.

Alachua County Reads is a community resource platform designed to make literacy help easier to find, easier to understand, and easier to access.

We believe everyone deserves a clear, welcoming path to literacy resources. Our goal is to use thoughtful technology and trusted community partnerships to make finding help simpler, more accessible, and more human.

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Why this exists

Many families, adult learners, caregivers, and service providers know that help exists, but the path to finding the right help can be fragmented. People may need to search across many websites, interpret different eligibility rules, call multiple places, and compare programs without a simple guide.

This platform is designed to reduce those barriers by bringing verified literacy-related resources into one accessible, visual, mobile-friendly place. Every major feature is built around one practical goal: helping people reach literacy support faster and with more confidence.

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Dignity First Design

The experience is built for people who may have limited reading skills, limited technology experience, language barriers, transportation barriers, or uncertainty about where to begin.

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Guide, Don't Hide

The platform recommends helpful starting points while still allowing users to see all available programs. Options are prioritized, not hidden.

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Trust & Verification

The initial program database is based on verified information reviewed for Alachua County Reads. New provider submissions enter a review workflow before appearing publicly as verified resources.

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Community Stewardship

A small volunteer review team can help maintain the directory, review submissions, contact providers, and keep information accurate as programs change over time.

Version 1.0

This version focuses on a clear, accessible literacy resource experience: visual resource cards, map access, audio-supported navigation, partner visibility, and provider submissions.

Find Programs

Learn more

See the full Alachua County Reads collaborative

Visit the Community Nonprofit Center's Alachua County Reads page for more information about the project, collaborative partners, and broader initiative.

Learn More About the Project

Core Principles

These principles guide current and future development.

People First

Design for the person seeking help, then validate with leadership.

Reduce Friction

Make the next step obvious and easy.

Accessibility by Default

Use visuals, plain language, mobile-friendly layouts, bilingual support, and audio guidance.

Measure What Matters

Success is measured by people reaching help, not just clicks.