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For both Wedgeworth and Curtis, fighting for literacy remains a passion.

Curtis: “When I first started work after college I said I would change jobs every five years to keep things interesting. For the first few jobs, this is exactly what I did. Then I came on board in Laubach in 1977, and I stayed. It’s something that makes a lot of difference in people’s lives. I visit with people who are so excited about what they have learned. I meet people with so much passion and enthusiasm. Even though some consider the word ’empowerment’ to be trite, I’m still excited. Even with very little resources people can accomplish so much. I can’t think of anything that I could do that would be more fulfilling and satisfying.”

Wedgeworth: “I go back a long way. I was very active in establishing Literacy Plus. My background as a librarian, especially in academic settings, made me aware of the fact that the headlines are usually about war, floods, etc. But I was very much aware that more people die from not having the information they need, due to the tremendous variation in literacy. When I was executive director of the American Library Association and later president of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, many of my friends thought that doing negotiations was the most exciting thing. But for me, the most exciting thing is when I see kids and adults learning. When I go out to the field I draw strength from the work that the volunteers are doing. Yes, I’m very good at negotiating and my other responsibilities. But the joy comes from being out and seeing the faces, one-by-one.”

Can the battle for literacy worldwide be won? Some final thoughts from Wedgeworth: “We haven’t been able to put this together and articulate to our leaders how important the fight is. With few new resources-but with commitment -we could reduce illiteracy to manageable levels in the next 10 years. This is a winnable war, with a modest price tag. But we have to communicate the price to us all without that commitment.”

April 19, 2002