LIANZA

Posted by: | Posted on: 19 Oct 11

What does 2 ^squared have to do with Valentine’s Day next year?

The answer lies at love2read.org.au.

February the 14^th 2012 marks the public launch of the National Year of Reading, and reading (and libraries) will be at the forefront of the nation’s collective mindset for the duration of the year - and hopefully beyond.

46% of Australians struggle with functional literacy, lacking the skills to read a timetable, accurately cook to a recipe, or complete a crossword puzzle. It’s a staggering figure, and one that the initiative, working in partnership with libraries, intends to turn around.

“So where does the math come in?” I hear you cry. As an underpinning to the revolution of reading, love2read has 4 national campaigns and 4 strategies to encourage Australians to embrace a reading culture and become a nation of readers (love 2 read... see what I did there?).

The 4 key strategies to encourage reading are things that I think a lot of us in “library land” take for granted. Clearly, working in the industry we do, we have a passion for the written word, its preservation and importance. It’s key to remember that not everyone has had their “switch” flicked in the same way we have, and this campaign seeks to imbrue others with at least some of our fervour for words.

The strategies can be summarised as a belief that reading is powerful, transformational and enjoyable. Reading should inspire and support, and the sources we read from need to be accessible. Reading doesn’t have to be “serious”, and the format doesn’t matter – e-books, magazines, novellas – it’s all good. In order to support this revolution, governments need to have good policies and practices in place, and collaboration is required between interested sectors to publicise, promote and innovate.

The 4 campaigns span the spectrum of society, with a focus that ranges from our homes to our workplaces, and in all the spaces in between. They are designed to put books in hands and make visible the importance and the enjoyment of reading. In essence, the campaigns ask that we read to our children, that we make time in our busy lives for books (perhaps read a book at lunch time), that we as a country read and reflect on travelling around our beautiful land, and that workplaces take an active role in encouraging and supporting the sharing of stories.

It’s the final campaign that interests me the most. The workplace literacy initiative involves having 8 roving writers who will collect, collate and publish the untold stories of their place of employ. The first writer in residence, Kaye Aldenhoven, spent a fortnight with rangers in remote parts of Australia, helping them to tell their stories. 

In this wide brown land, love2read.org.au is looking forward to experiencing similar successes as the UK. In their Year of Reading (2008), the UK campaign generated 2.3 million new public library members, reported a 5% increase in the numbers of parents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds reading daily to children, and, amazingly, reported 23,000 new boys participating in the Summer Reading Challenge, demonstrating how a national focus on reading can truly help to narrow the gender literacy gap.

Feature article by Freya Lucas

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With over 14 years of experience in the field of education, with a specific focus on literacy, I’m interested in all things witty, wordy and wise.
Currently a member of ALIA, on the South Australian Library Technicians group (SALT) committee,  and a member of the School Librarians Association of South Australia (SLASA). I’m also interested in ideas and innovation, and am excited about helping to put together this years TEDx Adelaide.

Track me down through http://about.me/liberamoris

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