Ottawa, November 27, 2007 – The Canada Council for the Arts announced today the names of the winners of the 2007 Governor General’s Literary Awards, in English and in French, in the categories of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, children’s literature (text and illustration) and translation.
http://tinyurl.com/2b9ekd
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Golden Compass loses shine
Catholic boards concerned about book's 'anti-God' message
Kingston Whig-Standard: 2007 November 28
The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board is combing its elementary school libraries, looking for copies of the controversial children's fantasy novel The Golden Compass.
If a copy is found, a review of the novel - already pulled and under scrutiny by two other Catholic school boards in the Toronto area - will be conducted by local board officials and parents to determine if it is appropriate for students to read.
"When it came to our attention, I asked our team if it was in our schools. It's not a prescribed book," said board director Michael Schmitt, who admitted he'd never heard of The Golden Compass before receiving a call from the Whig-Standard.
The acclaimed 1995 novel, the first in a trilogy written by British author Philip Pullman, is being reviewed by both the Dufferin-Peel and Halton Catholic school boards in the Toronto area after they received complaints about its "anti-God" content.
The fantasy books feature a parallel universe, homosexual angels and a church that wants to separate prepubescent children from their demons before they lose their innocence - a metaphorical reference to sex.
"I can almost guarantee the book is there," said Queen's University assistant English professor Shelley King, who has taught The Golden Compass in her courses. "I think it's a pity if children don't get to read it. My perspective is that education is about free inquiry." King said the book received the Carnegie of Carnegies award this year for being the best of the Carnegie Medal award winners of the last 70 years.
And it's ironic, she said, that the movie The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman, which has stirred up the controversy among Catholics in the U.S., has removed references to religion in an attempt to be less controversial and appeal to a wider audience.
Pullman has been spoiling for this fight. In 2001, he said he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief."
This week he called American Catholics attacking his books "nitwits."
King understands that local Catholic educators would be concerned about having the book in their schools if they regard it as "something that challenges the doctrine."
"For them, there is a conflict," King said. "Either you decide you want to engage with the ideas in the book and, if that's what you see as the role of education, you leave the book in the library."
The Dufferin-Peel board is conducting what it calls an informal review in which staff have been assigned to read the book and report back to administrators.
In Halton, the book has been pulled from elementary school library shelves and principals instructed not to distribute the December Scholastic book order because The Golden Compass is on the sales list.
"I had never heard of the book, to tell you the truth," said Schmitt. "At this point, we're just going to familiarize ourselves with the book. It came out in 1995. This isn't a fresh book.
"What we'll probably do is ask some people to read it. I would probably ask a superintendent, a principal, a teacher and a parent or two. We would want to know what the concern is with the book."
Schmitt said he will ask his assigned readers to determine if the book is "appropriate" for students and, if so, for which age groups. King said that all the honours Pullman has received for his books are well-deserved.
"What's hard to explain is just how good Pullman is literarily. He is a writer of particular excellence. The books are designed to really teach children about literary culture - to make them better readers," she said.
Even if the Algonquin board decides to pull The Golden Compass, King said she wouldn't characterize the move as censorship. "It's within a [doctrinal] context.
Theoretically, the child is still free to go to a public library and read that book."
Local school reading lists haven't aroused too much controversy.
Last year, the Limestone District School Board received a complaint from the Canadian Jewish Congress about the book Three Wishes by author Deborah Ellis.
The book consists of interviews with children involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and made the Silver Birch Awards list as a book recommended for students to read.
The congress felt the material wasn't appropriate for children in grades 4 to 6.
In the end, a local committee decided to keep the book on the elementary reading list with the proviso that teachers read it to their students and use it to stimulate discussion.
http://tinyurl.com/38ewvd
Kingston Whig-Standard: 2007 November 28
The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board is combing its elementary school libraries, looking for copies of the controversial children's fantasy novel The Golden Compass.
If a copy is found, a review of the novel - already pulled and under scrutiny by two other Catholic school boards in the Toronto area - will be conducted by local board officials and parents to determine if it is appropriate for students to read.
"When it came to our attention, I asked our team if it was in our schools. It's not a prescribed book," said board director Michael Schmitt, who admitted he'd never heard of The Golden Compass before receiving a call from the Whig-Standard.
The acclaimed 1995 novel, the first in a trilogy written by British author Philip Pullman, is being reviewed by both the Dufferin-Peel and Halton Catholic school boards in the Toronto area after they received complaints about its "anti-God" content.
The fantasy books feature a parallel universe, homosexual angels and a church that wants to separate prepubescent children from their demons before they lose their innocence - a metaphorical reference to sex.
"I can almost guarantee the book is there," said Queen's University assistant English professor Shelley King, who has taught The Golden Compass in her courses. "I think it's a pity if children don't get to read it. My perspective is that education is about free inquiry." King said the book received the Carnegie of Carnegies award this year for being the best of the Carnegie Medal award winners of the last 70 years.
And it's ironic, she said, that the movie The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman, which has stirred up the controversy among Catholics in the U.S., has removed references to religion in an attempt to be less controversial and appeal to a wider audience.
Pullman has been spoiling for this fight. In 2001, he said he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief."
This week he called American Catholics attacking his books "nitwits."
King understands that local Catholic educators would be concerned about having the book in their schools if they regard it as "something that challenges the doctrine."
"For them, there is a conflict," King said. "Either you decide you want to engage with the ideas in the book and, if that's what you see as the role of education, you leave the book in the library."
The Dufferin-Peel board is conducting what it calls an informal review in which staff have been assigned to read the book and report back to administrators.
In Halton, the book has been pulled from elementary school library shelves and principals instructed not to distribute the December Scholastic book order because The Golden Compass is on the sales list.
"I had never heard of the book, to tell you the truth," said Schmitt. "At this point, we're just going to familiarize ourselves with the book. It came out in 1995. This isn't a fresh book.
"What we'll probably do is ask some people to read it. I would probably ask a superintendent, a principal, a teacher and a parent or two. We would want to know what the concern is with the book."
Schmitt said he will ask his assigned readers to determine if the book is "appropriate" for students and, if so, for which age groups. King said that all the honours Pullman has received for his books are well-deserved.
"What's hard to explain is just how good Pullman is literarily. He is a writer of particular excellence. The books are designed to really teach children about literary culture - to make them better readers," she said.
Even if the Algonquin board decides to pull The Golden Compass, King said she wouldn't characterize the move as censorship. "It's within a [doctrinal] context.
Theoretically, the child is still free to go to a public library and read that book."
Local school reading lists haven't aroused too much controversy.
Last year, the Limestone District School Board received a complaint from the Canadian Jewish Congress about the book Three Wishes by author Deborah Ellis.
The book consists of interviews with children involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and made the Silver Birch Awards list as a book recommended for students to read.
The congress felt the material wasn't appropriate for children in grades 4 to 6.
In the end, a local committee decided to keep the book on the elementary reading list with the proviso that teachers read it to their students and use it to stimulate discussion.
http://tinyurl.com/38ewvd
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Libraries have important role in our schools
Cowichan News Leader & Pictorial: 2007 November 24
Susan Tomusiak
When the Roman Empire was in decline, the historian Marcellinus complained, “The libraries are closing forever, like tombs.” The statement reflected a time and place marked by the deterioration of education, thought and culture.
Are we approaching the dark Ages — a medieval state of mind where an enlightened civilization turns in on itself and retreats in ignorance? In one of the most prosperous provinces in one of the richest countries in the world, why do we not have the budget for school libraries?
This letter is in response to a disturbing article entitled “Time to turn page on school libraries?” Our school libraries are not stagnant, out-of-touch bastions of a past age waiting to be boarded up. Why does the article refer to school libraries as “book rooms?” Book rooms are storage areas. School libraries are active, vital and thinking environments.
If the view is that books are obsolete, will School District 79 be the first in the country to sponsor book burnings and turn our safe and comfortable libraries into bingo halls.
The article quotes trustee support for literacy. Support for literacy can be a glib and convenient comment to hide behind. What is difficult is the planning and implementation of strategies to attain the goal. All democracies recognize the school library has a major role to play.
The Internet is not a replacement for books. It has enriched the potential for meaningful research, but, it requires a sophisticated set of skills to use effectively. Unless raw data goes through process, there is no understanding and no knowledge.
At a recent conference, the welcoming speaker was Mike McKay, a former principal in SD79 and now superintendent of Surrey. He told the audience, “Our district has a proud history of support for teacher-librarians and investment in school libraries. Contrast this vision with the doom and gloom scenario orchestrated by this district. Are our students less worthy of this vision?
Last year the district closed two schools with the rationale larger schools would provide better services to students. Less than a year later, there is speculation the school libraries may have to go. What possibly could be next?
“It’s a budget issue.” If trustees of public education and administrators of this district are not aggressively and consistently pursuing adequate funding to support school libraries, they are defeated too easily.
Susan Tomusiak is the advocacy chairwoman of the Cowichan District Teacher-Librarian Association.
Susan Tomusiak
When the Roman Empire was in decline, the historian Marcellinus complained, “The libraries are closing forever, like tombs.” The statement reflected a time and place marked by the deterioration of education, thought and culture.
Are we approaching the dark Ages — a medieval state of mind where an enlightened civilization turns in on itself and retreats in ignorance? In one of the most prosperous provinces in one of the richest countries in the world, why do we not have the budget for school libraries?
This letter is in response to a disturbing article entitled “Time to turn page on school libraries?” Our school libraries are not stagnant, out-of-touch bastions of a past age waiting to be boarded up. Why does the article refer to school libraries as “book rooms?” Book rooms are storage areas. School libraries are active, vital and thinking environments.
If the view is that books are obsolete, will School District 79 be the first in the country to sponsor book burnings and turn our safe and comfortable libraries into bingo halls.
The article quotes trustee support for literacy. Support for literacy can be a glib and convenient comment to hide behind. What is difficult is the planning and implementation of strategies to attain the goal. All democracies recognize the school library has a major role to play.
The Internet is not a replacement for books. It has enriched the potential for meaningful research, but, it requires a sophisticated set of skills to use effectively. Unless raw data goes through process, there is no understanding and no knowledge.
At a recent conference, the welcoming speaker was Mike McKay, a former principal in SD79 and now superintendent of Surrey. He told the audience, “Our district has a proud history of support for teacher-librarians and investment in school libraries. Contrast this vision with the doom and gloom scenario orchestrated by this district. Are our students less worthy of this vision?
Last year the district closed two schools with the rationale larger schools would provide better services to students. Less than a year later, there is speculation the school libraries may have to go. What possibly could be next?
“It’s a budget issue.” If trustees of public education and administrators of this district are not aggressively and consistently pursuing adequate funding to support school libraries, they are defeated too easily.
Susan Tomusiak is the advocacy chairwoman of the Cowichan District Teacher-Librarian Association.
Books for Children
Globe & Mail: Saturday, November 24, 2007
Today's Weekend Edition has a 20-page pull-out section on children's books. Some of the articles are at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books/
You can see the entire online edition at your public library if they have PressDisplay in their Electronic Resources.
Today's Weekend Edition has a 20-page pull-out section on children's books. Some of the articles are at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books/
You can see the entire online edition at your public library if they have PressDisplay in their Electronic Resources.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
School board pulls ‘anti-God’ book
Halton's Catholic trustees and staff to review fantasy that is `apparently written by an atheist'
Toronto Star: 2007 November 20
Halton's Catholic board has pulled The Golden Compass fantasy book – soon to be a Hollywood blockbuster starring Nicole Kidman – off school library shelves because of a complaint.
Two other books in the trilogy by British author Philip Pullman have also been removed as a precaution, and principals have been ordered not to distribute December Scholastic book flyers because The Golden Compass is available to order.
"(The complaint) came out of interviews that Philip Pullman had done, where he stated that he is an atheist and that he supports that," said Scott Millard, the board's manager of library services.
"Since we are an educational institution, we want to be able to evaluate the material; we want to make sure we have the best material for students."
Following a recent Star story about the series, an internal memo was sent to elementary principals that said "the book is apparently written by an atheist where the characters and text are anti-God, anti-Catholic and anti-religion."
Millard said if students want the books, they can ask librarians for them but the series won't be on display until a committee review is complete.
The Golden Compass is the first of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy of books and have been likened to the Harry Potter series.
In the U.S., the Catholic League has accused the books of bashing Christianity and promoting atheism to children. The league is urging parents to boycott the movie, which opens Dec. 7.
Catholic schools in Toronto and York Region have the books on their shelves and report no complaints. The public library in Burlington, in Halton Region, lists The Golden Compass as suggested reading for Grades 5 and 6. The award-winning tome was voted the best children's book in the past 70 years by readers across the globe.
While the book was first published in 1995, complaints are surfacing now because of the buzz surrounding the movie, said Rick MacDonald, the Halton board's superintendent of curriculum services.
The Nov. 1 article in the Star prompted several emails from principals wondering if the book is appropriate for schools.
Pullman has made controversial statements, telling The Washington Post in 2001 he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief." In 2003, he said that compared to the Harry Potter series, his books had been "flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God."
The board is unsure how many copies of the Pullman books are in circulation at its 37 elementary schools because they were not purchased centrally and are not a part of the curriculum.
"We have a policy and procedure whereby individual, parents, staff, students or community members can apply to have material reviewed. That's what happened in this case," MacDonald said, adding he did not know who lodged the complaint.
The complaint was received about a week and a half ago, and it is standard procedure to remove books from the shelves during the review.
Any move to ban the book would be taken to trustees.
Millard said he's still trying to find additional members for the review committee, but has sent copies to those already on the committee, such as MacDonald.
Milton pastor David Wilhelm, who is also a trustee and a committee member, said hasn't read the book yet and won't make a judgement until he has. He did not know when the review would be done.
Richard Brock, who heads the Halton elementary branch of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association, said he's had no complaints from teachers about the books being pulled.
The board, he added, is within its rights to restrict distribution of the Scholastic flyer. "With elementary students, you're always going to bend in the direction of caution anyway," he said.
Scholastic Canada received a complaint via email from the board, as well as a handful of other negative emails that appeared to be part of a campaign begun in the U.S.
Halton's Catholic board has 28,500 students at 45 schools in Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville.
Last February, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board removed the award-winning Snow Falling on Cedars from library shelves and teaching materials after a parent complaint about sexual content, but later reinstated the book after a review.
Toronto Star: 2007 November 20
Halton's Catholic board has pulled The Golden Compass fantasy book – soon to be a Hollywood blockbuster starring Nicole Kidman – off school library shelves because of a complaint.
Two other books in the trilogy by British author Philip Pullman have also been removed as a precaution, and principals have been ordered not to distribute December Scholastic book flyers because The Golden Compass is available to order.
"(The complaint) came out of interviews that Philip Pullman had done, where he stated that he is an atheist and that he supports that," said Scott Millard, the board's manager of library services.
"Since we are an educational institution, we want to be able to evaluate the material; we want to make sure we have the best material for students."
Following a recent Star story about the series, an internal memo was sent to elementary principals that said "the book is apparently written by an atheist where the characters and text are anti-God, anti-Catholic and anti-religion."
Millard said if students want the books, they can ask librarians for them but the series won't be on display until a committee review is complete.
The Golden Compass is the first of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy of books and have been likened to the Harry Potter series.
In the U.S., the Catholic League has accused the books of bashing Christianity and promoting atheism to children. The league is urging parents to boycott the movie, which opens Dec. 7.
Catholic schools in Toronto and York Region have the books on their shelves and report no complaints. The public library in Burlington, in Halton Region, lists The Golden Compass as suggested reading for Grades 5 and 6. The award-winning tome was voted the best children's book in the past 70 years by readers across the globe.
While the book was first published in 1995, complaints are surfacing now because of the buzz surrounding the movie, said Rick MacDonald, the Halton board's superintendent of curriculum services.
The Nov. 1 article in the Star prompted several emails from principals wondering if the book is appropriate for schools.
Pullman has made controversial statements, telling The Washington Post in 2001 he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief." In 2003, he said that compared to the Harry Potter series, his books had been "flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God."
The board is unsure how many copies of the Pullman books are in circulation at its 37 elementary schools because they were not purchased centrally and are not a part of the curriculum.
"We have a policy and procedure whereby individual, parents, staff, students or community members can apply to have material reviewed. That's what happened in this case," MacDonald said, adding he did not know who lodged the complaint.
The complaint was received about a week and a half ago, and it is standard procedure to remove books from the shelves during the review.
Any move to ban the book would be taken to trustees.
Millard said he's still trying to find additional members for the review committee, but has sent copies to those already on the committee, such as MacDonald.
Milton pastor David Wilhelm, who is also a trustee and a committee member, said hasn't read the book yet and won't make a judgement until he has. He did not know when the review would be done.
Richard Brock, who heads the Halton elementary branch of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association, said he's had no complaints from teachers about the books being pulled.
The board, he added, is within its rights to restrict distribution of the Scholastic flyer. "With elementary students, you're always going to bend in the direction of caution anyway," he said.
Scholastic Canada received a complaint via email from the board, as well as a handful of other negative emails that appeared to be part of a campaign begun in the U.S.
Halton's Catholic board has 28,500 students at 45 schools in Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville.
Last February, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board removed the award-winning Snow Falling on Cedars from library shelves and teaching materials after a parent complaint about sexual content, but later reinstated the book after a review.
Avid readers aren't ready to curl up with a Kindle instead of a good book
Vancouver Sun Editorial
Thursday, November 22, 2007
If Amazon.com's new electronic book reader, Kindle, which is the size of paperback but can store 200 books, represents the future of reading, what will future generations put on their bookshelves?
What will young backpackers trade with fellow travellers on the road? How can spontaneous conversation strike up between strangers brought together by a familiar book cover? Do we ignore the evidence that children raised in a home with books become better readers? And can you curl up with Kindle like you can with a bound volume of the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?
"There's something kind of comforting about a book -- the texture of the paper, you can dog-ear the corners -- it's like a comfort food," said Patricia Schroeder, president of the Association of American Publishers.
What's more, a book can prop open a door, steady a table with a wonky leg and give off heat when it burns. Can a Kindle do that?
Amazon says its new book reader, priced at $399, will do for books what Apple's iPod did for music. But the iPod is a technological toy developed to harness revenue for the recording industry, which was devastated by the phenomenon of peer-to-peer file sharing.
Book publishing, on the other hand, is doing just fine. Statistics Canada reported last year that book publishers took in revenue of more than $2 billion in 2004, up 12.5 per cent from the previous survey of the industry in 2000. Profits were $235 million, representing a profit margin of roughly 11 per cent. Two-thirds of the 330 book publishers surveyed were profitable.
Thousands of new titles entered the Canadian marketplace in 2004, Statistics Canada said. Book publishers produced 16,7760 new titles, up 6.8 per cent from 2000. They reprinted 12,387 existing titles, a 19.4-per-cent increase over the four year period.
In the United States, 40 per cent of adults said they read books for leisure during 2002, compared with 27 per cent who surfed the Internet for fun, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report in 2004.
Book sales are strong, which is why Amazon.com has grown into the world's largest Internet retailer. Electronic book sales accounted for less than one per cent of the $24.2 billion in sales for U.S. publishers last year.
Now, e-books have been around for the better part of a decade and just haven't caught on. Whether this latest generation of devices, using a new kind of display called electronic paper and rapid wireless downloading of titles from the Amazon collection of some 90,000 titles, is enough of an enhancement to engage readers remains to be seen.
There's no indication when, or if, Kindle will come to Canada, leaving Canadians with little alternative but an analogue anachronism -- curling up with a good book.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
If Amazon.com's new electronic book reader, Kindle, which is the size of paperback but can store 200 books, represents the future of reading, what will future generations put on their bookshelves?
What will young backpackers trade with fellow travellers on the road? How can spontaneous conversation strike up between strangers brought together by a familiar book cover? Do we ignore the evidence that children raised in a home with books become better readers? And can you curl up with Kindle like you can with a bound volume of the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?
"There's something kind of comforting about a book -- the texture of the paper, you can dog-ear the corners -- it's like a comfort food," said Patricia Schroeder, president of the Association of American Publishers.
What's more, a book can prop open a door, steady a table with a wonky leg and give off heat when it burns. Can a Kindle do that?
Amazon says its new book reader, priced at $399, will do for books what Apple's iPod did for music. But the iPod is a technological toy developed to harness revenue for the recording industry, which was devastated by the phenomenon of peer-to-peer file sharing.
Book publishing, on the other hand, is doing just fine. Statistics Canada reported last year that book publishers took in revenue of more than $2 billion in 2004, up 12.5 per cent from the previous survey of the industry in 2000. Profits were $235 million, representing a profit margin of roughly 11 per cent. Two-thirds of the 330 book publishers surveyed were profitable.
Thousands of new titles entered the Canadian marketplace in 2004, Statistics Canada said. Book publishers produced 16,7760 new titles, up 6.8 per cent from 2000. They reprinted 12,387 existing titles, a 19.4-per-cent increase over the four year period.
In the United States, 40 per cent of adults said they read books for leisure during 2002, compared with 27 per cent who surfed the Internet for fun, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report in 2004.
Book sales are strong, which is why Amazon.com has grown into the world's largest Internet retailer. Electronic book sales accounted for less than one per cent of the $24.2 billion in sales for U.S. publishers last year.
Now, e-books have been around for the better part of a decade and just haven't caught on. Whether this latest generation of devices, using a new kind of display called electronic paper and rapid wireless downloading of titles from the Amazon collection of some 90,000 titles, is enough of an enhancement to engage readers remains to be seen.
There's no indication when, or if, Kindle will come to Canada, leaving Canadians with little alternative but an analogue anachronism -- curling up with a good book.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Roy responds to NEA Study, supporting libraries key to increasing youth literacy
ALA: November 19, 2007
CHICAGO – The following is a statement issued by American Library Association President Loriene Roy regarding the release of the National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) latest literacy study, "To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence." http://www.nea.gov/news/news07/TRNR.html
"With the release of Monday’s reading study 'To Read or Not to Read,' the NEA issued a call to action. The study’s findings—that reading for pleasure has declined among teens and adults, resulting in lower standardized test scores and poor reading comprehension skills—are proof positive that parents, educators, librarians and anyone who supports literacy must act now to ensure that future generations see reading as a dynamic, engaging activity.
"The American Library Association (ALA) is more than happy to take up this cause.
"According to the Public Library Data Service (PLDS) Statistical Report, published by the Public Library Association (PLA), only half of U.S. public libraries have a librarian dedicated full time to young adult services. More than 10 percent reported they do not offer programming targeted to young adults.
"Yet young adults who have access to libraries are using them more than ever. In a poll conducted for ALA by Harris Interactive in June 2007, 93 percent of survey respondents ages 13-18 indicated they had access to a public library; 88 percent indicated they had access to a school library. Of those who had access to a library, 30 percent reported that they visited their public library more than ten times per year, while 71 percent indicated they visit their school library at least monthly.
"Teens need libraries, in locations that are easy for them to access, in every community. They need teen services librarians and school library media specialists who can encourage them to read just for the fun of it, through initiatives such as the Young Adult Library Services Association’s (YALSA) Teen Read Week™. They need teen services librarians and school library media specialists who can give the right book to the right teen at the right time.
"They also need adults to support them. The NEA study found that most American adults are not reading even one book a year. Improving teens’ attitudes toward reading begins with adults. Parents and caregivers can model good reading habits at home by setting aside time to read every day, by keeping books, magazines and other reading material around the home and by making sure their children have access to libraries. They can become regular library patrons, since the library is a free resource available in most communities throughout the United States. Adults who care about literacy can vote for increased funding and support legislation that gives libraries the resources and the funds they need to serve patrons at all ages and reading levels. (For more ideas on how adults can support teen reading, visit www.ilovelibraries.org and read YALSA’s Ten Ways To Support Teen Reading.)
"It is clear that we, as a nation, need to address the alarming statistics that the NEA unveiled in 'Reading at Risk.' An excellent first step is making sure that our libraries are well-funded and staffed by qualified professionals who have a passion for making everyone—child, teen or adult—into a lifelong reader."
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=news&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=168438
CHICAGO – The following is a statement issued by American Library Association President Loriene Roy regarding the release of the National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) latest literacy study, "To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence." http://www.nea.gov/news/news07/TRNR.html
"With the release of Monday’s reading study 'To Read or Not to Read,' the NEA issued a call to action. The study’s findings—that reading for pleasure has declined among teens and adults, resulting in lower standardized test scores and poor reading comprehension skills—are proof positive that parents, educators, librarians and anyone who supports literacy must act now to ensure that future generations see reading as a dynamic, engaging activity.
"The American Library Association (ALA) is more than happy to take up this cause.
"According to the Public Library Data Service (PLDS) Statistical Report, published by the Public Library Association (PLA), only half of U.S. public libraries have a librarian dedicated full time to young adult services. More than 10 percent reported they do not offer programming targeted to young adults.
"Yet young adults who have access to libraries are using them more than ever. In a poll conducted for ALA by Harris Interactive in June 2007, 93 percent of survey respondents ages 13-18 indicated they had access to a public library; 88 percent indicated they had access to a school library. Of those who had access to a library, 30 percent reported that they visited their public library more than ten times per year, while 71 percent indicated they visit their school library at least monthly.
"Teens need libraries, in locations that are easy for them to access, in every community. They need teen services librarians and school library media specialists who can encourage them to read just for the fun of it, through initiatives such as the Young Adult Library Services Association’s (YALSA) Teen Read Week™. They need teen services librarians and school library media specialists who can give the right book to the right teen at the right time.
"They also need adults to support them. The NEA study found that most American adults are not reading even one book a year. Improving teens’ attitudes toward reading begins with adults. Parents and caregivers can model good reading habits at home by setting aside time to read every day, by keeping books, magazines and other reading material around the home and by making sure their children have access to libraries. They can become regular library patrons, since the library is a free resource available in most communities throughout the United States. Adults who care about literacy can vote for increased funding and support legislation that gives libraries the resources and the funds they need to serve patrons at all ages and reading levels. (For more ideas on how adults can support teen reading, visit www.ilovelibraries.org and read YALSA’s Ten Ways To Support Teen Reading.)
"It is clear that we, as a nation, need to address the alarming statistics that the NEA unveiled in 'Reading at Risk.' An excellent first step is making sure that our libraries are well-funded and staffed by qualified professionals who have a passion for making everyone—child, teen or adult—into a lifelong reader."
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=news&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=168438
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