"Literacy and Libraries" Is Focus of Meetings in Jerusalem
The Section on Reading of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), chaired by Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole, sponsored two programs during ILFA's 66th annual conference in Jerusalem in August.
![IFLA 2000 Jerusalem](images/cfb_1.jpg)
"At last year's annual conference in Bangkok, IFLA's Professional Board asked the Section on Reading to help IFLA members determine how they can best promote literacy," said Mr. Cole. "Our two sessions in Jerusalem were steps towards this goal."
The first program, "Literacy and Libraries: An Introduction," took place on Aug. 16 and featured the presentation and discussion of two papers: "Literacy, Libraries & IFLA: Recent Developments and a Look at the Future," by Mr. Cole, and "Major International Studies of Literacy in the 1990s" by Shirley Fitzgibbons of the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University. Commentary on the two papers will come from individuals who served on IFLA's Working Group on Literacy (1996-1999), which submitted its final report and recommendations at the Bangkok meeting.
![Center for the Book Program Officer Maurvene Williams shows some of the center's reading promotion posters to Rehab Salem Ibrahim Ouf, one of four librarians from Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt, who participated in an orientation and training program at the Library of Congress April 3-28, 2000.](images/cfb_2.jpg)
Center for the Book Program Officer Maurvene Williams shows some of the center's reading promotion posters to Rehab Salem Ibrahim Ouf, one of four librarians from Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt, who participated in an orientation and training program at the Library of Congress April 3-28, 2000.
The second Section on Reading session was "Library-Based Programming to Promote Literacy," an all-day workshop on Aug. 17. The topics and presenters included: "A Literacy Program in a Library: A Case Study from Botswana," by Gertrude Kayaga Mulindwa, former director of the Botswana National Library Service, and Marty Legwaila; "Library-Based Programs to Promote Literacy: Do They Exist in Azerbaijan?" by Muzhgan Nazoraov, IRC director, Public Affairs Section, American Embassy, Baku, Azerbaijan; "The 'Born to Read' Bilingual Program at the San Antonio Public Library," by Barbara Immroth, University of Texas, Austin; and "A Public Library Enhances Services Through Family Literacy," by Kathy East, Wood County District Public Library, Ohio.
Mr. Cole's paper and the text of the final report and recommendations of the IFLA Working Group on Literacy are available in the Section on Reading's portion of IFLANET, the official IFLA Web site, at www.ifla.org.
The projects and publications of the Section on Reading also are described on the Web site. The Section on Reading's current activities and goals, along with news items about literacy on the international scene, are outlined in the section's most recent Newsletter (No. 10, July 2000), which is available free from the Center for the Book, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-4920, e-mail: cfbook@loc.gov. A Section on Reading brochure that includes membership information is also available from the Center for the Book.
International Literacy Day to Be Celebrated on Sept. 8
The Center for the Book will host the U.S. celebration of International Literacy Day at the Library of Congress on Friday, Sept. 8. The all-day event, which is open to the public, begins at 9:30 a.m. Cosponsors include many of the center's national reading promotion partners, including the International Reading Association, the World Bank, UNESCO, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of Education and the National Institute for Literacy. Events include displays by sponsoring organizations, "read-ins" with students, announcements of literacy awards, and a symposium at which international literacy experts will discuss the recently released Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report on "Literacy in the Information Age." All activities will take place in the Madison Building.
'World of Words' at the Connecticut Center for the Book
![World of Words](images/cfb_3.jpg)
David Pudlin, majority leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives, and foreign consular representatives from India, Great Britain, Poland and Nigeria were among the speakers on April 7 at the opening "World of Words" program at the Hartford Public Library. Sponsored by the Connecticut Center for the Book during National Library Week, "World of Words" celebrates Connecticut's literary and cultural roots by matching public libraries and public library programming with the state's rich multiethnic traditions. From April 10 to 15, for example, the Enfield Public Library featured exhibitions, storytelling, music and art from Poland and other programs that highlighted Polish culture and traditions. Other participating libraries and the literary and cultural traditions featured at each were Derby Public Library (Italy), Farmington Library (India), the Ferguson Library in Stamford (China), Granby Public Library (Canada), Hartford Public Library (the Caribbean), New Britain Public Library (Great Britain), Wallingford Public Library (Greece), Welles-Turner Memorial Library in Glastonbury (Ireland), West Hartford Public Library (Russia) and the Winsor Public Library (West Africa).
![Raouf Mama, storyteller, advisory council member and professor at Connecticut State University, with Ozichi Alimole, consul of Nigeria for Commerce and Information.](images/cfb_5.jpg)
Raouf Mama, storyteller, advisory council member and professor at Connecticut State University, with Ozichi Alimole, consul of Nigeria for Commerce and Information.
"Why We Came and What We Brought," a "World of Words" student essay contest, was inaugurated this year. Students in grades 6-8 and 9-12 were asked, in 500 words or less, to describe their own ethnic identity by responding to three questions: Where did your parents, grandparents or earlier ancestors come from? Do you know why they came to America? What cultural gifts did they bring with them that were special or unique? and How do you share those gifts with the people in our life? Members of the International Studies faculty at St. Joseph College judged the essays for their content, organization and style. The awards were presented at the opening program by William A. Howe of the Connecticut State Department of Education. The winners were Benjamin Dean, grade 9, Farmington (1st place); Timothy Bui, grade 6, Enfield (2nd place); and Kristin Klemeshefsky (3rd place), grade 7, Waterbury.
Literacy consultant Virginia Mathews, a member of the Connecticut Center for the Book's Advisory Council, represented the national Center for the Book at the program. Advisory council member Vivian Shipley introduced the foreign consular representatives, who presented books about their countries for the collections of the "paired libraries." Following closing remarks from Connecticut Center for the Book coordinator Kathleen A. Lyons, advisory council member Raouf Mama presented a "World of Words Sample" by telling a folktale from West Africa.
Winners in the "Why We Came and What We Brought" contest (front row): Benjamin Dean, Timothy Bui and Kristin Kleme- shefsky are with their parents and contest judges
On April 16, the Connecticut Center for the Book was a co-host of the American Library Association's annual Mary Hill Arbuthnot lecture, marking an award given each year to a prominent contributor to the field of children's literature. The 2000 honoree was author and editor Hazel Rochman, an advocate of multicultural literature for young people, and author of Against Borders: Promoting Books for a Multicultural World. Her talk, presented at the University of Connecticut-Storrs, was titled "Knowing No Bounds."
Goals of the IFLA Section on Reading
- To provide leadership, advice and information about international campaigns that support reading development
- To monitor and promote research about reading, literacy, readers and library users
- To encourage a better understanding of reading patterns and literacy problems through discussion, publications and conferences
- To raise awareness of the importance of reading in children's development and sharing information about research and reading promotion activities regarding young people.