Monthly Archives: January 2015

The A to Z of Library Advocacy

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The Library A to Z has been launched in the UK and is now available  for use. The campaign is focused on free promotional and advocacy materials for use by libraries and their supporters, as well as a means of highlighting the economic and social value of libraries to decision makers to encourage continued investment. The key message highlights that modern library services are much more than buildings containing books – they provide services beyond this scope that support the development and well-being of individuals, the community and the economy.

The Library A to Z was funded by 155 generous backers, including key sponsor The Library Campaign, via a Kickstarter campaign during May 2014. We raised £4,543, which was more than twice the basic funding goal. With this money the organisers (Andrew Walsh Gary Green) commissioned freelance illustrator Josh Filhol to produce full colour images depicting the words that reflect the great work, activities and values of libraries. These illustrations are used as the basis for a range of promotional and advocacy materials including posters, cards and a full colour book. As well as the illustrated library alphabet, the book also includes quotes from library users from the Voices for the Library site and a chapter about the positive impact of libraries.
Library A to Z materials including full colour illustrations, posters, book and greeting cards are available for anyone to freely download and use for promotional and advocacy purposes here. Unless otherwise stated, these materials are available to re-use and adapt under a creative commons licence (cc by 4.0). week, 17-22 November.

Siobhan A. Reardon named LJ’s 2015 Librarian of the Year

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Congratulations to Siobhan  Reardon President and Director,  Free Library of Philadelphia who has been named as the  Library Journal’s 2015 Librarian of the Year.

Siobhan has ben recognised for engineering the creation of an ambitious, five-year strategic plan, underpinned by a powerful mission to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity through the Free Library of Philadelphia. She will be known to many public library colleagues for her work with MetLib.

 

Technology Engages Boys and Poorer Children to Read for Longer

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CILIP’s Public and Mobile Libraries Group December Newsletter reported on the the National Literacy Trust’s second annual survey of parents and practitioners on Children’s early literacy practices at home and in early years settings. The report makes for very interesting reading.

The Report suggests that the latest survey data indicated that ‘technology may provide a route in to reading for children of lower socioeconomic status’. Children from poorer households were found to spend twice as long reading stories on a touch screen than from printed sources. Moreover, twice as many boys than girls claimed to read more stories on a touch screen than in print. It would appear that early theories about the advantages of digital technologies for engaging hard-to-reach readers are now supported by the statistics.

It is important to note however that the recommended approach is still, very much a blended one: ‘in general, young children are more likely to have above average vocabulary attainment if they look at or read both printed stories and stories on a touch screen’.