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2 December posting
The following entry was downloaded from Libraries Archive 1998, http://www.hwwilson.com/libnews2.htm. The State of Literacy in America
The State of Literacy in America: Estimates at the Local, State, and National Level offers "the best estimation of how many adults have low literacy skills that we have ever had at our disposal," according to the National Institute for Literacy. The report (based on extrapolations of data from a monumental National Adult Literacy Survey conducted by the Department of Education) offers estimates of adult literacy proficiency for states, counties, Congressional districts, and cities with adult populations over 5,000. To order the report or search the online data by area go to http://www.nifl.gov/reders/reder.htm.
18 November posting
These book reviews were taken from the Library Link Professional Bookshelf at the MCB University Press web site, http://www.mcb.co.uk/liblink/bookshelf.html. Longer critical reviews can be found in Library Management, published by MCB University Press.
Promoting reading to adults in UK public libraries
Margaret Kinnell
and Jennifer Shepherd. Taylor Graham, 1998. ISBN 0-947568-74-3. ?22 US$42.
This reports the findings of a research project funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre which examined the ways in which public libraries are promoting reading to adults for leisure, pleasure and informal education. It presents information on current policies and practices, and draws from a range of experts to provide views on the potential for improvement. Detailed recommendations will be helpful to public librarians, and the report will also be of interest to those who are responsible for funding public libraries at the local level.
Literacy in the library: negotiating the spaces between order and desire
Mark Dressman.Critical Studies in Education and Culture Series. Bergin and
Garvey, 1997. 196pp. ISBN 0-89789-495-2. ?43.95
This series addresses a problem that was highlighted in the titles above - the growth of poverty. In this case attention is drawn to the rise of poverty among children in the US where 20 % of all children under the age of 18 are living below the poverty line. There is concern that "the issues that framed the democratic meaning, purpose, and use to which education might aspire have been displaced by more vocational and narrowly ideological considerations". "This study aims to cross an invisible but nonetheless consequential boundary that separates critical-ethnographic studies of schooling conducted mainly in secondary settings from practice-oriented ethnographic studies that are often conducted in primary and elementary grades; its ultimate goal is to contribute to conversations about curriculum and instruction on both sides of that division". It reports and discusses an ethnographic study of three school libraries in a major south-western city in the US. The study is thought provoking, particularly two chapters which consider School libraries and the politics of reading, and Toward the geopolitics of school libraries. The bibliography indicates that the author has drawn widely from the fields of communication studies, post-modernist approaches to literature etc. At one time UK ILS schools included courses on the library and society which would have considered these topics, now they have been downgraded or eliminated from the curriculum. This volume will broaden the views of upcoming school librarians.
Literacy, access and libraries among the language minority population
Rebecca Constantino, editor. Scarecrow Press, 1998. ISBN 0-8108-3418-9.
US$30
This volume addresses the issue of literacy from the viewpoint of immigrant and minority language students. Contributions include Spanish language literacy and school and community libraries; secondary ESL students' understandings and beliefs about public and school libraries; adult immigrants; the role of the school library. Intended for a North American readership, it might spark ideas in school and public librarians in other parts of the world.
9 September posting
'Libraries and Literacy'
by Thomas Quigley, Head of the Joe Fortes
Branch Library, Vancouver Public Library System
reprinted from
http://www.nald.ca/NALDNEWS/98summer/netfront.htm
Libraries and the literacy issue have a long involvement together. Our primary focus is reading, and our mandate includes responding to community needs. Libraries try to have the right material for the right person at the right time - that includes literacy learners, tutors and other providers. It's clear, too, that literacy has an important role in libraries' workings. As the "people's university," the public library is a resource for lifelong learning and information needs; literacy fits naturally into this picture.
Libraries are often more accessible and less threatening than schools for learners. Unfortunately libraries aren't always very good at getting the word out about themselves and their involvement in the literacy issue, so I was very pleased when NALD [National Adult Literacy Database] asked me to write this article!
Literacy services in public libraries are normally grouped into three categories:
Let's define these categories in terms of actual library activities. For example, the literacy collections category includes the basic activities of providing print and audiovisual materials for learners, tutors and other providers. Providing computers and basic skills software is another related activity. Creating new materials - such as books, audiocassettes, videos, or computer software - complements the collecting process of this category.
In the literacy instruction category, the primary activities include recruiting, training, and placing volunteer tutors and recruiting and placing students. The library in this role may also conduct these activities jointly with another literacy provider or in support of community literacy projects. Another feature of this role is raising library staff's awareness of the literacy issue, of the characteristics of people who have limited reading or writing skills, and of learners' general needs.
In the literacy support services category, the key word is "cooperation." Examples include jointly publicizing area literacy services, participating in a literacy coalition, referring persons in need of literacy education to the appropriate providers, and promoting the literacy issue in general. Providing library facilities for tutoring, classes and tutor training sessions is also part of this category.
Given different community needs and community services, it's natural that libraries' involvement in literacy will vary. It is not as simple as saying you're involved or not. Instead, it is accepted that libraries will emphasize different roles in their literacy services and may select activities from any of the three categories that best fit their situation. In Canada, Regina Public Library (Gail Douglas) and North York Public Library (Joan Robinson) are acknowledged leaders in library-literacy service, and I encourage readers to contact either for more information/examples.
It would be unthinkable for a librarian to NOT make suggestions for further reading, and so I close with a highly selective personal list. Please remember libraries when the literacy issue comes around. Whether it's resources on the Internet, where to get learners' writings published, or a partner for an International Literacy Day event, COME TO THE LIBRARY. Open our doors and see what we have for you!
Suggested Reading:
Ives, Suzanne. Come to the Library Series. [An introduction to public libraries for adult learners and literacy providers] Burnaby: British Columbia Library Association, 1996.
Quigley, Thomas. Public Libraries & Literacy: Towards A National Front Line Strategy. [Report of the Canadian Library Association's National Working Summit on Libraries & Literacy] Ottawa:Canadian Library Association, 1995.
Salter, Jeffrey L. and Charles A. Salter. Literacy and the Library. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1991.
Scheel, Grace. Libraries and Literacy. Toronto: Ontario Ministry of Culture and Communications, 1989.
Singh, Sandra. "Literacy Planning, Evaluation and Programming: A Bibliography" Feliciter vol. 43, no. 9 (Sept. 1997) pp. 32-39.
From 16/7/98 posting
TWO INTERESTING ABSTRACTS FROM THE LATEST ISSUE OF DISABILITY & SOCIETY, vol 13, no. 3, June 1998 (Carfax Publishing Ltd, PO Box 25, Abingdon, Oxforshire, OX14 3UE, UK, www.carfax.co.uk)
Outside Looking In? Studies of the Community Integration of People with
Learning Disabilities (Abstract)
by Fiona Myers, Alastair Ager, Patricia
Kerr & Susan Myles, pp. 389-413
The paper reviews research exploring the degree of community integration of people with learning disabilities. In the majority of studies reviewed 'integration' is measured in terms of the activities undertaken within the community and/or the character of personal and social relationships. Although in much of the work the focus on these indicators of outcome is informed by the value assumptions embodied in the principle of normalisation, the paper begins by drawing attention to the potentially contested nature of these assumptions. This is followed by a description and a critique of studies of community integration. The picture which emerges isof the apparently continued gap between being physically within and socially a part of the community. The paper highlights some of the issues this raises for service provision and draws attention to issues of research practice.
From 7/7/98 Posting
TECHNOLGICAL LITERACY (1997)
By Carmen Luke
Key issues
surrounding the new information technologies and technological literacy are
discussed. Contact: Queensland Adult Literacy Research Network, PO Box 301, Red
Hill Queensland 4059, A$3.
TALKING NEWSPAPER NEWS
Discusses the possibilities of using new
technologies in producing talking newspapers and their displacement of
cassettes. Contact Talking Newspaper Association, National Recording Centre.
email: 101761.167@compuserve.com.
From 29/6/98
THE JOURNAL OF LIBRARY SERVICES FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION
A new issue
of The Journal of Library Services for Distance Education has just been
published at http://www.westga.edu/library/jlsde/ Its contents include
Asynchronous Delivery Support for Distance Learning: A Strategic Opportunity
for Libraries, by Don Beagle; One State's Approach: The Florida Distance
Learning Library Initiative, by Tracey Burdick; Flexible Learning and the
Library: The Challenge, by Judith Clark and Ron Store; and book reviews such as
Library Services to Distance Learners in the Commonwealth: a Reader, edited by
Elizabeth A. Watson and Neela Jagannathan.
From 19/6/98 Posting
COMMUNICATION GAMES AND EXERCISES/ THE ACTIVE LEARNING SERIES
From
AVL Multimedia Information, page 100
One of a series of videos showing a range of tutorial techniques. Focuses on communication in social situations, e.g. body language, eye contact, listening and passing on information effectively. Accompanied by a teacher's booklet. Audience: youth workers, teachers, group workers and others.
Coleridge Productions, University College of St Mark & St John,
Derriford Road, Plymouth PL6 8BH. Price: 15 pounds.
AVL Multimedia
Information is available through aht@avlmmi.demon.co.uk
From 12/6/98 Posting
FREE INSPECTION COPY
LITERACY & NUMERACY STUDIES
An international journal in the
education and training of adults. Recent articles include: Researching in Adult
and Community Education: A troubled task (Marie Brennan); Literacy and Power
(Brian V. Street); Is Personal Writing Empowering? Developing Critical Writing
Practices in Adult Education (Barbara Kamler); How Adult Literacy Became a
Public Issue in Australia (John Hedgens). For more information email:
sue.anderson@education.uts.edu.au.
From 20/2/98
LITERACY AND DISABILITY NEWS
'The 15% Solution: Literacy and
Learning Disabilities' is an article by Audrey J. Gorman. It appeared in
American Libraries, ISSN 0002-9769. Vol. 28, no. 5, May 1997, pp. 52-53.
Of
the 39 millions Americans with learning disabilities, 60-80% have reading
disabilities. The article describes techniques that libraries can use in
literacy programs: screening of phonological awareness and skills; tutor
training with the Orten-Gillingham method, a structured, systematic,
multisensory program developing the ability to hear phonemes; and the Wilson
Reading System, a multisensory phonology system.
BRITISH DATABASE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Reprinted from STVnews,
#24, p.22
'For all those involved in health and social care'. Offering on-line and walk-in access, literature searches on the library's [Kings Fund] database, statistical information, [and] contact details of other organisations. Stocks the latest literature on community care, social care, shared care, joint commissioning, contracting/purchasing and services for older people, people with learning difficulties, people with mental health problems, children and young people, black and ethnic minorities. Free service except for photocopies and searching of commercial databases. Handles over 18,000 enquiries a year.
For further information contact the Library and Information Service, Kings Fund, email: libenq2@kingsfund.org.uk, web: www.kingsfund.org.uk.
From 23/7/98 posting
6 August 1998 Rethinking Teachers Work in Adult Literacy In New Times. Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL). Sydney Institute of Technology. Contact: Alex Tsakmakis, telephone (03) 9650 6906, email: alex@dingo.vut.edu.au
20-28 August 1998 'Libraries as Gateways to an Enlightened World', 65th IFLA Conference. Contact the UK telephone 0171 636 7543 or visit the IFLA's web site.
17-18 September 1999 'Many Roads, One Journey'. The Local Community Services Association Annual Conference 1998 Newcastle Town Hall, Newcastle, NSW. Contact Carinne Crossley on telephone: (02) 9211 3644.
From 16/7/98 Posting
25-29 October 1999 Empowering Society Through the Global Flow of Information, 6th International Conference on Interlending and Document Supply, Pretoria. Call for Papers. Deadline for submissions: 31 August 1998. Contact: Barbara Kellermann, fax +27 12 325 5984. email: kellbc@statelib.pwv.gov.za
2-5 April 2000 Special Education World Congress 2000, Vancouver. email: lynnm@cec.sped.org, web: www.cec.ord.
From 7/7/98 Posting
24-27 September 1998 The Ethics of Electronic Information in the 21st Century, The University of Memphis. Call for papers until July 24 1998. Contact: Dr. Lester J. Pourciau email: pourciau@memphis.edu. For general information contact Mr. Tom Mendina on email: tmendina@memphis.edu.
From 30/7/98 posting
http://node.on.ca This is the site for the NODE Learning Technology Network, a not-for-profit electronic network facilitating information and resource-sharing, collaboration and research in the field of learning technologies for post-secondary education. They state that they 'provide current, comprehensive information for learners and practitioners engaged in technologically-mediated teaching and learning'.
From 29/6/98 posting
http://home.revealed.net/albee/pages/Books.html Books & Book Reviews on the Web at the Needle in a CyberStack site is described as a handy tool for librarians involved in readers advisory work and reference work and for the general public, and as addressing services in Australian libraries in the areas of cultural diversity and literacy. Writers and scholars should find some useful starting points there also.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA, Canberra, ACT 2600,
AUSTRALIA, ABN: 28 346 858 075
Telephone + 61 2 6262 1111; Facsimile +61 2
6257 1703; TTY: 1800 026 372