Here's the article I just read that got me thinking:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jun/01/three-in-10-uk-children-own-no-books?CMP=twt_fd
While this is a UK article, I suspect that Australian figures would be very similar. We don't have the same problem with public library closures, however I've certainly been in many schools that don't have a librarian/teacher librarian/education assistant librarian/anyone working in the library and library time is not a priority in a busy timetable. Science and SOSE (Studies of Society and Environment) are also not given priority but that's a discussion for another time.Without books in the home, without role models in the home reading, without school staff promoting reading and selecting great books to fill school libraries - how do we expect children to value reading?
I suspect that in our increasingly technological world people doubt the need for books and certainly literacy doesn't solely mean book literate. But exposure to books and a variety of reading materials and genres increases opportunities for literacy, why limit those opportunities? Access to information on the internet requires the ability to read and critically evaluate whether the information is coming from a viable source, or just some random ranting about their favourite topic without any supporting evidence or views for that information. Plus reading books is just good fun.
The link between books in the home and literacy makes me feel much better about filling my nephew's room with books and since Borders Australia is shutting up shop and has a sale on, I'm off to fill the rest of my sister's house with books.
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