Guust van Wesemael
Literacy Prize
2003
Venezuelan Winner!
IFLA is pleased to announce that the Asociacion Civil Banco del Libro of Caracas, Venezuela, is the winner of the Guust van Wesemael Literacy Prize.
The objective of this award of 3,000 Euros is to sponsor a public or school library in a developing country to perform activities in the field of literacy: collection development, promotion, training, policy development or otherwise.
Banco del Libro is a private, non-profit Civil Association dedicated to investigate, experiment, innovate and carry out formative activities for readers. Its main objective is to encourage the reading of high-quality books in libraries, schools and homes.
Leer para vivir, or Read to Live is the award-winning project that was submitted for IFLA's Guust van Wesemael Prize this year. It was conceived in the bibliotherapy setting, as a means of support to those affected by the landslides which took place in December 1999 in the State of Vargas. Fundamental activities within the project include story telling and workshops for information dissemination to teachers and librarians. Its most important achievement has been the establishment of a significant "human network" which currently comprises 62 schools and four communities filled with readers.
The Jury of the Guust van Wesemael Literacy Prize 2003 consisted of Ellen Tise (Chair), Glenys Willars and John Day. They were unanimous in their choice of the proposal submitted by the Venzuelan colleagues for the following reasons:
-
What is done by Leer para vivir could provide valuable experience and evidence to help librarians, teachers and storytellers in other parts of the world where books and stories could make a difference to people's lives where living has become difficult.
-
The work done here will help to maintain and develop the literacy of young people, and the adults around them, during a time of extreme difficulty and stress.
-
It was the most interesting of this year's applications, giving clear, and very moving, evidence of the work that has been done and how the prize money will contribute to furtherance of that work.
On hearing the news of the Prize, Maria Elena Zapata, Project Officer Banco del Libro, was very gladly surprised. She stated that the money will be used in the framework of Leer para vivir. An article containing further detailed information will be submitted for a future issue of IFLA Journal.
This Prize was established in 1991 by IFLA's Executive Board to commemorate the late Guust van Wesemael, Coordinator of IFLA's Professional Activities from 1979 to 1990 and Deputy Secretary General of IFLA from 1979 to 1991. Funded by donations, the Guust van Wesemael Literacy Prize has been awarded biennially since 1997.
The Guust van Wesemael Literacy Prize 2003 was handed to representatives of Banco del Libro during the World Library and Information Conference in Berlin (1-9 August 2003).
