   
Section on Reading
Annual Report
September 1998 - August 1999
Scope statement
The Section on Reading's goal is be a focal point for the discussion of the promotion of reading and print culture and for integrating reading research with reading promotion and development activities. Areas of concern include: increasing the social awareness of the significance of reading and general literacy; cultural literacy and illiteracy in different milieus; teaching the encouragement of reading with special emphasis on the younger generation; reader's skills and reading habits; and the effect of audiovisual media on reading and print culture in the new electronic environment. The relationship between reading research and reading promotion is considered especially significant.
The Section's interests cover a range of activities that affect all types of libraries, library associations, and institutions concerned with reading and literacy development. It worked in cooperation with the IFLA Working Group on Literacy, and is now exploring potential projects and relationships between IFLA and literacy promotion. It cooperates with other international organizations such as the International Reading Association and UNESCO.
Goals
- To assume a leadership role in outlining strategies for international campaigns that support reading promotion and development.
- To monitor and promote the dissemination of knowledge about reading, literacy, readers, and library patrons.
- To promote, among librarians, educators, and other cultural agents, a better understanding of reading patterns and literacy problems.
- To explore various ways of promoting reading and literacy in specific cultural milieus.
- To emphasize the role of reading in children's development and to make known approaches and methods that have been used in different countries.
- To promote membership in the Section on Reading in order to promote the Section's effectiveness.
Membership
63 members (1 August 1999)
Meetings
The Standing Committee met twice in Bangkok during the 65th IFLA General Conference. At the first meeting on 21 August 1999 the new Section brochure was distributed and the four new Section members introduced themselves. The business agenda dealt primarily with internal projects and needs: the re-election of the Sections officers; the forthcoming Bangkok program meeting; the continuing need to increase the Sections membership and how this goal might be achieved; projects with other organizations and other IFLA Sections; and the forthcoming report of the IFLA Task Force on Literacy, which would recommend that the Section on Reading assume responsibility for literacy and its promotion within IFLA. In anticipation of this recommendation, Section members made preliminary plans for two literacy-related programs at the 66th annual conference in Jerusalem: a program meeting focusing on literacy program evaluation and research, and an all-day workshop on a Library-Based Programs to Promote Literacy.
The meeting on 27 August focused on the revision of the Sections Action Plan for 2000-2001. In addition, members of the Committee and volunteers took on the responsibility of translating the new brochure into several different languages: Spanish, Russian, French, Hebrew, Arabic, Swedish, Greek, and Norwegian. Members were urged to subscribe to the listserv for Division VII. The meeting concluded with a discussion of the budget for the Jerusalem program and workshop and a preliminary discussion about possible programs at the Boston conference in 2001.
Projects
- "Reading and Literacy, 1980-1995: An Annotated Bibliography." Project director: Irene Sever. Organized by subject and including critical notes, this bibliography is nearing completion. There may be some modifications in light of the Section on Readings new responsibilities for literacy promotion and policy issues within IFLA.
- "Libraries and Reading in Times of Cultural Change," an international conference held in Vologda, Russia, 18-22 June 1996, sponsored jointly with the IFLA Round Table on Library History. Project directors: Pamela Spence Richards and Valeria Stelmakh. The English language version of the proceedings of this conference was published in 1998; the Russian language version were published with financial support from the Section on Reading in 1999.
- UNESCO "Reading for All" project. Project director: John Y. Cole. A meeting in Aswan, Egypt on 24-25 November 1997, inaugurated this program to expand the "Reading for All" literacy and library promotion project of the Egyptian government to other nations. Regional meetings in South America and Africa took place in 1998 and 1999. While the Reading Section is not directly involved in the continuing regional meetings, John Cole continues to represent IFLA on the project advisory board.
- "Libraries, Reading, and Publishing in the Cold War," an international conference held in Paris, France, 11-12 June, 1998, sponsored jointly with the IFLA Round Table on Library History and the Library History Round Table of the American Library Association. Project directors: Martine Poulain, Donald G. Davis, Jr. and John Y. Cole. Plans for the publication of the English version of the proceedings are underway; publication in both journal and book form is planned for 2001.
- IFLA-UNESCO "Books for All" project. In 1998 the Reading Section agreed to become a cosponsor, with the Children's Section, of this library development project. Project director: Adele Fasick.
- Literacy/IFLA Working Group on Literacy. At the Bangkok conference in 1999, the IFLA Working Group on Literacy recommended to the IFLA Professional Board that the Section on Reading assume the responsibility of developing and implementing projects concerning IFLA and the promotion of reading. Plans are being made for a program and workshop at the IFLA conference in Jerusalem in 2000. Project directors: Adele Fasick and John Y. Cole.
- Soros Foundation/Open Society Institute's "Pushkin Library" project. The Section has agreed to become a cosponsor of the "Pushkin Library: Books for Russian Libraries" project, a three-year library replenishment program that also seeks "to heighten interest in books and reading in general." Project director: Maria A. Vedenyapina, who is assisted by Valeria Stelmakh.
- Library of Congress conference in 2000 on "National Libraries: Interpreting the Past, Shaping the Future." The Section on Reading is one of several IFLA Section sponsors. Project director: John Y. Cole.
Publications
Newsletter No. 7, November 1998. Eight pages. This issue includes reports on Section activities and reports, the 1998-2001 Medium-Term Program, the launching of a new column, a Current Research in Reading and Literacy, and an organizational profile about the International Reading Association (IRA).
Section on Reading Brochure, July 1999. A brief description of the Sections activities aimed at recruiting new members. The multi-colored cover highlights the word a Reading in the five official IFLA languages.
Newsletter, No. 8, August 1999. Eight pages. In addition to Section activity reports, this issue highlights the new Section brochure. The organizational profile is about the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).
The Sections Newsletters and its new brochure are available on the Sections IFLA web site. Through this site, links to other Web sites, and in its printed literature, the Section continues to promote its most recent publication, "Literacy and Reading Services to Cultural and Linguistic Minorities" (1998) and the many publications of its predecessor, the Round Table on Reading Research.
Conference Programme
The Reading Section's programme meeting on 21 August at the 65th IFLA General Conference in Bangkok drew a crowd of approximately 100 people. A Book and Reading Promotion in Southeast Asia featured three speakers who addressed different aspects of reading promotion and its relationship to libraries and society. The speakers and their topics were: Aree Chenunwattana, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, a Delivering and Promoting Library Services in Rural Thailand; Supannee Varatorn, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, a National Award Books as Quality Information Resources in Thailand; and Somsong Saengkaeo, National Library of Thailand, a Reading Habit Promotion in ASEAN Libraries.
Relationships with other Bodies
IFLA Round Table on Library History: Cosponsored conferences in Vologda, Russia in June 1996 and in Paris, France in June 1998. The proceedings from 1996 have been published in English and Russian and arrangements are being made for the publication of the 1998 conference papers. The Reading Section will join with the Round Table as a cosponsor of the Library of Congress conference in October 2000 on "National Libraries: Interpreting the Past, Shaping the Future." .
IFLA Section on Libraries for Children and Young Adults: The Section on Reading has joined this section as a cosponsor of "Books for All," an IFLA-UNESCO library development project.
IFLA Working Group on Literacy: The Section on Reading has accepted the Working Group's recommendation that the Section take on responsibility for IFLAs activities and projects in this important area.
IFLA Section on National Libraries: The Section on Reading is joining with the National Libraries Section as a cosponsor of the Library of Congress conference in the year 2000 on "National Libraries: Interpreting the Past, Shaping the Future."
International Reading Association:
- Annually, the Section on Reading joins with the International Reading Association as a cosponsor of the celebration of International Literacy Day (Sept. 8);
- Standing Committee members participated on 1-4 August 1999 in the International Reading Association's 11th European Conference on Reading, which was held in Stavanger, Norway.
International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) The Section is trying to strengthen its relations with this group. A Section member is participating in the IBBY conference in Cuba in November 1999.
UNESCO:
- The chairman of the Section on Reading is on the advisory committee for the UNESCO-sponsored International Panel on the "Reading for All" program.
- The chairman is discussing ways that the Section on Reading might become active with the International Book Committee, an advisory body to UNESCO.
The World Bank: Because of its newly-expressed interest in education and especially in literacy, the Section is developing a new relationship with the World Bank and its various education projects. At the invitation of the Section chairman, a World Bank representative attended both Section meetings in Bangkok.
Useful Addresses
Officers:
John Y. Cole, Chair
Director, Center for the Book
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20540-4920
Phone: (202) 707-5221; Fax: (202) 707-0269
E-mail: jcole@loc.gov
Adele M. Fasick
1386 28th Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94122
Phone/Fax: (415) 564-3096
E-mail: amfasick@crl.com
Information Coordinator:
Adele M. Fasick
1386 28th Ave.
San Franciso, CA 94122
Phone/Fax: (415) 564-3096
E-mail: amfasick@crl.com
Author: John Y. Cole, chair
Date: 25 October 1999
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