Getting Book Rich

Submitted by Judy Hanning on Fri, 2017-02-24 04:00
Effective childhood learning regimes require books with the urgency that flowers need water on a brutally hot day. But while certain flowers have adapted to persistent low-water conditions (think cactus), examples of effective education in low- or no-book environments are rare. These “book deserts” are the target of a new initiative being undertaken by a coalition of education-focused institutions.

Some problems are so persistent and complex that only a whole new approach can break open the potential for a solution.

Building on a recent study conducted by Susan Neuman and Naomi Moland, the Book-Rich Environment Initiative is being rolled out countrywide. Working with local libraries, and with significant support from major book publishers, the effort is directed toward increasing the per-child number of books available in “book desert” communities across the nation.
Some problems are so persistent and complex that only a whole new approach can break open the potential for a solution. That may just be the case with so-called book deserts, where reading materials are so scarce as to be nearly impossible to find.
~ School Library Journal

Key Takeaways:

1
Not everyone can obtain books to improve literacy.
2
Book-Rich Environment Initiative is finding partners to supply schools and students with new reading materials.
3
There should be a community commitment to spreading literacy where it lacks.
Read the full article here:
http://www.readingrockets.org/news/getting-book-rich