Hamilton Public Library System and Literacy - Laura Lukasic
Posted by David Lowery
on Sep 27, 2011
Hamilton Public
Library System and Literacy.
By David
Lowery
Laura
Lukasik opened her talk by emphasizing the numerous initiatives and literacy
programs that are happening in the City.
In
spite of the increased use of technology that is available today, it has not
been accompanied by an increase in literacy. On a Literacy scale of
1----5, 3 would be High School
Level. Today, 42% of Canadians are not
at the High School level of literacy. This figure has not worsened in recent
years, but nor has it improved, and it is clear that literacy failure leads to
poverty.
The
Hamilton Public Library has developed a
whole new department that is focused on creating Literacy outreach programs. Whist there are many Adult
Basic Education Programs in Hamilton, family literacy remains a problem, if the
Family role models are illiterate.
So,
the outreach programs are focussed on encouraging literacy in young children up
to the age of 6 , to prepare them to be ready to read as soon as they go to
school. Encouraging
parents to read to a child at least 5
minutes a day awakens an interest in reading as well as being a good bonding
experience. The Libraries are working with Daycare facilities to encourage
literacy in young children.
Moms
visiting a family Physician are now
given a book and encouraged to start reading to their baby.
In
addition to the Literacy programs,” Interface” literacy is also being taught to
help people cope with computers, I-Pads and Bank Machines, etc. Hamilton
wants to be the best place to raise a child.
Irene
Schmidt (nee Pasel) thanked Laura for
her informative talk.