Against a background of low literacy among many Jamaican children and young adults, the Learn to Read Read to Learn @ Your Library was launched by the Jamaican Library Service and the Library and Information Association of Jamaica.

1. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR
LIBRARY: DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND
LITERATE LEARNERS
Paulette Stewart, PhD
Evadne McLean
Diversity Challenge Resilience: School Libraries in Action - The 12th Biennial School
Library Association of Queensland, the 39th International Association of School
Librarianship Annual Conference, incorporating the
14th International Forum on Research in School Librarianship,
Brisbane, QLD Australia, 27 September – 1 October 2010.

2. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
Definition of literacy
“Literacy is the ability to understand and
employ printed information in daily activities,
at home, at work and in the community- to
achieve one’s goals and to develop one’s
knowledge and potential” [The International
Adult Literacy Survey]
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

3. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
Connection between literacy and libraries
- creating literate environments
- play a key role in and promoting
literacy
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

4. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
literary competencies + creative potential
ability to generate ideas
to question, and to make connections
be willing to take risks
to experiment
to express his own creative ideas using a range of
artistic elements

5. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
The role of libraries in literacy education and
creative learning
School libraries
The Public Library
Online Libraries
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

6. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
The role of libraries in literacy education and
creative learning
School libraries
Connect books with readers
Instruct students to identify and locate relevant
information for research
Provide students with strategies for learning from
sources
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

7. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
The role of libraries in literacy education and
creative learning
The Public Library
Actively support literacy campaign
Support other institution on combating illiteracy
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

8. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
The role of libraries in literacy education and
creative learning
Online Libraries
E.g. International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL)
Provide free access to high-quality digital books
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

9. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Rationale for the Learn to Read-Read to Learn @Your
Library project in Jamaica
low level of literacy
intervention programmes by the Ministry
of Education to develop literate and
creative learners.
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

10. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Eyre’s suggestion
“Keep a weather eye open for opportunity to support
basic literacy”.
Jamaica Library Service Network (JLS) and the
Library and Information Association of Jamaica
(LIAJA) partnered to play a meaningful role in the
building literate communities.
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

11. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Target audience
Children and young adults
Programme objectives:
•To develop creative and literate learners through reading,
writing, books, and art;
•To encourage students to use the resources of the public,
school and other information units as well as virtual libraries
to improve literacy skills so that they will be able to cope with
literacy demands of everyday living.
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

12. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
The programme was launched with much fanfare on
March 19, 2010

13. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Key persons from the Ministry of Education and the
Jamaica Teachers’ Association, The Jamaica Reading
Association, principals, teachers and students from
primary and high schools attended and indicated their
support for the programme.

14. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference

15. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS

16. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Audience at the launch

17. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Poster Competition
The first activity held was a Poster Competition which
was launched to sensitize the entire nation about the
“Learn to Read-Read to Learn” @ Your Library
activities.

18. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Poster Advertising the Launch The criteria for the Poster Competition

19. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS

20. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY: DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND
LITERATE LEARNERS
This book “The Three Little Pigs” by John Q. Piggin is
The Three Little Pigs” will Blow You Away the best since “Mary had a Little Lamb.” It is about
Introductory Paragraph: Must include the title hate, laziness, and death.
and author, and thesis (topic). The story begins with Mommy pig telling her piglets
to go out and seek their fortune and to always do
their best. The first little pig quickly builds a house of
straw. Soon after, the second little pig finishes a
house of sticks. Three month later, the third little pig
finishes a fine home made out of bricks.
Plot Summary: In a few paragraphs write a plot The plot thickens when a big bad and hungry wolf
summary. This is basically a narrative of a plot line;
including exposition, hook, conflict raising action sees the house of straw. In short order the wolf has
and resolution. blown it down and eaten the first little pig. A repeat
performance of blowing and eating happens to
the second little pig as well. The big question of this
book is, “Will the wolf eat all the pigs?” I couldn’t
put this book down after I had read the part about
the house of straw. It intrigued me that anyone
would be dumb enough to build such a flimsy
house.
In the last chapter of this 415 page novel, the wolf
huffs and puffs but can’t blow the house down.
Then the wolf gets a bright idea to climb down the
chimney and invade the brick house of the last pig.
The third pig anticipates the wolf and has a big pot
of boiling water in the fire place. Down goes the
wolf and into the pot. No more wolf. What a
dramatic climax with the wolf cooked alive and
made into dinner for the third pig. I enjoyed the
Summary needs to be detailed enough to irony of the climax.
support your opinion of the book and you While the plot is rather simple and redundant, I
conclusion. enjoyed the morals that hard work pays. I
recommend the “Three Little Pigs” to you as a
good story

21. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Writing book reviews was seen as a necessary
part of the programme because readers need
to read critically and become critical thinkers.
This will also build participants comprehension
skills.

22. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
This process is important because “Reading is
primary. One can write only as well as one
reads. To write better, you must learn to read
better” [Kurland]

23. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
The Year’s Highlights
Reading Week (Public Library focus)
April 18 – 24, 2010

24. EXAMPLES OF READING WEEK ACTIVITIES
Date Public Libraries Readers Activities
April 20, Harbour View Peter Espeut, Mystic Davis Telling stories
2010 (Catholic Priest)
April 22, Kingston and St. Peter Lloyd Telling stories
2010 Andrew Parish (Singer) and engaging
Library students in
reading activities
April 24, Stony Hill Branch Safia Burton Telling stories
2010 Library (Business woman0 and engaging
students in
reading activities
April 22, Shortwood branch Mrs. Patricia Cuff Reading and
2010 Library (Librarian) telling stories
Mr. Roy Black Dramatizing
(Radio Personality ) stories
April 24, 2010
Kingston and St. Dr. Joseph Anedu Storytelling
Andrew Parish (Physican)
Library

25. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Librarians engaging students in reading activities

26. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Librarian and radio personality engaging students in reading activities

27. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
Education Week - (School Libraries focus)
May 2 – 7, 2010
Librarians visited schools, promoted information
literacy and encouraged students to use the
school library to develop their literacy skills.
Target group was school children of all ages.

28. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS

29. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS
June 18, 2010 Announcement of winners
of the Learn to Read – Read to Learn @ your
library Poster Competition
The announcement of the winner of the Poster
Competition and other winners at LIAJA’s first
General Meeting for 2010.

30. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS

31. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS

32. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE LEARNERS

33. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
Library Week- Oct. 31 – Nov. 6, 2010
Reading Symposium- November 3, 2010
Participants selected to enter the reading symposium
Primary
High
Hearing impaired
Physically challenged
National Parent Teachers Association

34. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
A Time for Evron - Primary Schools
The Secret Garden - High schools
The Secret Garden - National Parent Teachers
Association

35. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR LIBRARY:
DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND LITERATE
LEARNERS
The Learn- to Read-Read- to- Learn @Your library initiative is
therefore timely.
At the end of the programme, participants should have
acquired new literacy skills and improved existing ones so that
they will improve the quality of their lives and be better able to
participate successfully in national development programmes

36. LEARN TO READ-READ TO LEARN @YOUR
LIBRARY: DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND
LITERATE LEARNERS
Paulette Stewart, PhD
Evadne McLean
SLAQ / IASL 2010 Conference