Instilling and maintaining the love of reading in a child is very much like nurturing a delicate fire in a windy open space: it takes careful tending, fresh fuel, and occasional sparks. The commonly held idea that teachers and librarians have plenty to work with in terms of books because the school “already has plenty of those” is a point of view which falls short of a full understanding of the dynamic process which is involved in nurturing and maintaining the love of reading in young readers. It is true that a wonderful outcome of education and maturity is the ability to see the ongoing relevance of classic works of literature, yet many children are engaged wholly in the present, and delight most in following current seriesand books which reflect their known environment.
We are very fortunate, as I well know from nigh on twenty years of partnering with my municipal and school librarian colleagues, to have a group of passionate and dedicated people working in our area libraries. We are also fortunate to be living in what is unquestionably a golden age of Childrens and Young Adult literature. Never has so much exceptional new literary work been produced to nurture young minds as is being published today. This is why the economic downturn, and the sad necessity of having the Mt. Blue RSD’s book budget cut in half, has been so unfortunate. Our school libraries have no money, and as Gandalf himself confessed, “but I must have something to work on. I cannot burn snow.”
One very nice thing, however, about difficult times is that it reminds us of the importance of pooling resources and the power of community. With this in mind DDG and the Mt. Blue RSD School libraries have come up with an idea for giving area residents an opportunity to provide the handful of fresh titles that the libraries so strongly need: DDG’s Mt. Blue RSD Wish List center.
Visit and you’ll find a wish list of titles hand-selected by our area school librarians. All purchases further support the library in that DDG will be donating 20% of all Wish List proceeds towards the library as well. Stop by The Wish List Center and have a look, and then stay tuned for details on our district wide In Store Book Fair to benefit the Mt. Blue RSD School Libraries coming during The Chester Greenwood Weekend!
What a fantastic idea! I will definitely be in to make a contribution. Maybe I can donate my frequent buyer gift certificates, too.
Great idea, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if libraries and schools were adequately funded and DoD had to send people out to sell candy bars or hold bake sales.
Maybe a bit less testosterone…
Yes, Tony, it would be nice if libraries and schools were better funded. But on the other hand, Dr. Seuss and Harry Potter will not keep us safe from those who will do this country and its people harm.