School Libraries in Kid’s Voices

Abstract

Research confirms that there is a serious shortage of reading materials in school libraries, especially in developing and emerging countries. Students who were interviewed during surveys, some of whom attend very poor schools which have no electricity and no internet connection, told the survey team that they wanted to be able to read about things which are familiar to them, preferably in their mother tongue. Discussions have been held with school library colleagues about the possibility of children writing their own stories and poems, in their mother tongue, resulting in a series of books where children will respond to a variety of prompts. Members of the school library community throughout the world are being asked for their help to collect the required material. Children’s drawings, and writings will be forwarded to the international team of editors.A publisher has been found for the first open-access book and an editorial team is being formed. Collecting of stories, drawings, poems etc. will begin in 2015. The first prompt is “Why I love my school library.