Booktrust Conference
I had a fascinating and uplifting day at the Booktrust Conference yesterday - at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre - with over 300 other librarians, early years specialists, authors, publishers and interested parties. All chaired with humour and a wicked sense of fun by Professor Tanya Byron.
As well as looking at the varied and successful book gifting schemes of Booktrust there was an address from Beverley Hughes MP - Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families - who remarked 'a love of reading is the key to getting every child to achieve their potential.' I would heartily agree with that sentiment!
After the Minister had left there was a very lively debate between Michael Rosen (Children's Laureate), Kate Wilson (Group MD of Scholastic UK), Viv Bird (Chief Excecutive of Booktrust), John Newman (Newham Bookshop) and Angela Wilkinson (West Derbyshire Children's Librarian) all chaired by Julia Eccleshare (Children's Book Specialist). Michael was critical of the government not having a joined-up policy on the reading of books, and commented that schools were pivotal in making this happen. His solution to keeping children and young people reading was simple - read a book to a child. Kate Wilson emphasized the need to validate children's reading choices whatever they may be, wherever the interest takes them. She also emphasized the need to make the social side of reading more accessible on line and within families; as well as commenting that it should be mandatory for all initial teacher training courses to include an understanding of children's books and for Ofsted to always include the library in inspection reports. (This latter point Michael disagreed with as he feared the Ofsted big stick approach was too scary already.) Viv Bird made some very encouraging comments on the school library being fundamental in allowing/enabling access to books - whilst discussing the character of school librarians as passionate advocates of reading to young people.
An uplifting day - we just need to make sure all the right people hear all these messages...
Tricia Adams
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