Using research to promote literacy and reading in libraries: Guidelines for librarians

Title:Using research to promote literacy and reading in libraries: Guidelines for librarians

Author:IFLA, Lesley Farmer and Ivanka Stricevic

Series:IFLA Professional Report No.125

Full Text & Source: http://www.ifla.org/files/assets/hq/publications/professional-report/125.pdf

The Internet, Online, 7/4/2016

Sample Text:

Contents

Introduction

How Are Literacies Defined?

 Who Are Reading and Literacy Promotion Stakeholders?

 What Is Research?

 Why Should Librarians Use Research?

 What Existing Research Will Be Helpful?

 How Can Research Be Used To Plan Literacy and Reading Promotion?

 How Can Research Help Determine The Success Of Promotion Efforts?

Synthesis of Research on Reading and Literacy Promotion  Leading to Best Practices

Sample Research-Based Promotion Efforts

Research Starting Points

Relevant Associations

Introduction

Convinced that “literacy is crucial to the acquisition, by every child, youth and adult, of

essential life skills,”UNESCO designated 2003 to 2012 as the decade of literacy. They

recognize that everyone needs to develop the ability to access, assess, and use information in a variety of ways. This campaign encourages agencies to implement activities that foster literacy and lifelong learning, particularly for those populations with less access to for male education.In response, librarians may say, at least to themselves, “I’d love to do more to promote literacy and reading, but it’s not a priority need.” On the other hand, as librarians recognizetheir growing role in literacy, reading research can help them gather facts and suggest good solutions. Furthermore, when librarians use a systematic data-driven method to address literacy and reading promotion, they can make a useful contribution to the professional field.

The IFLA Literacy and Reading Section is trying tohelp librarians address the question:

“How can librarians effectively promote literacy and reading?”

In this spirit, we are pleased to publish Using Research to Promote Literacy and Reading inLibraries, our second publication aimed specifically at librarians and related organizationswho want to find ways to foster literacy within theglobal society. The section’s first publication, the brochure Guidelines for Library-Based Literacy Programs: Some Practical Suggestions(2007; See at: http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s33/pro

ject/literacy.htm), described specific ways that librarians and their partners ca

n become involved in literacy, emphasizing the hosting of literacy promotion events at libraries and the development by libraries of resources useful to literacy and reading promotion.Using Research to Promote Literacy and Reading in Libraries extends the first brochure by focusing on the importance of wisely consuming, conducting and applying research conducted by librarians and their partners in order to promote literacy and reading.We believe that libraries are uniquely situated to promote literacy and reading. It is a part of their mission. And it is a mission of all types of libraries, from school and public to special,research, university and national. They may do so directly but especially in partnership with other organizations through projects, publications,

and other cooperative endeavours. In all cases, using current research to inform these projects greatly improves their chances of success. Research helps librarians efficiently gather data and incorporate assessment throughout their work, and structure efforts to make significant valid and reliable claims about their promotion efforts and importance. By systematically examining their practice with the intent of continuous improvement and increased impact, librarians and other partners become reflective practitioners of research and more effective promoters.

The aims of this new brochure are threefold:to encourage librarians to use research in their literacy and reading promotion efforts,to encourage other organizations that promote literacy and reading to make use of relevant research in their own promotional activities,to encourage librarians and other organizations to conduct action and assessment research.

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