Ontario School Libraries to Benefit
There was a small victory for literacy this week when the Ontario government announced it will be providing additional funding for school libraries across the province (link and link). The funds are apparently enough to hire 160 new library staff. An interview on CBC’s Metro Morning today with a school librarian can be listened to here.
I’m not sure how great an effect 160 people can have in a province with millions of students, but any steps to increase kids’ familiarity with libraries is a step forward. After making it through an undergraduate degree with friends who never set foot in the library, I was happy that things were somewhat different in law school. At least they are at Osgoode, where they make you actually use the library in your first term (sadly, whether or not you do again is completely up to you after that one mandatory assignment).
Maybe the kids benefiting from this funding now will be pulling books off of Osgoode’s shelves in 10 years, and not just because they have to in order to pass Legal Research and Writing.
Very good point, Evan. I have found that people’s attitudes towards libraries–and librarians for that matter–are firmly grounded in their early experiences. It is good news that they are making some effort finally in the right direction.