AT YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY
Of course, it wouldn’t be International Literacy Day with supporting libraries around the globe.
Here are a few ways to celebrate at your local library.
• GO
Just go there.
Seriously.
When’s the last time you went to the library? Any library.
Take the time to visit your local library (if it’s open) and browse their selection. Look around to find the genre or author you’re interested in. Or, if you’re looking for a specific book, ask one of the librarians for help.
Libraries are a great yet dwindling resource. Sign up for a library card as a way to celebrate Literacy and check out a few.
And the best part? It’s free. It doesn’t get much better than that.
• START/JOIN A BOOK CLUB
Literacy Month is the perfect time to start a book club.
Coordinate with library staff to find out what steps you need to take. You may need to pay a fee to reserve a room or find out the best time for gathering community members.
Your library might spread the word of your club after everything is set up. If you want to include other community members, you’ll probably need to provide your own fliers and other materials. But, they don’t need to be super professional. Anything that catches someone’s eye and informs them of your club and meeting dates will work.
Once you have all the logistics covered, all you need to do is decide on your first book. Maybe your book club focuses on a specific genre or certain prolific author. Whatever it is, make sure it stays fun.
• HOLD A POETRY READING EVENT
Time to let my theater background show.
Work with librarians and staff to organize a poetry reading time. Let library goers know, inform the rest of the community through fliers, and spread the word.
Decide on whether you want to restrict readings to published works, personal poems, or both. It’s not a competition. The idea is to encourage people to show off their favorite poems and reading abilities.
Remember to keep the event focused to raise awareness for Literacy. Maybe you can have a poetry reading/book drive or fundraiser event. Whatever you’re comfortable with and allowed to do.
AT HOME
Encouraging literacy at home is important to the development of your children. Not only that, it’s also good for advancing your own understanding.
Let’s move onto some ideas for encouraging literacy at home.
• START A READING CONTEST
Do you and your family share interests in books?
How about starting a competition to see who can finish one of those books first?
If you have a competitive family, this might be the nudge everyone needs to start reading.
- Pick a book that interests everyone
- Make sure everyone has a copy (or there are enough for everyone to trade off on reading)
Having everyone read the same story also gives you something to talk about. You can ask each other questions during the contest to make sure everyone’s actually reading. Gotta keep them honest, after all.
• START BUILDING YOUR LIBRARY
Why not build a personal library?
Visit your local book store and shop around. Pick out your favorites for your collection, or see if you can find something new.
Keeping books around your household helps in encouraging your family to read.
Make a day of it and take the whole family. Let everyone pick out a book or two so it’s a collaborative effort. This way, everyone has something they can be excited about.
Add your own personal touch to your new books with custom library stamps. This way, you and your family know which book belongs to whom.
• HAVE A READING CIRCLE
If you already have a small family library built,
how about a group reading session?
Gather your family members and have them read a chapter or section from their book of choice.
Theme your evening around a topic or theme. Make sure everyone gets an equal amount of time (or pages) to read to the group. Reading aloud helps everyone build their reading comprehension and confidence.
If you have family members who are too young to read for themselves, read to them. Have them follow along with your finger.
Here’s the deal; the idea is to encourage everyone in your family to read. That’s the end goal here.
Help your community raise awareness for literacy in general. Starting in your local area means you can work closer and improve the quality of your community.
Here are a few things to try this year.
• START TUTORING AN ADULT
Contact your local library or do some research to see what adult literacy programs are in your area. Connect with them to find adults in your community who want to improve their literacy skills.
Helping illiterate adults learn the skill they need can be a rewarding experience.
It’s important to note that you need to find people who want help improving their literacy skills. You might get less than ideal results if you approach someone you know (or don’t) asking if you can help them learn. While you might have the best intentions, you might offend someone.
• HOST A BOOK DRIVE
Maybe your neighborhood wants to find a way to contribute to the international community.
Organize with your community and ask around for donations of old books. You can even find a public space and hold an event for your drive. Have poetry and short story readings or see if you can get a local author to attend for a signing.
But, remember: the purpose of your event is to gather books to then donate. Find either a local, national, or international organization to contribute to. The American Library Association has a list of donation organizations you can choose from. See how to donate and contact your organization of choice for further details.
• HOST A BOOK SWAP/GIFT GIVING EVENT
And, of course, the classic book swap.
Have a book (or several) you don’t want anymore? Maybe you have friends who do.
Well, what better way to spread the joys of these books than trading them with someone else?
This is a great way to learn about what kinds of books your friends and family enjoy. And, you might find your next favorite author or series.
Make a day of it. Bring snacks and beverages. Or, if you think you can pull it off, theme your book gifting event around a specific genre.
Find a public space or inexpensive venue to ensure plenty of space to set up for your event. Then, put out the word to your community. See how many attendees you attract. The more the merrier.
• HAVE A SHORT STORY WRITING CONTEST
Maybe you and your friends have a creative streak.
Take some time during the day to write short stories. Once everyone’s done, read them aloud over your chat client of choice.
Vote on your favorites or just do it for fun. We say “contest,” but it doesn’t need to be a competition.
Include your family, friends, neighbors, whoever wants to join.
Flexing your creative writing muscles and sharing them is a great way to encourage literacy within your friend group and family. You demonstrate your grasp of grammar and syntax. And, you can help your loved ones improve their writing too!
• START AN ONLINE BOOK CLUB
Now, your local library might not be open.
But, that doesn’t mean you can’t start your own book club.
Reach out to your friends, family, neighbors, and community to see who wants to participate.
Like an in-person club, you can set a theme for your online group. Determine if you’re sticking with one author or genre for a while. Your group’s tastes will differ from another’s, so everyone should find something they can agree on.
See if you can find a published author in your community or from a nearby town. Reach out to them to see if they’re willing to speak on their works.
A few things you can ask include:
- What their writing process is like
- Their background and how it lead to them publishing their work
- Why they write about their chosen topic or genre
- What they enjoy about writing
- What they think helps encourage literacy
- Or anything else appropriate you can think of!
Getting a glimpse into an author’s process and experience might encourage others to read more. Or, maybe you’ll feel inspired to start writing your own stories and books!
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