Report: Overview
The Reading Coalition represents a wide range of stakeholder groups and engaged citizens, including parents, educators, librarians, teacher-librarians, publishers, and writers, who share a commitment to the transcendent value of reading of all forms (i.e., fiction, poetry, drama, essays, journalism, literary non-fiction, critical and academic texts, liturgical writing, graphic novels, ‘zines, online magazines, blogs and other Internet prose), and for all its purposes: We read for pleasure. We read to find answers to problems both prosaic and profound. We read to situate ourselves in the events of the day. And we may even read to challenge ourselves with uncomfortable points of view.
Yet the reality is that we today live in an accelerated, information-saturated society that often discourages sustained engagement with many traditional forms of writing. Mass media, digital culture and stunning advances in communications technology together represent unprecedented opportunities in terms of how ideas circulate within technologically advanced societies. But these same forces also pose formidable challenges for those who are worried about the future of reading in the 21st century.
The Reading Coalition wishes to engage Canadians in a far-ranging discussion about the task of promulgating a “National Reading Plan” that recognizes reading as a central feature of 21st century Canadian citizenship. The intent is to debate this proposal in a series of three summits that would identify effective programs in both official languages and then develop policy structures to support them.
The first of these three summits took place on November 12 and 13 in Toronto. Over two days, delegates heard from an impressive line-up of speakers from across the country and around the world. Ana Maria Machado (Brazil), Ingrid Bon (Netherlands), Elisa Bonilla (Mexico), Richard C. Anderson (USA), Cory Doctorow (UK/Canada), Tom King (Canada), Charles Pascal (Canada), and others explored what it means to be a reader in a democratic society. They shared their research and experience in developing reading promotion programs. In total there were 4 keynote addresses and 4 panel discussions. In between these sessions Summit attendees (in person and via web) were asked to brainstorm on various questions including “What do we want a Canadian Reading Plan to look like?” and “What are the key outcomes you would want to see from a Canadian Reading Program?” The afternoon of the second day was devoted to having delegates break into working groups based on “interests” (such as babies, school age, high school, public libraries, professional training, literacy groups, aboriginal, and book clubs), and with the help of a facilitator, explore next steps The entire two days were presented in both national languages.
To view the program, click here.
