More than 60 reading and literacy promoters met at the Library on March 15 to exchange ideas for using "Shape Your Future — READ!," the Library's 1995-1996 reading promotion theme.
Most of them represented civic or educational organizations that are current Reading Promotion Partners of the Library of Congress.
Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole reported that the center's reading promotion network consisted of 121 national organizational partners and 29 affiliated state centers for the book. During the past year, he noted, 14 organizations had left the partnership program due to changes in their priorities. Center for the Book consultant Michael Thompson explained why the change was a healthy one and how the Center for the Book views the obligations of partnership:
"Recognizing the implications of change when it occurs is the only way to preserve the integrity of the organizations concerned and of the concept of a Reading Promotion Partnership. It is also a reminder that partnership means the acceptance of commitments. The Center for the Book has an obligation to come up with usable themes and support materials; the Reading Promotion Partners commit themselves to relating their own activities in the promotion of literacy and reading to the center's themes and to taking other appropriate steps to disseminate this message to their members and to the general public.
"Regarding 'Shape Your Future — READ!,' partners are free to adapt the logo to their own promotional purposes and are encouraged to carry news of the campaign in their newsletters and publications. The essential point is for a partner to communicate a message about the importance of reading."
A 50-page directory of the 121 organizations in the partnership was distributed, along with logo sheets and the "Shape Your Future -- READ!" brochure produced by the Center for the Book with support from Pizza Hut Inc. Single copies are available from the Center for the Book, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-8200.
The discussion on March 15, moderated by John Cole, was lively and lengthy; information from nine of the partners is summarized below.
American Mensa Ltd. Jean Cooper said she would welcome any reading promotion or organizational material in electronic format for dissemination on CompuServe to the Mensa Forum. The forum "library" contains files on education (which includes subjects such as literacy, reading and scholarships), gifted children, parents of gifted children, and other topics. A letter authorizing distribution through CompuServe must accompany any copyrighted material.
Contact Jean Cooper, secretary, 1406 Rialto St., Charlottesville, VA 22901-6348, (804) 982-2743.
Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Michelle Hailey said the Boys and Girls Clubs are launching a new "Reading for the Future" program. The Southland Corp. is funding the distribution of hardware and software along with computer training and 500 books to each club; the entire project will have a heavy emphasis on parental involvement.
Contact Michelle Hailey, assistant director for program service, 1230 W. Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30309, (404) 815-5700; fax (404) 815- 5789.
First Book, 4-H Extension Program. Brad Pine, executive director of First Book, and Stephen Mullen, 4-H national program leader at the Department of Agriculture, stressed the importance of programs in which teenagers read to younger children; such efforts often encourage younger children to read and arouse the interest of teenagers in reading. Members of collegiate 4-H clubs increasingly are working closely with 14-to-18-year-old 4-H junior leaders, getting them excited about the importance of reading and persuading them to take the lead in promoting reading among high school students.
Contact Stephen R. Mullen, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 3860 South Building, Washington, DC 20250- 0900, (202) 720-5332; fax (202) 720- 9366.
Friends of Libraries U.S.A. Sandy Dolnick suggested that partners submit to her for inclusion in the FOLUSA newsletter items that would be of interest to its 3,000 recipients around the country.
Contact Sandy Dolnick, executive director, 1700 Walnut St., Suite 715, Philadelphia, PA 19103, (215) 790- 1674; fax (215) 545-3821.
Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Through the Girl Scouts, Sara Salvide reported, the Center for the Book's message about the importance of reading is transmitted to more than 2 million girls and their families. The Girl Scouts encourage reading at every stage in their program, from Daisies through Brownies, to those at the Girl Scout level. Merit badges encouraging reading are awarded, and through reading the program emphasizes understanding of religious and social diversity.
Contact Sara Salvide, deputy national director, 420 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10018, (212) 852-8000.
The Links Inc. Gladys Gary Vaughn suggested that the center furnish the partners with reduced versions of the "Shape Your Future — READ!" campaign poster, suitable for copying and inclusion in newsletters. She informed participants of The Links's involvement in a UNICEF- sponsored program, "School in a Box," to nurture the literacy skills of children in war-torn areas such as Rwanda and Burundi. She also said that The Links is worried that persons with low incomes will not have access to the "information superhighway" now being developed; thus it is monitoring its development closely.
Contact Gladys Gary Vaughan, national director, services to youth, 7921 Cypress Lane, Cabin John, MD 20818-1001, (301) 229-5176.
National Association of Broadcasters. Don LeBrecht offered the following advice to partners about "how to get your public service message on the air": target stations carefully; obtain the name of the person who schedules public service announcements; call Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday morning, never after 3 p.m. or just before a holiday weekend; identify yourself and your organization clearly, specifying your not-for-profit status, your purpose, the length and number of spots and if space is available for a local tag; ask for no more than two minutes on the air; never ask "when will these run?" or "how many spots will you schedule?"; no matter what happens, send a thank you note; if you don't succeed, wait a few weeks and try again.
New Jersey Connection. The coalition was instrumental in Gannett Outdoors's recent decision to erect 20 "Shape Your Future -- READ!" billboards on the state's highways, each decorated with artwork submitted by New Jersey schoolchildren. A second accomplishment was persuading McDonald's restaurants throughout the state to use tray liners that publicize the New Jersey Connection.
Contact Ann Helmstetter, executive director, 360 Union St., Hackensack, NJ 07601, (201) 646-8035, fax (201) 646-7827.
Weekly Reader Corp. Cathy Gourley described how Read magazine has popularized its annual Center for the Book-sponsored essay contest for young people. By calling the contest "Letters About Literature" and personalizing it by asking students to write the author of a favorite book, explaining how the book had affected the student's life, participation has grown to more than 10,000 annual entries.
Contact Cathy Gourley, associate editor for secondary periodicals, 245 Long Hill Road, P.O. Box 2791, Middletown, CT 06457-9291.
