1. I have had many thoughts strike me as I read Local Literacies by David Barton and Mary Hamilton. Firstly (so British!), Lancaster is a town of 50,000 and it has ten branches of the library. 40% of the population belongs to the libraries. I compare Lancaster with Kent and we have two libraries, the University library and the Kent Free Library. As of 2008, Kent’s population was 27,983 (excluding students-just as in Local Literacies) (http://www.city-data.com/city/Kent-Ohio.html). I wonder what percentage of the population of the city of Kent belongs to the library. I wonder what the literacy rate is in Kent, once again excluding the university students. I couldn’t find a website for literacy rates in Kent, but here’s one about adult literacy rates in OH http://nces.ed.gov/naal/pdf/state_summaries/Ohio.pdf (even though it’s from 1992).
2. Secondly, until I began studying literacy education, I always thought of writing (and reading) as solitary activities. However, after reading Vygotsky and the ethnographies of Barton & Hamilton and Shirley Brice Heath, I recognize the sociocultural nature of writing and reading. Harry, in Local Literacies, writes references and editorials with the help of his son Ted. In Ways with Words, African American women share letters from kin with others and treat the readings as a social event. They read letters out loud and share comments on what was written. They fill out preschool applications as a group. We, as graduate students share our written workwith each other to get feedback, suggestions, and constructive criticism., a true Writer’s Workshop. Heaven forbid we submit something that has not passed in front of at least one other set of eyes (except blogs!).
3. Finally, I think about the gender differences in reading and writing. I know that Chapter 10 discusses this, but I haven’t gotten there yet. However, in another seminar, we are doing a study on “How struggling male adolescent readers talk about reading.” In reading the literature the types of materials that boys like to read are comics, humor, informational texts, science, biographies, sports record books and history (Ferris, Werdich, Nelson, Fuhler, 2009; Merisuo-Storm, 2006). I notice that in Harry’s writing, he writes about the war and makes the statement that “’there’s plenty of humor in war’” (p. 85). He only likes to write (and read) factual information: a personal history, editorials, minutes from meetings, and letters of reference. He thinks that fiction “a waste of time” (p. 90). I am looking forward to seeing how the female perspective differs.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Blog #4: Local Literacies
5:50 PM — Kathleen Dunn
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Hi Kathy - love the new look blog!
ReplyDeletePublic libraries are interesting. How are they funded here? In England they're run by local council's, which are usually short of funding. However, the public libraries do the best they can for those in the community, often acting as the only point of contact for books (and music and DVDS), community information (such as free community courses), and reference materials. Importantly, public libraries in England (and I'm sure here as well) may be the only place where many members of the community can access the internet.
Like you, I'd never really thought about reading or writing as a social activity before starting this course, and before I'd started writing this blog, I'd never thought about the important social aspect of public libraries. I usually always just run in and out of libraries, knowing what I want, usually being disappointed by them not having it, and then leaving in a huff! But for those in the community who get the most from public libraries, like the elderly, people who can't afford to buy books, those who can't get internet access at home, or even parents who need to pop their kids into the library's children's corner for an hour so they can have some peace, libraries must provide an important social element.
I recall now, thinking back, how many of the "regulars" in the library interact with the librarians like they're old friends, giving book reviews and taking suggestions for reading, or even asking for help typing important letters on the computers.
Yet if one important element of public libraries is the social element, and I would argue it is, then why do they have to be so quiet? Sssshhh.
What a fantastic question, Rach! Thank goodness for those sound proof rooms :-) Both of my writing critique groups meet in libraries and in both places (different cities), we've had librarians tap on our door to tell us we have to be quiet! Writers are a very social bunch and critiquing is ESSENTIAL for us to improve our work, so I've always been aware of the social aspect of writing. Never really thought about it in terms of reading, though.
ReplyDeleteGREAT new look to your blog, Kathy! =) You raise some very interesting points about reading and writing as social practices. I too have yet to get to the chapter on gender, but I think it will be really interesting to see what Barton & Hamilton say.
ReplyDeleteThis comment is for, Roo. -- I can only answer on behalf of my local library, the Wayne County Public Library, but I know that the library receives a lot of its funding from the State of Ohio and also some from our local government in Wayne County. They recently built a new building and had to rely on additional grant funding as well as private donations. Right now with the state of the economy, many hours and staff have been cut because of the budget cuts at the state level. If you want to know some more check out the Ohio Library Council's website: http://www.olc.org/llgsf.asp There is even a section about how libraries are funded: http://www.olc.org/pdf/LibraryFundingHistory.pdf
Roo - Here is what I can add: In Cleveland Heights (as in the rest of Ohio), we have tax levys which we vote on periodically. We do get some state funding (which was in danger of being cut significantly last spring), but we rely a lot on local money to sustain our library, which has a beautiful new buidling and excellent service. Each state funds schools, libraries, etc. a bit differently.
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