32 million adults in the United States can’t read.
I spent a considerable amount of time trying to come up with a less grim way to phrase that, but sometimes the facts should just speak for themselves. I do have to say though, as a blog writer for a library, that statistic is incredibly upsetting.
We as a society have slowly gone away from investing in libraries. It feels as if every year we watch the hours of public libraries get trimmed more and more to save costs. In many towns, university libraries are the only libraries available to the public during weekends and after-work hours. But, of course, not every town has a university or college.
Many people do not realize how important libraries are to literacy development. The free access to books and materials provided by libraries give children and adults crucial opportunities to learn and practice reading. Libraries traditionally have been centers for after school and summer learning for kids of all socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as places where adults can improve literacy skills in an understanding environment.
As it happens, today is the 50th anniversary of International Literacy Day, established by UNESCO as an effort to “actively mobilize the international community and to promote literacy as an instrument to empower individuals, communities and societies.” This year begins UNESCO’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, one of the goals of which being to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
What better place to help further this goal than a library? So I urge you to go and support your local library and the pursuit of literacy in any way you can. Read a book, or read to someone else and help sharpen their skills. Make a small donation or volunteer your time.
The fight to end illiteracy can seem like a daunting fight. But if we all pitch in, one day we will have a country where everyone can read.
By Alex Mesadieu
International Literacy Day
Uncategorized32 million adults in the United States can’t read.
I spent a considerable amount of time trying to come up with a less grim way to phrase that, but sometimes the facts should just speak for themselves. I do have to say though, as a blog writer for a library, that statistic is incredibly upsetting.
We as a society have slowly gone away from investing in libraries. It feels as if every year we watch the hours of public libraries get trimmed more and more to save costs. In many towns, university libraries are the only libraries available to the public during weekends and after-work hours. But, of course, not every town has a university or college.
Many people do not realize how important libraries are to literacy development. The free access to books and materials provided by libraries give children and adults crucial opportunities to learn and practice reading. Libraries traditionally have been centers for after school and summer learning for kids of all socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as places where adults can improve literacy skills in an understanding environment.
As it happens, today is the 50th anniversary of International Literacy Day, established by UNESCO as an effort to “actively mobilize the international community and to promote literacy as an instrument to empower individuals, communities and societies.” This year begins UNESCO’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, one of the goals of which being to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
What better place to help further this goal than a library? So I urge you to go and support your local library and the pursuit of literacy in any way you can. Read a book, or read to someone else and help sharpen their skills. Make a small donation or volunteer your time.
The fight to end illiteracy can seem like a daunting fight. But if we all pitch in, one day we will have a country where everyone can read.
By Alex Mesadieu
Happy National Book Lovers Day!
UncategorizedIt’s a glorious day in the nation. Why? Because it’s National Book Lovers Day. And there’s no better way to celebrate than by spending some time in a building full of books, with people that know and love books, reading or maybe talking about (yep, you guessed it) books.
“Great books help you understand, and they help you feel understood.” ~ John Green
So come on by, pull up a chair, settle in, and bask in that wondrous creation — the book. And be sure to wish your friends and family (and maybe a librarian or two) a happy Book Lovers Day.
Need a Charge?
Library NewsWe’re pleased to offer a new service at Hannon Library – complimentary charging stations for your phones and devices. The stations are simple and easy to use, and you don’t need to have your own cable or connector. Just walk up and plug your device in using one of the available connectors:
Apple Lightning (iPhones, iPads and iPods)
Apple 30-Pin (older generation iOS devices)
USB-C (newer Android devices)
Micro USB (older generation Android devices)
So enjoy a free power pick-me-up, but please remember to never leave your devices unattended while charging.
In Their Own Words
UncategorizedAs Americans, we tend to mythologize our founding fathers. In history classes, novels, and historical documentaries, we often focus on the Revolutionary War and the ideas that made men like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and John Hancock so special.
What we often forget is that their ideas came from the simple act of reading. When Benjamin Franklin was young, he loved reading so much, he gave up eating meat in part to have more cash for buying books.
In honoring this 4th of July, Hannon Library invites you to learn about the the founding fathers in their own words. We have autobiographical books by Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and John Adams. We also have numerous writings by Thomas Jefferson, and a great biography on John Hancock.
So have a mental chat with the signers of the Declaration of Independence through the literature available at Hannon Library, and we hope you had a happy Independence Day!
By Alex Mesadieu
To Fathers Everywhere…
UncategorizedThere’s a famous quote by Mark Twain that goes, “When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”
So often, we forget the things we put our parents through and how much wisdom and life experience they passed on to us. If you asked a dad, they’ll tell you being a father is a tough job.
Hannon Library is glad to honor the people who sacrifice so much, take on that tough job, and support their children. Below are some of the great dads of Hannon Library:
By Alex Mesadieu