A few weeks ago, Children's author and Australian Children's Lauerate Ursula Dubosarsky wrote a feature in The Sydney Morning Herald focusing on the impact of library shutdowns on Children.
Since this article was written, all students have resumed schooling on-site, even if it is just for one day per week. Some have opted to bring all students back with normal classes each day.
Fortunately (unless directed to), school libraries can still open, but there may be restrictions in place e.g. numbers may be capped during break times). Students can still borrow books.
There may be schools where classes (unless timetabled) may not be permitted to access the library and contain students to normal classrooms to minimise movement around the school.
Primary Schools at this stage from the information that I have cannot have normal timetabled library lessons which deprives students of that opportunity to borrow new books to read but also engage with the library. From the times that I have engaged with primary school students, they love their library lessons (especially kindergarten kids) and the thrill of choosing a book to read and then enjoying the thrill of reading the book. We should at least aim to give them time to borrow and return a book. In high schools, some teachers will send the students in small groups to borrow. I remember in Year 6, my primary school library decided to barcode the entire collection and we were only allowed into the library for borrowing (Yours truely assisted as he was a library monitor at the time).
I have been supervising Stage 3 students at a local primary school in the Sutherland Shire on a part time basis and have been impressed by the teachers requiring their students as part of their online learning to spend 20 minutes reading each day. The kids that are at school start off their day with it. Great Work!!! Even had some great conversations with the students about their reading choices.
While some schools have access to eBooks for students, others don't and that places students at a disadvantage given that eBooks are better alternative than reading nothing at all and I hope that this pandemic leads to every school offering its students an eBook collection. While the preference for reading is print form, there are some situations where eBooks do provide an advantage over print. At least a child is reading.
Every person - Teachers, parents, family and friends all have a role to encourage of our children even with the limitations with access to libraries (public and at school), that they should read each day. Explore the alternatives like eBooks. Read a newspaper or magazine if a book is not available. In NSW, book stores are still open. Invest your money in a good book. Reading will underpin success in life.
Restrictions may be easing, but its not too late to embrace reading.
For our public libraries - Please explore ways to allow people to still borrow. Follow the lead of the Northern Beaches Library and provide a "click and collect" service.
Tip: While Discount Department Stores (BigW, Kmart & Target) provide books at great prices, I find that QBD offer a great selection of books at discounted prices and often for books that may not be sold at those stores.
