National Year of Reading 2012
Valentine's Day 2012 marked the official launch of the National Year of Reading 2012.
State Library of Queensland is proud to be a founding partner behind the National Year of Reading along with other National and State Libraries and Library Associations.
Through a range of love2read activities and events you and your family can participate in a year long celebration of the joy reading brings to readers of all ages, and the value of literacy in enabling lifelong learning.
46% of Australians cannot read newspapers; follow a recipe; make sense of timetables; or understand instructions on a medicine bottle (ABS 2007).
Nearly one in three Queensland children are starting school at a disadvantage (AEDI 2009).
Build a lifelong love of reading with your children by sharing stories together, be it in the form of books, eBooks, magazines, newspapers, non-fiction, fiction, poetry, song lyrics, screen games, text messages. It’s not what you read that matters, it’s that you read.
Make it your goal this year to help children discover the joy of reading and discover or rediscover the joy of reading yourself.
“Once you learn to read, you will forever be free.” (Frederick Douglass)
Also proudly supporting ‘love2read’ are our Queensland Ambassadors :
Kevin Rudd MP – Children’s book author & Federal Member for Griffith
Gary Crew – Author & Academic
Suzy Wilson – Owner of Riverbend Books & Teahouse and the Founder of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation
Nick Earls – Author and Founding Chair of War Child in Australia and an Ambassador for the Pyjama Foundation
Gerrard Gossens – Vision Australia, Paralympian, writer
Ben O’Donaghue – Celebrity Chef, Author and TV Presenter, part owner of Southbank Surf Club
Roly Sussex – Chair of the State Library of Queensland Board and Emeritus Professor of the University of Queensland
Program of activities
Nationally
12 – 18 May: It’s Never Too Late….To Learn To Read
It's never too late … to learn to read" is a short story competition for unpublished, new, emerging and established Australian writers in Adult Learners Week.
25 August: Reading Hour
Everyone benefits from reading for at least an hour a week. The reading hour aims to get all Australian’s reading! Put the date in your diary now.
See the National Year of Reading website for further details.