By Christine Yunn-Yu Sun
This year’s National Shared Reading Week takes place from Monday 28 October to Sunday 3 November.
As Street Library Australia declares: “Shared reading is simply reading with others.”
“National Shared Reading Week presents an opportunity for people to share not only books, but the importance and joy of reading… Because teaching children to read shouldn’t be the domain of parents and teachers only; it’s everyone’s responsibility to be good role models for future generations,” Nic Lowe, Founder and Chair of Street Library Australia, said.
Established in 2016 as a not-for-profit and a registered charity, the organisation’s mission statement begins with these famous words from Dr Seuss: “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you will go.”
Street Library Australia exists to encourage literacy and bring neighbourhoods together through books.
“The hope is that one day, a little boy or girl with no books in their house can pass by a local Street Library and discover a new world of opportunities.”
“When people take a book and leave a book, they create a cycle of generosity that allows them to share what they love with those around them.”
The Street Library movement is all about “encourage reading, encourage sharing, and encourage community”.
Presently there are more than 5200 registered Street Libraries across the nation, with 1170 in Victoria.
These are “a contemporary, thriving example of the circular economy – where the items we buy can be reused by other people,” Mel Lake, general manager of Street Library Australia, said.
During the National Shared Reading Week, Street Librarians around the country are encouraged to host an event where a chosen book can be shared with their community.
After registering, participating Street Librarians will have their events publicised via a country-wide map on the National Shared Reading Week website.
They will also receive a badge for their Street Library, plus posters and flyers to inform the community about their events.
But shared reading is not just about Street Libraries, as reading together strengthens social connections among people of all backgrounds and ages.
Professor Genevieve McArthur of the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy explains: “Reading is one of the most influential factors in determining success in school and in life. Shared book reading builds children’s understanding of words and spoken language, and improves general cognitive skills like memory and problem solving.”
Perhaps award-winning YA fiction author Maryam Master illustrates it the best: “As a child I lost myself in books and stories. For me they truly were an escape. A lifeline. A portal into a world beyond my own reality. I love Shared Reading because it connects human hearts through words and stories. It’s food for the soul.”
Those interested in the National Shared Reading Week events hosted by participating Street Librarians can check out the official website, at streetlibrary.org.au/national-shared-reading-week
The Street Library Australia website also has a Street Library Map where readers can find their local Street Libraries, at streetlibrary.org.au/find/
