Agenda and minutes

Consideration was given to a report presented by the National Year of Reading Co-ordinator on the Department for Children, Schools and Families nominated 2008 to be the National Year of Reading (NYR).

The year itself runs from April-December and is focused on a number of monthly themes, determined at national level by the National Literacy Trust and the Reading Agency.  These agencies have been contracted by the Government to oversee the NYR.

The final three monthly themes are:-

October:  “Word of Mouth” – Storytelling, reading out loud, reading together, reading aloud, live literature.

November:  “Screen reads” – Exploring the diversity of reading and writing; scripts, TV and films.

December:  “Write the future” – Writing, texting, blogging.

The year aims to encourage people to read in businesses, homes, and communities around the country, providing new opportunities to read and helping people to access help and support through schools and libraries.

Rotherham libraries have based their calendar of events around each of the monthly themes whilst a number of schools have promoted the themes in newsletters to parents.

The meeting was informed that the National trend is for a declining number of people using libraries, the initiative being a way of looking for a 10% increase this year from a number of people who have signed up Nationally.

However, the active borrower indicator figure for Rotherham has shown an increase month on month.

The Government will adapt the most successful strategies and initiatives as part of the cultural Olympics which will run in tandem with the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

The Cabinet Member raised a question with regard to the success, if any, of any work carried out on in-depth analysis of National and local initiatives.

In discussing the report, the following issues were referred to:-

-                       Partnership organisations’ and schools’ involvement in the initiative

-                       Funding support

-                       Links to Imagination Library and enhancement to other Library initiatives

-                       Grant funding

A DVD to promote the initiative, which had been created in partnership with Rotherham PCT, was shown.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Cabinet Member continues to support the aims of the National Year of Reading (NYR), which have been promoted locally through the library service and in schools.

(2)  That thanks be extended to Rotherham PCT for their help in the compilation of a short DVD promoting the initiative within GP Surgeries.

Tuesday, 16^th September, 2008 at 10.30 a.m.

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Lifelong Learning take place on Tuesday, 16^th September, 2008 at 10.30 a.m.