The Importance of Reading Education in Relation to the Library. (Dissertation)

This blog is going to discuss few arguments related with my dissertation title which is, "Discovering Innovative Ways to Design a Local Public Library".

A research article named ‘Sharing resources - how library networks can help reach education goals’ written by Ruth Makotsi, argues about reading education within southern countries such as in Africa where people are very poor. It argues that in order to have well literate and educated people, it is to the utmost importance that they read, but to read they actually need reading materials (Makorsi, R., 2005). Reading is a very powerful tool to be invested in people to help them get knowledgeable, “broaden horizons and think independently and critically” (Makorsi, R., 2005). Promoting literacy is very essential to such countries, at the same time it is also important to other countries. Libraries could be a great way to promoting reading by providing updated reading material regularly. This article emphasizes on the impact of reading culture in southern countries, how it would improve their expansion in education therefore this would result in a better economy. “Libraries can provide information about all sorts of issues which can help alleviate poverty, and act as a focal point for the community” (Makorsi, R., 2005).

The article ‘The Role of Libraries in the Creation of Literate Environments’ by Lisa Krolak has similar arguments to the previous article mentioned ‘Sharing resources - how library networks can help reach education goals’. It is very important that environments such as libraries are well maintained, as this might encourage people to continue flourish their literacy skills by going to libraries more often (Krolak, L., 2005). On the other hand ‘The Role of Libraries in the Creation of Literate Environments’ argues that in order to have basic interest amongst people, basic education needs to start at home as parents should also be educated enough to encourage their children to read and make use of available reading material (Krolak, L., 2005).  According to the same article mentioned in this paragraph, children who are brought up in literate environments are more to succeed rather than those who are not. Schools are mostly beneficial to promote reading to children. It also argues that on the other hand, children today might get easily distracted by having more than enough easy access to technology such as televisions, computers, etc. which these eventually acts against reading education. Such technologies are also providing enough fun to children and they are distracted from reading for fun (Krolak, L., 2005). It also argues that libraries worldwide are not well funded and has low budget allocated to libraries individually. Due to this, libraries can be effected negatively 4 towards its service and in its provided materials including books, furniture, computers, DVD/Cds, etc. which are most to require funds (Krolak, L., 2005).  These things are important to be kept in safe and dry place, where there’s no excessive humidity (Krolak, L., 2005). It’s also important the place is safe from theft by having installed the necessary equipment/tools to act against theft (Krolak, L., 2005). 

In contrast to the previous articles mentioned, where they mention the importance of the library towards society, the article ‘Architectural Design Education: Designing a Library, Public Communication and Information Center in the Manufacturing Zone of Central Eskisehir Turkey, a Case Study’, argues that libraries aren’t important anymore and that “it is a fact that their [libraries] golden age has past due to contemporary reproduction and copying possibilities”, and that the internet is taking over the main role of the library (Caglar, N., Uludag, Z., 2006). Libraries are just places where people just sit and read together in public, according to this article. It adds that “libraries will survive for the sake of the attractiveness of the ritual of reading together in public that it serves.” (Caglar, N., Uludag, Z., 2006). 

References:

Caglar, N., Uludag, Z., 2006. Architectural Design Education: Designing a Library, Public Communication and Information Center in the Manufacturing Zone of Central Eskis ,ehir Turkey, a Case Study. International Journal of Art & Design Education, 25: 231–240. https://goo.gl/AzgWGD [Accessed 04 February 2017].

Krolak, L., 2005. The Role of Libraries in the Creation of Literate Environments. [pdf] United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Available at: http://www.ifla.org/files/assets/literacy-and-reading/publications/role-of-libraries-increation-of-literate-environments.pdf [Accessed 04 February  2017].

Makorsi, R., 2005. Sharing resources - how library networks can help reach education goals. [pdf] Book Aid International. Available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c5ad/3692f8bfc620b24a54a3c25b5e56a6898b41.pdf [Accessed 04 February 2017].