Free reading

Teaching Pre K-8, Apr 2001 by Swartz, Elizabeth

Libraries offer us a wealth of information and enjoyment at no charge

In recent years, the phrase "free reading" has come to signify a few minutes of peace and quiet during which students (and, blissfully, even faculty) are left alone to read. However, those two little words have meant much more to the world than that

As I was growing up, I received two brand-new hardcover books per year - one for my birthday, and one for Christmas. This has always been one of my favorite gifts, but I only realized how fortunate I was to have my own books after I read a biography of Abraham Lincoln. He had to work very hard and walk a great distance in order to borrow a book. That biography changed the way I looked at libraries.

The wonders of the library. In high school, I worked as a page in the county public library. I remember one lady who came in every Saturday morning. Each week, she'd come in with a paper grocery bag full of books to exchange. She could never have afforded to buy even one bag full of books, let alone the dozens of bags of books she borrowed every year.

Later, when I went to college, I was amazed to find a four-story library full of books which were at my disposal. I could have any of them whenever I wanted, and they were beautiful!

It may be difficult to communicate the wonders of the library to your students. It's almost like trying to teach them about countries where children are starving, and then finding out your students think that means kids in other countries don't get pizza every Friday. Our students may not understand wealth if they have never understood want.

Libraries through the ages. Let's take advantage of National Library Week (April 1-7) to heighten our students' awareness of this great gift. Students can draw slips of paper from a book pocket to receive their assigned library - Alexandria, Rome, The Library of Congress, The Library of the Cathedral of St John the Divine, The Yeshiva Library, your county library, your school library, etc.

Have them write letters to the librarians, requesting information on the libraries' history and collections. They can record the information on the reproducible page, and you can make a class chart comparing the sizes of the various libraries' collections and the demographics of the areas they serve. You can extend this activity by having students incorporate their new knowledge into booklets produced in your computer lab. You can house the booklets in your classroom, or in your school library.

This activity can take as much or as little time as you have to offer it. Hopefully, even a brief study of the history of libraries will help children to appreciate what a fantastic resource they have within their reach - free reading!

Elizabeth Swartz is librarian at Watsontown Elementary School and Turbotville Elementary School in PA.