Mr Seán Canney TD, the Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, has today (17 October 2019) presented Right to Read Champion Awards to local authorities in recognition of their ongoing efforts to support literacy development through the library service.
The Awards, which were hosted by the LGMA at Local Government House in Dublin, were presented to all 30 library authorities in recognition of the support and promotion of literacy skills development through initiatives such as the ‘Summer Stars Reading Programme’ and ‘Spring in to Storytime’.
Speaking at the event, the Minister said:
I am delighted to be here today to present the Right to Read Champion Awards to local authorities who led on and delivered the Right to Read Programme, it is a great initiative that has committed us, both at a national and local level, to improving literacy standards.
The delivery of the Right to Read programme at local level is led by the public library services in each local authority and the implementation is overseen by a Right to Read co-ordinator in each library service. These awards are being presented to and is coordinated at national level by the Right to Read Steering Group, chaired by the Department of Rural and Community Development in collaboration with Libraries Development in the LGMA.
Note to editors:
Right to Read is a collaborative cross-government initiative that provides a nationally coordinated framework for literacy support and reading development in all local authorities. It is funded primarily by local authorities and implemented through Right to Read Action Plans in each city and county. Right to Read supports literacy development for individuals, families and children and provides core services, resources and initiatives for a range of user groups.
Right to Read complements and support existing national strategies and initiatives, including the Department of Education and Skills’ National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy.
A national Right to Read Steering Group, was established to support the development of a national programme framework. Membership included City and County Librarians, as well as representatives from the CCMA, the Local Government Management Agency, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, through Sport Ireland. It is chaired by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Programme Objectives
The overall objectives of the programme are to –
- provide effective and co-ordinated literacy and reading development supports aimed at all members of the community and across the range of literacy types,
- develop the level of literacy of the community by enabling the acquisition of literacy skills, development of reading practices and support for formal and informal learning,
- establish a sustainable and formal network structure to identify and reach the individuals and groups in need of support,
- provide a national oversight to ensure a consistent level of support is provided to communities and individuals across the country, and
- complement any existing literacy services already in place in communities, including the Education and Training Boards and adult literacy services.
Right to Read Champion Award, National Support and Oversight
The Right to Read Champion Award is a national initiative that recognises efforts by individual local authorities on an annual basis to support and promote literacy skills development and provide responsive literacy programmes throughout the authority.