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VANCOUVER – The Province is investing $23.4 million to improve library services and promote innovative literacy programs in schools and communities across the province as part of a strategy to make B.C. the most literate place in North America by 2010, Premier Gordon Campbell said today.
“Literacy is an incredible gift that opens up a world of opportunities, achievement, and learning, and together we must work to ensure every British Columbian has access to the literacy skills and training they need to realize their full potential,” Campbell said at the first Premier’s Literacy Summit in Vancouver, attended by about 130 literacy educators and representatives from the federal, provincial and municipal governments.
“We know there are direct links between literacy and employment, income and health, so making sure B.C. is number 1 in literacy is critical to helping people succeed at work, at home, and in their communities.”
At the summit, Campbell announced: · $12 million of added funding over three years for public libraries, which will bring broadband Internet into every branch, provide a 24-hour virtual reference desk and set up a one-card system to give every British Columbian access to books from any library in the province. · A new $5-million program for literacy innovation grants to B.C.’s public schools. · Funding for 41 adult literacy cost-shared programs from a budget that has been doubled from $700,000 to $1.4 million. · The first six pilot projects under LiteracyNow, a $5-million program of community-based planning and project delivery funded by the provincial government.
Campbell also named the 12 members of the new Premier’s Advisory Panel on Literacy, which the Province committed to establish in the throne speech. The panel includes representative from literacy organizations, business, local government and non-profit service agencies. The panel is chaired by Linda Mitchell, executive director of Literacy B.C., the provincial network of organizations and individuals promoting and supporting literacy and learning. The panel is holding its first meeting this afternoon, and will submit its first report early in the new year
“The advisory panel’s first task will be to assess the literacy challenges in our province and pinpoint the most urgent needs,” said Campbell. “From there, members will develop recommendations that will help us formulate a provincial literacy strategy that will let us meet those challenges.”
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“Excellent work is taking place in every part of the province to open doors for people whose literacy levels prevent them from reaching their potential, and today’s announcements will make an enormous contribution to those efforts,” said Mitchell. “I look forward to working with the other members of the literacy panel to analyse the bigger picture and help develop a co-ordinated strategy that will increase literacy and learning opportunities for people of all ages in B.C.”
Today’s announcements add to other recent provincial literacy investments including $10 million for new textbooks, $3 million for a kindergarten readiness program, $1 million for computers for schools, $744,000 for new literacy tools for parents, teachers and students and matching donations to the B.C. Raise-a-Reader campaign.
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For information on AchieveBC, visit http://www.achievebc.ca.
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