chatabout: reading more than books: reading groups using graphic novels, audio and more

Greetings from Southend-on-Sea

Simon WallaceCommunity & Diversity Team Manager

Southend-on-Sea Borough Libraries

Reading – more than just books

Explore Book Festival

Sex and Books and Rock ’n’Roll

Family Reading

50 and rising... “Southend's strategy is about making libraries

more accessible, providing an attractive environment and breaking down barriers.

It's about opening the reading group experience to people who might be excluded otherwise.“

Bizarre : a Teen Reading Group

Grass Roots Reading GroupWestcliff L ibrary

Presents

Magical Path J eff S award on the

H istory & Magic of

Labyrinths & Mazes

T hursday 16th S eptember

7.30pm til 9.30pm

T icket £5.oo each including refreshments C ontact

Westcliff Library 01702 341961/ S outhend Library 01702 534147

audiencedevelopment@southend.gov.uk

Take two Reading Groups andfour partnerships......

Chatty ReadersThe Diskettes

“Chatty Readers”A Skills for Life reading group established in October 2007 by Southend Borough Libraries in partnership with Southend Adult Community College (SACC)

Chatty Readers• Every month time is spent in discussion and

views are shared amongst the group on the books, which have been read. Often a student will recommend a book, which may then be taken home by another group member to read.

• By talking about their books and sharing their

reading experiences, the group members provide each other with support and shared encouragement to try a range of different reading choices.

“I can now read a lot more types of books… I find the book and CD packs very helpful… I like the stories where the characters have experienced similar things to me.“ (David, reading group member)

Chatty Readers• The main aim of the group is to encourage students from the

Southend Adult Community College Skills for Life classes to gain more confidence in the library environment and become more comfortable using the library facilities.

• A further aim is to enable students to gain confidence in

selecting reading material and to help develop their reading, listening and speaking skills.

• An important dimension of any library reading group is to

enable people to meet socially, enjoy a good chat, share books with others and try new reading experiences. Reading groups should be fun!

• “I have seen a great increase in general confidence of the learners attending the group and an improvement in their reading skills. This type of group is a must for all Skills for Life learners” (SACC Skills for Life tutor.)

Diskettes Reading Group

Elsie, Diskettes Reading Group “When something you love and have always done is takenaway, it is very hard.

My eyesight started deteriorating a few years before I wasRegistered Blind and I can’t read anything any more.

The best thing about the group is talking about booksyou have really enjoyed. I used to just read mysteries,and I would never have dreamed I’d find myself discussinga book about the Taliban.”

Selecting Stock• Feedback & suggestions from students /reading group

members• Comments received from Discovery Tour visitors• Working with Skills for Life and ESOL tutors• Using publisher’s catalogues/ websites• Chatabout Forum and TRA website• Locally published titles eg “Mo” and Storehouse • Ask Chris website (Essex Libraries) • SET Library Partnership (Southend, Essex and Thurrock)• Audience Development colleagues• Community Partners• Focal Point Education & Outreach Officers

Materials used• Audio books (including Quick Read titles)• Graphic novels, Manga and Anime DVD’s etc• Quick Reads in large print• Loan magazines• Book and audio CD packs (as part of the Get on collection)• Locally published book titles• Local history resources – Southend Access Point, SEAX, Southend Timeline • TRA / BBC resources e.g. Dig In, Headroom, Flour Power, 6BC• Get On campaign materials • Quick Reads publicity• Library Exhibitions (including Focal Point Gallery)• Working with local authors, writers and artists e.g. John Bulley, Dee Gordon • Online resources e.g. BBC RAW, Ask Chris website• Discovery Tour information packs• MultiKulti website, Citizenship websites, language courses, pictorial dictionaries, dual language

resources • Pictures to Share books• Persula Foundation storytelling tours /Bag Books

Ask Chris website

Ask Chris is a mixture of the knowledgeand enthusiasm of Essex Libraries staff,and recommendations of readers and

reading groups across Essex.

So when you Ask Chris to suggest whatyou should read next, you'll be tapping

into the opinions of hundreds of readers

www.askchris.essexcc.gov.uk/

Source : Essex Libraries

a short introduction to graphic novels

Image 1 http://www.themedianinja.com/glenn/legacy/gifs/saturnback.gif Page from the back of Why I Hate Saturn enumerating stereotypes about and virtues of the graphic novel:

Working In PartnershipHello to Mo (and his new trainers)

A Taste Of ... Partnership

Rethinking PartnershipsAdult Learners’ Week

Move On is a national project aimed at helping adults to brush up their skills and gain the National Certificate

in Adult Literacy or Numeracy.

www.move-on.org.uk/

http://geton.direct.gov.uk/

E-mail : simonwallace@southend.gov.ukWebsite : www.southend.gov.uk