Category: Toronto

WHEN?
November 12-13, 2009

WHERE?
Bronfman Hall,
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen’s Park, Toronto

ABOUT THE SUMMIT:
Becoming a reader is at the very heart of responsible citizenship. But as we find ourselves caught in the fierce updrafts of an information hurricane, we often lose sight of what reading – as an intellectual activity – contributes to our sense of self, our cultural awareness, our capacity for self-expression and, ultimately, our notions of engaged citizenship and the collective good. Reading, after all, is about so much more than a technical act that allows us to communicate, consume media and perform the activities of daily life. To be literate is necessary, but it is not enough.

What is Canada doing to foster a reading culture? Many countries around the world have developed a national program to promote reading among children and the general population. In Canada, individual provinces and communities have made steps in this direction; however, because schools and libraries are the most obvious focus for public reading initiatives, and both are under provincial and municipal jurisdictions, we have no coordinated national strategy to promote reading.

THE READING COALITION
In 2008, a group of librarians, parent activists, authors, publishers and corporate leaders came together with the goal of developing a national reading strategy for Canada; the TD National Reading Summit is the first step in identifying key strategies and building a coalition to advance policy development and implementation. Canadians from all parts of the country are encouraged to engage in this far-ranging discussion about the task of building a reading society.

Please click on the links to Get Involved and for More Information. We hope you get a chance to register and attend, the Program looks amazing!