From: ROEBEJA at MAIL.STATE.WI.US <ROEBEJA>
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 11:49:07 -0400

First an introductory word as a new subscriber to ccbc-net: I'm Jane Roeber, the coordinator of Wisconsin's Summer Library Program and Youth Services for the Division for Libraries and Community Learning, Department of Public Instruction. I'm a librarian but not a children's librarian who comes from a background in public library work and writing of various kinds. Like all of you, I have enormous respect for the staff and resources of the CCBC and treasure the time I can spend there. Similarly, I treasure the opportunities offered by the CCBC and its Friends organization to meet creators of children's books. Last night's presentation by Helen Oxenbury and John Burningham is a sterling example of such an opportunity. How much more we as adults can appreciate such authors and illustrators when we read their books with their own voices and smiles and gestures echoing in our minds -- and we can convey that warmth and enthusiasm to children and parents having had this kind of personal contact. Because of a publication I recently finished for DPI (Read from the Start: Early Literacy Activities and Resources for Librarians and Other Educators), I was especially excited and empathetic when Helen Oxenbury described her feelings about the importance of reading to the very youngest children, how those moments of close sharing of board books and picture books are the essential beginnings of learning to value reading. And John Burningham's thoughts about how books also build appreciation of art and imagination continued to reinforce opinions I'm sure many of us share. So this message is by way of thanking the Friends of the CCBC and CCBC staff members for arranging such a delightful and insightful evening -- and to encourage all of you to attend similar events when at all possible.
Received on Wed 21 Jun 1995 10:49:07 AM CDT