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Re: Cost of Picture Books
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From: leonardsma_at_aol.com
Date: Sat, 06 Nov 2010 14:40:51 -0400
There are a number of literacy organizations in the US that give out free picture books. First Book is the largest and gives out millions of books each year. I wonder what people think it takes to make this approach a re ally meaningful contribution in the struggle to foster literacy? Is it eno ugh just to get the books into children's hands? Or is some sort of backup , including possibly even training for parents, also needed? Has anyone se en instances of book give-aways that work especially well in producing a positive long term impact?
I also have questions about the selection of the books that are given away by literacy groups and suspect that publishers sometimes use these progra ms for inventory control and possibly also for tax advantages, with the be nefit to children given a relatively low priority.
Leonard
Leonard S. Marcus 54 Willow Street, #2A Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA
T 718 596-1897 E leonardsma_at_aol.com W www.leonardmarcus.com
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From: sully_at_sully-writer.com To: Subscribers of ccbc-net Sent: Sat, Nov 6, 2010 2:16 pm Subject: RE:
Cost of Picture Books
For people who cannot afford to purchase picture books there is that wonderful, too frequently forgotten resource, called the public library. I see no shortage of them in my local public library nor do I see any lack of interest on the part of parents borrowing them. In my state and others, there's something called the "Imagination Library," started by Dolly Parton that sends a book a month for children through the age of 5. It's available to anyone who up signs for the program . There's a huge used bookstore in Knoxville where you can buy quality hardcover picture books in excellent condition for as little as $6.00. I don't think the issue is so much the cost of books as it is what people value. Even people with lower incomes spend their money on what they think is important. Video games or books? Toys or books? How many parents, regardless of economic class, will give picture books to their children instead of the latest toys or electronic gadgets for Hanukkah or Christmas?
Edward T. Sullivan, Rogue Librarian Author, The Ultimate Weapon: The Race to Develop the Atomic Bomb (Holiday House, 2007) Visit my web site, http://www.sully-writer.com Visit my blog, Rogue Librarian: All About Books and Reading http://sullywriter.wordpress.com Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/sullywriter
Date: Sat, 06 Nov 2010 14:40:51 -0400
There are a number of literacy organizations in the US that give out free picture books. First Book is the largest and gives out millions of books each year. I wonder what people think it takes to make this approach a re ally meaningful contribution in the struggle to foster literacy? Is it eno ugh just to get the books into children's hands? Or is some sort of backup , including possibly even training for parents, also needed? Has anyone se en instances of book give-aways that work especially well in producing a positive long term impact?
I also have questions about the selection of the books that are given away by literacy groups and suspect that publishers sometimes use these progra ms for inventory control and possibly also for tax advantages, with the be nefit to children given a relatively low priority.
Leonard
Leonard S. Marcus 54 Willow Street, #2A Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA
T 718 596-1897 E leonardsma_at_aol.com W www.leonardmarcus.com
Message-----
From: sully_at_sully-writer.com To: Subscribers of ccbc-net Sent: Sat, Nov 6, 2010 2:16 pm Subject: RE:
Cost of Picture Books
For people who cannot afford to purchase picture books there is that wonderful, too frequently forgotten resource, called the public library. I see no shortage of them in my local public library nor do I see any lack of interest on the part of parents borrowing them. In my state and others, there's something called the "Imagination Library," started by Dolly Parton that sends a book a month for children through the age of 5. It's available to anyone who up signs for the program . There's a huge used bookstore in Knoxville where you can buy quality hardcover picture books in excellent condition for as little as $6.00. I don't think the issue is so much the cost of books as it is what people value. Even people with lower incomes spend their money on what they think is important. Video games or books? Toys or books? How many parents, regardless of economic class, will give picture books to their children instead of the latest toys or electronic gadgets for Hanukkah or Christmas?
Edward T. Sullivan, Rogue Librarian Author, The Ultimate Weapon: The Race to Develop the Atomic Bomb (Holiday House, 2007) Visit my web site, http://www.sully-writer.com Visit my blog, Rogue Librarian: All About Books and Reading http://sullywriter.wordpress.com Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/sullywriter
---Received on Sat 06 Nov 2010 02:40:51 PM CDT
