Reading is a habit of communication that allows people to develop their cognitive and interactive thoughts. This activity involves the active participation of the mind, facilitating the development of new knowledge and the improvement of language.
Among its many benefits we find that reading contributes to the development of imagination and creativity, improves oral and written expression making communication more fluent, and also enhances the capacity for observation, attention and concentration.
Nowadays, this habit can be taken anywhere, as long as the reader feels comfortable in it, from his or her bedroom to the beach or even on public transport. However, we all know that one of the places par excellence to delve into the world of reading and research are libraries.
These places, in which literary, musical, artistic, or reference materials are kept for people’s use, play a fundamental role in the acquisition of knowledge, becoming the intangible and intrinsic value of any society. Reading books is the gateway to education and learning and, therefore, the more people have access to them, the better the opportunities for economic, social and educational development.
A library is synonymous with education and therefore its role within an educational institution is crucial for students to achieve higher levels of knowledge, awareness and sensitisation. In fact, it has been shown that when librarians and teachers cooperate, students achieve higher levels of problem-solving, communication skills and become independent learners.
Love of reading at St. Bede’s
At St. Bede’s we work to make this happen and, together with all the teachers, the library becomes more than a place of study and a place of stimulation and fun. In the following interview you can learn more about Karen Poolton’s story; how she realised she wanted to work closely with books and how she has been a librarian for over 40 years. She also shares one of her favourite children’s books, her opinion on audiobooks, her greatest achievement as a librarian and her thoughts on Marcus Rashford’s efforts to encourage children to read.
Thanks to Karen’s dedication and commitment, our students found in the library a space to learn and enjoy their free time with a book in their hands. She made sure that students, teachers and the whole Bedian community found their love for reading.
Thank you Karen, we wish you all the best and we will miss you.
Marcus Rashford effort to get children to read
Marcus Rashford, an English professional footballer, received the honorary Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) from Prince William, in recognition of his campaign to support vulnerable children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nowadays, the Manchester United and England striker has backed a campaign by Aldi to donate 100,000 books to children this summer; in fact he narrates the film that promotes ALDI’s literacy campaign: ‘My Reading Journey’.
For this initiative, he commented: “I didn’t have access to a lot of books growing up because Mum had to make tough decisions, meaning I wasn’t able to read until I was 17. The impact this is having on children is devastating – reading is not only an essential life skill, but also a form of escapism that every child deserves to enjoy.