Book-toting Rotarians to promote literacy at L.A. convention

By Harriet Modler
Rotary International News - 22 October 2007

LA Convention Center

Every Rotarian who brings a book to the 2008 RI Convention in Los Angeles will help boost literacy among schoolchildren in surrounding Rotary districts. The global initiative, called Rotary’s Wide World of Books, aims to collect more than 250,000 books in different languages.

The books will be donated to students in grades K-3 attending public elementary schools in the seven hosting Rotary districts, which cover parts of Southern California and Southern Nevada. Students in California rank among the lowest in the nation in reading skills.

The donated books will form a “book mountain” in the atrium of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Seating will be provided around the display so that convention attendees can read to local schoolchildren.

“It is symbolic that the mountain of books will be built atop the world map in the atrium’s floor design,” says Ingo Werk, chair of the initiative and past governor of District 5280. “[Among students] in Los Angeles Unified School District alone, 97 different languages are spoken.”

Werk urges every attendee to join this historic event by bringing one or several books in the language of their choice. Organizers also hope the initiative will set a record for the world’s largest book drive. A judge from Guinness World Records in London will be on hand to verify the results.

Since 2000, a number of Southern California clubs have participated in Reading by 9, a multiyear campaign established by the Los Angeles Times that helps students in kindergarten through third grade read at grade level by the age of nine.

Learn more about the Rotary’s Wide World of Books at www.rotary2008.com.

10 Comments:

At 10:13AM on 23 October 2007, NAGARAJU.G, PDG, 3190, INDIA. wrote: World of Books will promote literacy among students. Every rotarian participating in RI Convention could donate 1 or more books. 97 languages may be indicated;Indians prefer English/Hindi/local language for reading to school children.This is a nice initiative. Best of luck'.

At 4:10PM on 23 October 2007, Greg Hill wrote: What a wonderful idea to promote Rotary's literacy agenda in this way. Our club in Topeka, KS has had a successful literacy project with a local school. Each speaker at our club's meetings signs a book and we donate it to the school's library. The book mountain should be an incredible exhibit.

At 12:28PM on 24 October 2007, Stephnie Rodrigo wrote: Dear Sir, We are happy to note that Rotary is taking the lead the way to make the world a more literate place. The Rotary Club of Capital City, has adopted 2 schools and 1 vocational training school where we teach Computer and English. We would appreciate if you would send us books on grammer and simple stories for students who study English as a second language. We promise we would bring some books to enhance your collection of books so as to see your dream of mountains of books a reality.

At 12:28PM on 24 October 2007, Sanjiv Seth wrote: This is an excellent initiative and such a simple idea to promote literacy. I suggest every club must try and organize such book mountains and donate the collected books to municipal/goverment run schools which normally would not have access to such books. And a worthy cause

At 10:42AM on 29 October 2007, Eugene wrote: I am happy to be part of a noble organization , helping students and children all over the world to be part of the literacy class ,the rotaract club of accra-labone in Ghana d9100 has a adopted a schoool and will be grateful if they receive some books to promote litreracy in GHANA.

At 4:18PM on 30 October 2007, Ruth Lee wrote: Rotary Club of Rock Island is sponsoring a new Interact Club at Rock Island High School. We are bringing the Wide World of Books initiative to them for consideration as their first service project.

At 4:57PM on 31 October 2007, Barry Hodgson wrote: I heard about the K3 literacy project while doing a make-up meeting in Palos Verdes, CA. I picked up brochures to give out to my Semiahmoo Rotary Club in White Rock, Canada. I am still waiting to hear some local (District 5050) promotion. I have my club support, but the other clubs need to be informed. I shall contact my DG. I am definitely planning to attend the LA Conference -- to which I will be transporting at least one box of books from my club. My club has been actively supporting literacy for years, locally and internationally. Each week our speakers are informed that a book will be donated in their name to a moblie library in Guatemala.

At 4:33PM on 1 November 2007, Carol McClaugherty wrote: What a great idea, which ties in so well with our goal in WV education to have every child reading by grade three. I love the suggestion of some of those who commented regarding having speakers sign a book to donate to a worthy entity. One more good reason to be a Rotarian.

At 10:41AM on 6 November 2007, Bill Hise wrote: What a super idea. It is troubling that Southern California, which is blessed with so much, has such a reading problem. And I hope the press coverage of the convention shows Rotarians reading to children near the mountain of books !

At 3:04PM on 6 November 2007, Kevin Killion wrote: To make sure that these book donation projects are worthwhile, it's important to give to those schools that are making a difference. If you've got schools in a poor area that show signs of reading accomplishment in standardized tests, then ship 'em all you can because the kids there will be able to use them to grow and prosper. But if other schools in the same area are doing lousy in tests, that's a sure sign that the school is committed to basic methods that just don't work, and giving them books is not going to solve the heart of the problem.

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