School libraries focus of literacy push in Canada

Where do young cows eat when they go to school? In the calf-eteria. Oscar Henderson, 9, serves up a big grin to go with the punchline from a new library book at Dovercourt Junior Public School in Ontario, Canada. “It’s really good to have new books,” said the Grade 4 student. “Joke books are my favorite.” His school was one of 10 across Canada that received a $150,000 grant last year to buy new books and beef up literacy support for their libraries. On September 19, Dovercourt pupils attended the launch of the documentary “Writing on the Wall” that says nearly half of Canadians have trouble with day-to-day reading while 80% of those who end up in jail are functionally illiterate. Even so, the film says, governments have slashed funding for school libraries. Read the article at TheStar.com.