​What did you enjoy about this paper?
I enjoyed INFO546 course immensely, it was so well taught. Having worked in libraries for some time in other capacities, I felt as if I was being allowed to peek behind the curtains at the world of resource description, and it’s a fascinating area.
 
I work at Otago University during the day and study at night, and I’ve learned a lot about my learning style.
 
Where have you worked?
I have worked in client services teams at the University of Otago Library, starting while studying for a BA in film and anthropology, and also in the University of South Australia Library. I’ve been with the Information Resources department since 2017, again at the University of Otago, primarily purchasing resources.
 
I’ve worked with records before, mostly in the resource acquisitions team where I facilitate title-by-title monograph and e-resource access. Just as the course was ending though, I applied for a fixed-term role as a cataloguer with the resource access team, and was successful, thanks to my studies at VUW. I was learning about this type of work as I got my new position.

​What I like about working in libraries
I am still learning these dark and complex arts, and I absolutely love it! For a curious generalist, this is heaven, pretty much.
 
I love everything about this work. I don’t think I would fit in well in the corporate world. I love the focus on ethics and caring for and helping people that you get in libraries. You come across people from all sorts of backgrounds. The taonga you get to work with, joining people up with what they need, making taonga and information discoverable, is rewarding. Finding course materials for what people need – it’s all connected to helping people.
 
Tips for study
If anyone is thinking of taking up study here’s my tips:

• Get your citation software sorted early so you can hit the ground running – I love Zotero.
• Find the people to help you and ask them for advice, including the people you work with.
• There are intensive reading lists – if you learn a few tricks like the new version of Word which has a Read Aloud function – it means you can hear it being read while you highlight important information without losing track.
• There’s also software you can download from VUW IT called “Read & Write” and it can read screenshots, which Word can’t.
• LIANZA video’s on Youtube have been amazing. It’s been a great resource – you know you can trust what’s being said, has great content, and it’s from a New Zealand perspective.

 
Thank you so much to LIANZA for this prize and the opportunity to join. I’m really enjoying the “big picture” perspectives afforded by my studies, and I know that an affiliation with your organisation will only add to that. We all appreciate your services in so many ways. I’d also like to thank the Information Studies programme for their teaching and the University of Otago Library for their support.
 
About Mary Flemming
Mary Smith Fleming (1908 – 1964) was Senior Lecturer in Cataloguing at the New Zealand Library School from 1946 to 1964. The LIANZA Mary Fleming Grant is awarded to the Victoria University of Wellington student, who in the opinion of the VUW Information Studies Programme Director, is the best student of the year in INFO546 (2021).
 

The impact of cookie privacy changes on identity services
How recent changes to cookies and web browsers impact IP and federated authentication for the library Apple’s latest IOS 15 updates to cookies brought about changes that enhance user privacy. But what does this mean for authentication, and for you as the librarian? What do you need to do to comply with new laws? How might this disrupt access to online resources?
 
Steve Lowe – Regional Sales Manager, New Zealand, EBSCO.
Heather Flanagan – Principal, Spherical Cow Consulting
Adam Snook - Technical consultant, OpenAthens
A book described as a taonga for this generation and the next, written and illustrated by one of the country’s most lauded authors, was tonight crowned the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year at the 2022 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults ceremony, held at the Alan Gibbs Centre, Wellington College.

Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes by multi-award-winning author Gavin Bishop was praised by the judges for its sense of magic and the way it validates matauranga and te ao Māori truths.

“Atua is an instant classic, a ‘must have’ for every Kiwi household and library, that is packaged in stunning production values,” said convenor of judges Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith.

“The book is much more than a list of Gods and legendary heroes – it’s a family tree, presented with power and simplicity. The text is never overstated, with the glory of the illustrations as the primary mode of storytelling, rewarding the reader who closely examines them.”

As well as taking out the highest accolade in children’s publishing, Atua also won the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction and the Russell Clark Award for Illustration.
It’s the fifth time Ōtautahi-based Bishop's work has been acknowledged with the coveted Book of the Year prize. He has now won it three times for titles he authored and illustrated and twice for books where he was the illustrator. This is more than any other children’s author or illustrator in New Zealand, even the award’s namesake Margaret Mahy, who won the supreme award twice.

​OTHER AWARD WINNERS
While Atua took out the lion’s share of the prizes on the night, it was a cheeky lion who impressed the judges when it came to the Picture Book Award, which went to Lion Guards the Cake by Wellington’s Ruth Paul. The judges loved the masterfully blended words and images, calling it confident storytelling of the highest calibre.

An imaginative, thought-provoking novel with “a bit of creepy stirred in” was how The Memory Thief by Leonie Agnew of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland was described. It won the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction, with the judges praising the skill and writing craft of the author, as well as the depth and quality of language.
Learning to Love Blue by Melbourne-based New Zealander Saradha Koirala was awarded the Young Adult Fiction Award. The judging panel was enamoured by this novel that deals with striking out alone, navigating relationships and finding one’s feet in a new city, calling it an emotional and always relatable read.

The standard and beautiful flow of reo in I Waho, i te Moana, translated from Yvonne Morrison’s text by Pānia Papa (Pōneke Wellington) and illustrated by Jenny Cooper, saw it awarded the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for te reo Māori. The judges praised the expertise of the translator, and also said the illustrations bring to life the authenticity of this story about the many taniwha that act as guardians in the moana.
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Among the 199 entries into this year’s awards, some of the most exciting for the judges to read were those from new voices. With the calibre encouragingly high, it was a tough category to call but the NZSA Best First Book Award went to Spark Hunter by Sonya Wilson from Auckland. The judges felt the book was perfectly pitched for middle fiction readers, with its debut author deftly weaving history, culture, conservation, humour, tension and adventure into the story.

​Marny Dickson is this year's David Wylie award winner after completing her post-graduate diploma in library and information studies at Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka. She tells us about herself, her career, and recent studies.

I was really excited to hear I'd won the David Wylie Award. I took last year off to go back to study as a mature student. I've had a varied career to date. I've worked in the university sector in research and evaluation, and in government policy roles. I was seeking to step back and use my brain in a different way and I certainly did! I've always been interested in issues around information access and use.

Can you tell us about the qualification you have just completed and what you enjoyed in this training?
 
I've just completed my post-graduate diploma in library studies. I really enjoyed the range of courses available and meeting my fellow students from all different sorts of professional backgrounds. I was really impressed with the 'real world' expertise that the lecturers brought to the professional programme,  and the emphasis on trying out new (for me!) technology. The highlight was my chance to shadow a range of information professionals at Victoria University library. The staff were really generous with their time and it was well organised. The visit gave me a much clearer idea of the range of job opportunities in the sector, progressions, current issues and challenges facing the library and information sector, and what various roles are like in practice. 

What are your plans for the future?
 
I've come back from my sabbatical with a fresh perspective and lots of new enthusiasm around how we can improve access and use of information and evidence in my agency. At some point in the future, I would like to make a switch to working in a library context.

Do you have a view on how new graduates can be supported by the sector? 
 
I thought the opportunity to get some hands-on work experience as part of my qualification was really valuable. I wondered if there were opportunities to build on this further through partnerships between libraries and the university to broker job placements or transitions into library work for those not already working in the library sector.

​The David Wylie prize has been awarded annually by LIANZA since 1986. It is made in memory of the former Victoria University of Wellington librarian, David Wylie (1925–1985) in recognition of his strong involvement with education for librarianship.
 
It is awarded to both Victoria University of Wellington and Open Polytechnic students who are judged by their institution to have completed the best piece of written work on an aspect of library and information studies. Each award is for one year of LIANZA membership or LIANZA Professional Registration.

Three librarians share their recent StoryWalk® experience, the benefits, and some hot tips on running StoryWalks in your community.

WHAT IS A STORYWALK®?
StoryWalk® is an international initiative that, because of COVID-19, over the last two years has become popular worldwide. This includes 11 new StoryWalks by libraries in Aotearoa. StoryWalks inspire reading in a creative way – building youngsters’ literacy skills without them even knowing! The walk also encourages time with friends and whānau in a free outdoor space, where everyone is welcome.
Pages of a children’s book are displayed on boards, secured to posts along a path, usually through a park. StoryWalk® is a registered service trademark owned by creator Anne Ferguson of Vermont, USA in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Acknowledgements should be made to Anne Ferguson, the book publisher, author and illustrator at the beginning or end of any StoryWalk® produced.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PROVIDING A STORYWALK?
StoryWalks support literacy development as well as physical and social wellbeing, especially for children and families/whānau. They also provide a brilliant opportunity for community building and engagement outside the library walls.
Promoting reading
A StoryWalk® is enticing for kids who have plenty of energy or are not usually keen on reading. The appearance of a new book on the StoryWalk® can encourage whānau to develop literacy rituals by exploring each story together. They are a novel way of presenting gorgeous books to not-yet-library-users outside the library walls and are ideal for highlighting our New Zealand authors and illustrators.

Getting kids active
StoryWalks also encourage tamariki and their whānau to spend time outdoors together, walking, biking or running from post to post as they follow the story. It gives a purpose to “going for a walk” and a helpful distraction for those unenthused about the value of fresh air and exercise. The development of cognitive skills, such as language learning, reading, predicting, and detail observation, go “hand-in-hand” with the gross motor skills used in physical activity. Simply put, when we move our body, our brain works better!

Building community
The flow on effect of people getting outdoors and reading together has a positive impact, not only on individuals and families/whānau, but on the wider community. StoryWalks allow libraries to connect with the community where they are, when in-person visits may be limited or unavailable.

The positive messages upheld in books chosen for the StoryWalk® are themselves significant in contributing to societal and cultural transformation. Connections can also be made between the stories and local or national celebrations such as Matariki, Conservation Week, Te wiki o te reo Māori, and Christmas.

Extending the library’s reach
The StoryWalk® boards can be a way to advertise events and resources at the library related to the story that the community may not be aware of. It is also a great way of linking in with events that are currently running, for example reading challenges, school holiday programmes, and wider council events and activities.
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There is much potential to work with community groups such as Scouts or land care cooperatives who enjoy this free activity. StoryWalks also provide an opportunity for positive across-organisation collaboration with council staff members in a project that benefits community wellbeing.

WHAT DID WE LEARN IN THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING STORYWALKS?Factor in damageInevitably, there will be damage or vandalism. Have backups of your books and hard materials to replace any damaged ones as keeping on top of this is important to the image of the library. Alternatively, with publisher permission, copying the pages onto synthetic waterproof paper cuts down preparation time and costs, and means the pages are fine in any weather and are reusable.

Involve the communityAfter experiencing vandalism in one location, one library resolved to involve their community in the next StoryWalk®. Children from the neighbouring school to the StoryWalk® location were invited to help in selecting a story and securing the pages of the book to the boards, thus becoming invested in the StoryWalk’s success.

The books have to be excitingThe most successful stories so far have been those with a strong, often adventurous storyline, eye-catching illustrations, seek and find objects hidden in the pictures, positive messaging, and even a well-known tune in the story text.

Communities genuinely love themWe only ever hear positive feedback from the community about our StoryWalks.

“Thank you so much to the librarians and assistants who have taken the time to come up with suitably illustrated short stories to engage young & old alike. Please keep up the good work.”

“The story was really good and a great bonus that it ended at the playground” Parent of four 

“I love this SO much!!! It's such a brilliant idea, and I wish I could come down and do the StoryWalk® myself! I'm so happy you chose our book. Thanks so much for your dedication to children's literature - not to mention fitness and the community! It's inspiring. All I can say is: the world needs more librarians!”  Author

“It looks great! Thanks so much for sending these pictures through – it’s lovely to see the story in situ.” publisher
Capitalise on marketing and promotionHaving a search and find, quiz questions to answer, activity packs or colouring pages associated with the StoryWalk® book provide a reason for children to come to the library after reading the story. It also opens opportunities for many valuable outcomes, including gathering feedback on the StoryWalk®, new or renewed membership, data collection for reporting on, promotion of libraries as a space for all, new resources, and upcoming events.
 
Think wider than your usual marketing avenues for promotion: a short video with local councillors and their children or grandchildren, newspaper articles, radio interviews, and an e-newsletter with details of the new StoryWalk® to local primary schools and ECE centres are some.

ANT TO GET STARTED ON ONE? HERE’S HOW:

• Write up a proposal for your team lead or library manager
• Include all possible costs: installation labour, cost per board, marketing
• Get the community involved as much as possible
• Ask any of us for help or further information

A CAVEATWe are three librarians who have set up Storywalks in our communities, many others have also done this around Aotearoa. This article was produced as a follow-up to a presentation by the authors to a LIANZA Children and Youth Service Network online meetup in March 2022.

Teresa Blackbeard has been working at Gore District Libraries through the NZLPP focusing on community engagement, reading for wellbeing and digital inclusion. Unsurprisingly, she enjoys the outdoors, tramping, good stories, and time with her family. You can contact her at tblackbeard@goredc.govt.nz .

Hana Whaanga RLIANZA is a life-long learner and employed as the Learning & Discovery Librarian with Hastings District Libraries. Born in Wellington and now living in Hawke’s Bay, she enjoys deep and meaningful conversations, thinking big, and connecting people to information and ideas. You can contact her at hanaw@hdc.govt.nz.
 
Kate Powis: has been part of the Community Engagement Team as a children’s librarian for Napier Libraries since August 2020. Kate is very passionate about delivering fun and exciting opportunities for the tamariki of Ahuriri.  In her spare time, she studies Te Reo Māori L4, is a screenwriter, and enjoys hanging out with friends, family, and of course the dogs. You can contact her at  kate.powis@napierlibrary.co.nz.

​Sammy Yu is a youth librarian at Auckland Central City Library. He tells us about his Junior Librarian Programme for youth aged 9-13 years.
 
After planning several events at the library for the school holidays, several years ago, I was left with the impression
that the events were fun but lacked depth and focus. I led a stop-motion movie workshop using green screens and iPads with mixed results. I realised that a creative project like this would be better served over multiple days. This was the germ of inspiration for the Junior Librarian Programme, a paid school holiday offering operating out of Auckland Central City Library. This camp is a chance for kids aged nine-13 years to make the library and the greater CBD their holiday playground. We ran one programme with 17 participants in July 2021 and will be bringing the programme back this October. 

THE JUNIOR LIBRARIAN PROGRAMME
I wanted to create experiences that a young person wouldn’t find anywhere else and give them agency over a complex creative project. I reflected on all the unique stuff that my library could deliver and was able to quickly provide some special activities and field trips. We have a maker space, a two-floor basement to explore, a book preservation lab, and our Special Collections team has lots of interesting taonga. Most libraries do not have these same facilities, but this is the type of programme that is successful and what our community could provide. Partnering with groups that make the community vibrant is what creates success.  
 
With my experience in the science classroom, the library, and at summer camps in California, I knew I could make a special programme. I imagined what I would want to see as a kid exploring the library. All in all, we were able to create a really rewarding experience for all participants. Some of the things we did over four days:

• Bookbinding workshop
• Basement scavenger hunt in the dark
• Design and 3D print bookmarks
• Old manuscripts presentation from Special Collections team
• A Behind-the-scenes tour of the Auckland Civic Theatre
• Spoken Word workshop with Action Education
• Paid trip to the arcade
• Programming the Edison robots to sumo wrestle
• Photo mission in the park
• Storyboarding workshop
• Making and editing a green screen movie
• Tour of the Auckland Art Gallery

 
COSTING THE PROGRAMME
I was initially sceptical about charging a fee for a programme like this, but the scope of the vision demanded a cost input above a simple koha. I realised that I could charge less than the average school holiday programme, $30 per day, and also provide some ‘scholarships’ to subsidise the cost for three children to attend that would be unable to otherwise. I would like to expand this scholarship opportunity in the next round and ideally support all attendees.
 

HOW DID THE JUNIOR LIBRARIAN PROGRAMME WORK OUT?
I was surprised by how smoothly this programme went. We had to design and order teeshirts, build a website, do promotions, handle cash intakes and payments, and set it to fit into the tight schedule, in addition to the logistics of supervising 17 tweens. I was originally going to debut in April 2021, but the central library building ended up closing to fix the roof days before we were set to start. As a result, I had to issue numerous refunds. 

The programme was able to run over July last year, though many of the kids didn’t get to finish their stop motion films. The biggest disaster was probably the Whānau Showcase. Here we invited whānau to see their kid’s movies, share some kai, and give out awards. The movies wouldn’t render in time, so I had to stream 17 successive iPads to the projector. All lessons learned and not that bad in retrospect.
 
As we move forward, I want to develop some modules with different themes. Last July’s theme was movie making, but I could just as easily do one focused on art and design, photography, architecture, and urban mapmaking. This programme takes a huge amount of development time and does require staff to be around kids all day. If you can devote the resources to something like this, the payoffs are awesome. The feedback from the kids was that the programme was spectacular despite the random hiccups. I look forward to making this an ongoing and sustainable offering at the Central City Library.
 
Sammy Yu is the Youth Librarian at Auckland Central City Library. He was born and raised in San Francisco and has spent the past five years around NZ with his partner and three children. An educator and food scientist in a past life, he strives to bring science and serendipity into the library.
 

It’s not just about books, it’s about people, actual people, pushing the kaupapa”
Reading is both an individual passion and a social activity that can be influenced, inspired and actively enabled by others. Whānau, peers, teachers, librarians, and community have huge influence as role models and facilitators, through talking about books they have read, telling stories, sharing their own interest and joy in reading, reading aloud with their whānau of all ages, providing access to great books and being seen reading themselves.

We know there are many factors that can affect reading engagement but the more that communities surrounding tamariki and rangatahi understand their influence in creating young readers and the potential impact of reading for pleasure, the more effective they are in encouraging and supporting reading.
​
This is the central finding from phase 1 of the National Library’s Pūtoi Rito Communities of Readers initiative and reinforces proven good practice and research findings from across the world. While there is an extensive body of international research on the value of reading for pleasure and wellbeing, there is much less that is based within Aotearoa New Zealand settings. With this programme we are generating local research and insights and exploring how to build reading engagement effectively and sustainably in a New Zealand context. 

GROWING A NATION OF READERS IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
​
“A love of reading can be more important for a child’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic background” (Dept Education UK, 2012, p 3 sourced from Kirsch et al, 2002, p 3).

Voluntary engagement with reading – reading for pleasure, relaxation, and enjoyment – has proven lifelong benefits. These include improving literacy, knowledge, academic attainment, and cultural understanding. Reading for pleasure provides a foundation for developing other literacy skills including digital and critical literacies, crucial for participation in today’s complex information landscape. Reading also supports identity, personal and social development, empathy, and wellbeing.

However, young people’s levels of literacy and reading for pleasure are in steady decline (Hood & Hughson, 2022; McNaughton, 2020) and as COVID constraints ease, the impact of the last two years is expected to show deepening inequities for young people. The Ministry of Education launched the Literacy and Maths Communications Strategy in March 2022 including an action focus area to consolidate a partnership with National Library Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to extend literacy engagement opportunities. Across the education and related sectors, there is increasing recognition of the role of reading for pleasure in supporting literacy development and wellbeing. 
​
Reading – growing a nation of readers – is one of three themes in the National Library’s Turning Knowledge into Value, Strategic Directions to 2030. Alongside Pūtoi Rito, National Library and partners have established Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador initiative to inspire powerful and positive reading experiences for tamariki, rangatahi, whānau, and communities. Ben Brown, writer and storyteller, is the first Te Awhi Rito and a national advocate and champion for reading.

​LOCAL AND NATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
Pūtoi Rito is a series of collective impact partnership projects, led by National Library and funded by Te Puna Foundation, that aim to influence and strengthen the conditions that lead to the development of a culture of reading. Each project is in different school and community settings across Aotearoa, with local and national partners including schools, Mana Whenua, Ministry of Education, Oranga Tamariki and many others. In every project, the National Library is collaborating with public libraries and/or school libraries, working together to have the greatest impact.
 
In Phase One, 2019-2021, there were two projects centred in schools (with five primary schools in a Kāhui Ako in West Auckland, and with Huntly Secondary College) and two community projects (with the South Dunedin community and supporting young people in care in the Canterbury region). Research by external professional researchers was a key part of each project, and the initiative included an international and national literature review, and the development of resources, tools and frameworks for teachers and librarians to support their professional practice. Phase One has also stimulated a growing interest and further research in this area.
​
INSIGHTS FOR LIBRARIES
The insights from Phase One have been brought together in the Pūtoi Rito Communities of Readers Phase One Summary and Insights report, incorporating the research findings and additional feedback and reflections from partners, collaborators, and staff.

There are insights that relate directly to creating a culture of reading in schools and others that are about engaging with a wider community, such as developing community champions and making reading visible for whānau in many places outside the library and the classroom. There are some conditions, however, that encourage tamariki and rangatahi to read for pleasure in any setting and many of these are directly within the influence of libraries.
As well as the central finding about the huge importance of the community surrounding tamariki and rangatahi as role models and enablers, Pūtoi Rito Phase One demonstrated:

• The deepest engagement with stories and reading often occurs with books in home languages and ‘heart languages’. There is high demand for books that connect to place, culture and identity, particularly books in Te Reo Māori or with a Te Ao Māori context, and in the diverse languages of Aotearoa.
• Tamariki and rangatahi need choice in what they read and the freedom and support to pursue their own interests. They need opportunities to grow their understanding of others as well as themselves. They need ‘windows and mirrors’ that reflect their own identity and open doors to other worlds and possibilities.
• Books should be plentiful, high-quality, visible in many places, and easily accessible. The combination of high appeal, good quality, variety, and accessibility without barriers, leads to the books being valued and appreciated.
• Expert selection, consultation, curation, and reading suggestions based on a wide knowledge of the literature for tamariki and rangatahi, and the people in the community, are highly valued and appreciated.
• Leadership and shared purpose are required in a local context to bring communities together to create an environment where reading for pleasure is supported, celebrated, prioritised and encouraged. Engagement with reading cannot be left to chance. Libraries, as trusted places of equity and community connections, can contribute to leading and building this shared purpose.

In Phase Two of Pūtoi Rito, the community projects in Dunedin and Canterbury are continuing. We are deepening the engagement with these communities, focusing on sustainability and extending the research components. We are also exploring options for new projects to be initiated later in 2022.

Throughout Pūtoi Rito, we are aiming for the engagement with communities to be collaborative, generous and joyful, creating good associations with reading and encouraging a strengths-based approach.

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see all the adults in their lives support this ambition, with their school, homes, aunts, caregivers, whānau – all the adults in their lives – supporting a love of reading and providing access to books.” Pūtoi Rito Community Project Partner


Elizabeth Jones, Director Literacy and Learning, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa
Kate Irvine, Programme Manager, National Reading Initiatives, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa
 
REFERENCES
Hood N. & Hughson T. (2022). Now I don’t know my ABC, The perilous state of literacy in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Education Hub
McNaughton, S. (2020). The Literacy Landscape in Aotearoa New Zealand. Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor
Kirsch I, de Jong J, LaFontaine D, McQueen J, Mendelovits  J, Monseur J (2002) Reading for Change Performance and Engagement Across Countries - Results From PISA 2000, OECD. Accessed in Research evidence on reading for pleasure, Dept of Education, UK, (2012)

The Asia Foundation is behind an innovative book collection for Fijian children on oceans and inclusive climate action, translated into Fiji’s three main languages: iTaukei, Fiji Hindi and English.
Although English is Fiji’s official language due to the country’s colonial past, the two main ethnic groups in Fiji speak their own languages and Fiji struggles to incorporate these into the country’s education system. Literacy rates have also been on the decline in recent years. One goal of this project is to reverse this trend.
 
Developed during a BookLab held in Fiji, six writers and four illustrators collaborated to write and illustrate the 10 new storybooks geared toward six to nine-year-olds. The authors gave thought to their prospective readers: how to make a child laugh, what words to use and how to use them, and the importance of illustrations.
 
The books encourage the children to act on climate change and to be curious about marine life and environments.
 
The main characters in the books range from a disposable mask (in reference to COVID times) and its adventures in the ocean, illustrating how trash travels; to a young boy encouraging his grandfather to move to a new house to escape sea-level rise, in a story called Sea Change.

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The Asia Foundation is interested in stimulating children’s literacy ecosystem to encourage children’s reading, engage publishers by providing licenses to sell specific books, and give creatives a platform where they have not had that opportunity before. By writing relatable characters, themes, and settings that reflect and affirm children’s lives in the Pacific, where many kids can’t see themselves in the books they are reading, they hope more Fijian children will experience the joy of reading.
 
“The new books both celebrate this oceanic world and warn of the threat posed by severe climate events, like powerful storms and flooding which Fijians are increasingly familiar with,” says Milika Sobey the Asia Foundation’s programme manager in the Pacific.
 
“To see their own lives reflected in these books and to read them in their mother tongues is part of being culturally visible in a world where people from small island states often feel invisible. All of us in the BookLab hope that these 10 original stories, in the three main languages of Fiji, will awaken a passion for reading in primary school children and perhaps give birth to a new generation of writers and illustrators who will tell their nation’s tales.”
 
The books were printed and launched in July and distributed to the 700-odd primary schools and libraries in Fiji. The Oceans and Climate Action book collection is also available to download and print.
More recently, The Asia Foundation has finished a second book creation exercise, focused on human rights and people with disabilities. These five books normalize the representation of children of varying abilities and emphasize their capabilities. Written with guidance from people with disabilities, the books will also be translated into Pacific languages and published in Fiji.
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All these are part of The Asia Foundation’s Let’s Read initiative which helps children of all backgrounds develop the reading and critical thinking skills needed to reach their full potential, setting them up for better employment opportunities in a rapidly changing economy and preparing them to play a positive role in their communities and countries. Let’s Read encourages families to embrace reading with impactful, community-based reading opportunities and thousands of free, high-quality storybooks, available on their Let’s Read digital library at www.letsreadasia.org.
Contact info@letsreadasia.org for more publishing and printing information.
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