The new generation has seen a drop of interest in reading. According to a report conducted by the National Literacy Trust last year, only 2 in 5 children and youths aged 8 to 18 enjoyed reading in their free time, a record-low since this question was asked in 2005. The alarming decline in interest is linked to a plethora of issues including a lack of a supportive reading environment for students to read in. With the absence and understaffing of libraries in schools, it is no surprise that children are opting out of reading.
His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman, along with fellow authors Sarah Waters, David Almond, and Malorie Blackman made a statement last weekend demanding that the UK government make it legally obligatory for all schools to have a library.
‘It is too easy to think that books and reading for pleasure are not essential,’ Pullman said to the Observer, ‘whereas nothing is more certain to improve children’s ability – and desire – to read richly and well.’ He also expressed his dismay that many libraries today focus too much on being ‘information centres’ and technology hubs, while not having enough focus on books with extracurricular topics.
Pullman does have a point in emphasising the importance of reading for pleasure. It has been proven that reading can aid children in developing language and empathy skills. Research also shows that reading in children positively correlates to better academic performance and study skills. Moreover, reading from a young age can make children more likely to be readers in their adult life, cultivating a lifelong hobby that can open doors.
The push to make it law for schools to have libraries increases in importance amid the cost-of-living crisis. Under the crisis, 1 in 5 parents spend less on books for children, and 1 in 10 children and youths from disadvantaged households do not have any books of their own at home. The socio-economic disparity in children’s access to books also manifests itself in schools. In the South East of England, only 6 percent of schools do not have a library or a library space; but in the North East, the number of schools without libraries or library spaces rises to 18 per cent. Compared to students from more affluent areas, it is three times less likely for students from poorer regions to have access to a school library.
One cannot turn a blind eye to the link between the lack of school libraries and wealth disparity. This inequality in wealth distribution also poses a challenge to policy makers, and the Department of Education echoes this sentiment, stating that while they would like to see all schools have a library, it is up to the schools to allocate resources appropriately. ‘This should be a local decision, not one mandated by government.’
Although this article believes that the government should have the power to mandate a law that can improve the prospects of children across the country, executing the law will remain difficult as schools with fewer resources struggle to operate libraries. As long as socio-economic inequality remains a serious issue in the UK, the right for every student to gain access to free books remains a hopeful prospect.
“Interior of Mount Gravatt South State School library – Brisbane” by Queensland State Archives is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0