Creating and promoting a reading culture in school libraries in the ICT era.

Mulauzi, Felesia; Mwale-Munsanje, Velenasi

Creating and promoting a reading culture in school libraries in the ICT era.

Date

2013-07

Authors

Mulauzi, Felesia

Mwale-Munsanje, Velenasi

Publisher

Zambia Library Association

Abstract

The paper examined the activities that school librarians and teachers undertake to create and promote a reading culture among learners in secondary schools. The decline in the reading culture among learners in Zambia is a worrisome situation for educational success and the country’s development at large. The role of the school library in education is seen from the basic level of inculcating the reading culture among learners.The study was conducted in some secondary schools in Lusaka Province and it employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. 46 secondary schools participated in the study. The researchers used a questionnaire and an interview guide to gather primary data. The study reports interesting revelation of the activities school librarians and teachers undertake to create and promote a reading culture among learners in the era of ICT. These include the following: recorded lessons, Internet searches, book fare sensitisation campaigns, award giving to regular patrons, reading programs, school debate sessions, press clubs, reference services, book reviews after reading, deliberate policy to keep learners in the library, reading clubs, reading lessons. Based on the above, a major recommendation is made that a reading environment should be provided for all learners in schools for them to develop good reading culture. The study will help policy makers including librarians and school administrators to design appropriate reading programs for learners in secondary schools in Zambia.