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Connecticut Center for the Book at the |
Mission Celebrate books, writers
and readers who engender and sustain the life of the
imagination. Highlight authors, illustrators, printers
and the literary heritage of the State of Connecticut. The Hartford Public Library created the Connecticut Center for the Book in 1997 to celebrate books and to act as a catalyst and a source of ideas for the community of the book - artists, writers, readers, librarians, publishers and printers. Over these past several years we have enjoyed remarkable success in connecting readers to programs that enhance their enjoyment of books. The Connecticut Center for the Book has established the annual Connecticut Book Awards, the World of Words, a state-wide celebration of international literature; and a quarterly literary newsletter, Readings; and promoted the national Letters About Literature program in Connecticut. In 2002, the CT Center was awarded the Boorstin Center for the Book Award for its World of Words program and other innovative and cooperative projects that stimulate public interest in books and reading throughout the state. Upon launching the Connecticut Center for the Book, I wrote “instilling an appreciation of books and nurturing a love for reading is at the core of our mission. The reason for this is simple: being able to read is the single most important predictor of success in our society. That is why we take pride in continually developing the Library's extensive book collection and in being advocates for readers.” Yet while we work diligently -- literary reading continues to decline. Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America from the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) documents an overall drop of 10 percentage points from 1982 to 2002, representing a loss of 20 million potential readers. There are, of course, many reasons – we are the hurried generation--technology, television and media options make demands and require choices other generations did not have -- that take us from reading. But we know that not reading limits the capacity to respond thoughtfully to issues, problems and situations that require making decisions. Not reading reduces the ability to think, and also imagine, and even to envision the future. Mark Twain reminded an earlier generation that “the man who does not read is no better off than the man who cannot read.” Writing proliferates, publishing booms, but where are the readers? We can continue to make literature readily available, we can display it prominently, hoping to attract the browsing public; but we must do more. We must instill a love of reading in our children, we must help families understand the value of reading and we must support literacy and learning for all, creating a community of learners. We must all be vigilant in our promotion and celebration of books, writers, illustrators and the literary arts and be advocates of equity of access to knowledge. The Connecticut Center for the Book continues seven years later to serve an important cultural and societal role. We are advocates still for readers, and for the future of the book. Louise Blalock is Chief Librarian, Hartford Public Library.
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