LISNews: Librarian News

"If I had to make a huge, sweeping, overgeneralized statement, guys probably read less - and less fiction - than women," says Jeff Garigliano, a senior editor at Portfolio magazine and the author of Dogface, a "guy" book about a punishing summer camp for kids who've been bad.

The reason men read less, Garigliano says, is that they think they should have outgrown the notion of make-believe, so they can't find as much enjoyment in fiction. When they do read, they tend to go for nonfiction and biographies. Just the facts, sir.

Where does the divide begin? And when?

From the University newsletter, a story about Clarion students in a new program working with literacy students on reading skills.

Volunteers from Education 414: Literacy Training, taught by Dr. Kathleen Murphy, assistant professor of education, are paired with Literacy Council clients through an arrangement with the Clarion University Center for Teaching Excellence. Murphy is in her second semester of working with the project instituted by Dr. Brian Maguire, associate professor of education.

The agreement calls for 30 Clarion University students to participate, 15 each semester. They receive three college credits for a 50-hour commitment. The Literacy Council matches them with an adult learner, who they will work with over a 15-week period, providing tutoring either at the Clarion University’s Carlson Library or the Clarion Free Library and even some at the Clarion County jail. The Literacy Council provides books and supplies.

“This helps the college students in their teacher training through this service learning option,” said Tucker. “They get experience before they do their student teaching. On the other hand, it gives the non-traditional adult a way to get an education in a personalized situation, not in a normal classroom setting.”

The habit of reading to gain knowledge is dying fast but some librarians are determined to save it, News Watch Nigeria takes a look at the state of reading in Nigeria. On the reading habit of the average Nigerian student, Nwosu said many students are generally concerned how to pass their exams, rather than seek to acquire knowledge over a period of time. "Exam, the issue of how to pass it, is the pre-occupation of many students these days. But the truth is that you do not only need to read to pass, you also need to expand your view and broaden your knowledge base," he said.

Since our RIF story stirred up so much interest and debate, I thought LISNewsterz might enjoy another story on that very hot topic.

Here's one woman's opinion on the subject of reading. The woman is Theodora J. Kalikow, President of the University of Maine at Farmington. She concludes, like her mother before her (who wouldn't let her bring Mad Magazine into the house), that "Reading is dangerous. But not reading is even more dangerous."