Getting a Read on Things

More than 10 years ago, "literacy" stopped being a buzzword for me.

When you are literate, it's easy to take something like reading for granted. You assume that everyone can. Right now, our attention is focused on "education," and what our children need, but my wake up call came in a different form. When you work at a library, you learn a lot about your patrons simply in the performance of your job. You might not think we are bound by ethical codes, but you would be wrong. Your privacy is part of our job.

That said, I've encountered a number of people with requests that made them a touch red-faced—it came with the territory. But one day, a woman walked in who was almost the same age I am. We graduated high school the same year. We were both parents of children similar in age. Yet she was there for something other than a library card, or a best-seller. She glanced around nervously, and quietly asked if there were any classes for adult literacy.

And with it came her story. She was a graduate of a local high school. Reading was something she'd found difficult in school. She'd been promoted, but admitted that she couldn't read most job applications. She was 38. We did our best to hook her up with a class, but she made me remember people I had gone to school with in PS#6, in the early '70s. Standardized testing was in its infancy. They tested us all in 7th grade, and came up with a disturbing fact. There were kids who could barely read at third grade level.

I repeat, this was 1972. The "kids" I went to school with then are parents now, possibly grandparents. Some were counting down the days til they were 16 and could drop out. Imagine hearing 12-year-old children today discussing that. But it was common then. One girl I knew wanted to go to work. She wanted to be a secretary. I guess the need to read hadn't occurred to her. But I am left wondering how many of the "kids" are now adults, limited by that lack of skill.

Yes, education is important for our children, and their future.

But literacy counts, no matter your age. So I am hoping we can reach out to the people who have been "passing," and help them better their lives. Reading is a survival skill. Without it, you will never reach your full potential. If this touches you, call your local branch, and ask about becoming a literacy volunteer. A few hours a week can change a life. I hope that woman followed up on it. I stopped working at the library not long after I met her. But I hope she found what she needed.