A Bold Advocacy Initiative
For the past two years, the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) has been hard at work developing a new advocacy plan that would be ready for the next Pennsylvania Governors administration.
The PaLA Board endorsed the plan in August 2010 and is now beginning to use the plan to launch a new era for library services in Pennsylvania. (Copies may be obtained at http://palibraries.org/literacy.)
The initiative, dubbed Libraries and 21st Century Literacies, refocuses and reinforces the ways in which libraries, the Peoples University, support Pennsylvanians in leading successful, productive lives. This initiative redefines the library's role in our Commonwealth within the context of five essential literacies that Pennsylvanians must attain in order to succeed as citizens, parents, students, employers, employees, and consumers.
21st Century ALA Science Literacy Links
Thomas Jefferson said, “Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens.” That is at least as true in the context of science and technology as in any other context, as judged by the need for humans: (1) to build understanding in the 21st century about how big scientific issues and events influence and shape their lives, in matters of civics and health for example; (2) to learn how they must come to terms with the global implications of scientific and technological achievements.
For access to the ALA/NSF-sponsored program Research Revolution: Science and the Shaping of Modern Life, initiated in 2003, listen to the podcast done by Monroeville Public Library in 2011 with PCBL’s own Dr. Charles B. Greenberg: http://monroevillelibrary.org/soundwavs.php.
Dr. Greenberg is PA’s only trained facilitator for the program. He will next be giving it in spring 2012 at the University of Pittsburgh, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
Two other great ALA initiatives in recognition of the importance of science literacy in the modern world are: (1) Great Web Site for Kids at http://www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&template=/cfapps/gws/default.cfm and (2) ALA Announces Discover Earth at http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=7396.
It is the International Year of Chemistry (http://www.chemistry2011.org/about-iyc/introduction), marked by the 100th year commemoration of Marie Curie’s second Nobel Prize, and the importance of women in the scientific endeavor. The PCBL advocates with the ALA for scientific literacy for all, and the role of public libraries in promoting it.