NB 1138
Oct. 15, 2004
EDMUNDSTON (CNB) - All public school students who entered kindergarten this year will soon receive a public library card to encourage reading as the basic foundation for further learning, Education Minister Madeleine Dubé, announced today.
"This Quality Learning Agenda (QLA) initiative, which began in the last school year, is part of our effort to encourage all students as well as adults to make use of the materials and programs available at their public library or bookmobile," she said. "Our public libraries are incredible storehouses for learning, with more than 1.9 million books, videos, CDs, DVDs and other materials in their collections."
Dubé
launched the library card campaign for kindergarten students while visiting
École Saint-Jacques in Saint-Jacques, where she spoke to a class of kindergarten
students about the importance of literacy. The minister also distributed public
library cards to the students.
Back row : Donna Michaud, teacher; behind, Louise Désilets,
chairperson of District Education Council 3; Marc Basque, director of Saint-Jacques
School; Minister Dubé; Finance Minister Jeannot Volpé; Bertrand
Beaulieu, superintendant for School District 3 and Johanne Jacob, regional director
of the Haut-Saint-Jean Library Region. (Large
photo)
"They are the first students to receive their cards this fall, but every kindergarten student will receive one at their school within a couple of weeks," Dubé said. "Along with the card, there will be a letter for parents to inform them of this new initiative, and of how to activate the library card."
In March, the government announced that all kindergarten to Grade 12 students in the public school system would receive public library cards as promised in the Quality Learning Agenda for the public school system, Quality Schools, High Results. Since that time, almost 10,000 of the cards have been activated, and the percentage of New Brunswickers with a public library card has increased to 39.1 per cent from 36.9 per cent between April 1 and Oct. 1, 2004.
"I am pleased with the number of students and their parents who have taken this opportunity to join their local public library," Dubé said. "Reading really is the foundation for all learning, and I am so proud of all the students and parents who are now accessing all the wonderful resources and programs available in our public libraries to encourage reading.''
In addition to providing library cards to each child who began kindergarten this fall, the Department of Education and school districts will also distribute cards to students who begin public school in September 2005.
04/10/15
MEDIA CONTACTS: Hugues Beaulieu or Jason Humphrey, communications, Education, 506-444-4714.
04/10/15
