As part of Canadian Library Month, CUPE is presenting stories from members of the National Library Workers’ Committee to highlight and celebrate the different roles CUPE library workers play in promoting literacy in their communities.
Brandon Haynes, CUPE 4948
Toronto Public Library workers help to support literacy in numerous ways. We keep kids engaged with reading and learning throughout the summer months to set them up for success in life and school. We offer early literacy support to parents and children aged 0-5. We help seniors and older adults access a wide range of technologies. We also provide programs that connect people to various cultures, empower people to participate in civic engagement, promote financial and health literacy, and the list goes on.
During my time as a library worker at the Toronto Public Library I have had the privilege of supporting two literacy programs. One of the programs was an after school reading and homework help program for school-age children. The other was focused on assisting underserved children, youth, and parents or caregivers in learning to safely navigate the internet together. At the end of the program, participants were able to obtain access to a free computer and related software.
The challenge with some literacy initiatives the library offers is that funding can be uncertain or temporary, such as programs that are supported by grants or those that are launched as pilot projects. This can lead to cuts to services due to the precarious nature of program funding and the lack of long-term commitment to programs begun as pilot projects. This happened to both the literacy programs I was a part of as the library positions dedicated to these programs were eliminated over time.
For me, literacy is about helping people find the information they need and using it in a way that helps them connect to others and the world around them. This involves responding to peoples’ diverse levels of ability, language and cultural preferences, and comfort with technology. By advocating for greater investments in library services and the workers who provide those services, we can all play a role in promoting literacy and ensuring literacy programming is preserved at libraries for generations to come.