On the News this Week: Enough books?

This week Yves Bolduc, the Education Minister of Québec, recently said in an interview, regarding the recent budget cuts, that libraries have enough books:

I would prefer [that libraries] buy fewer books. Our libraries are already well-equipped. Go in the schools. There are books… books that were bought last year, two years ago, 20 years ago,” Bolduc told Le Devoir.

This is true off course, libraries do have a lot of books, but one thing is too have a lot of books and another is to say that they have ENOUGH because...what is enough really? 

First of all, what Mr Bolduc seems to not have into consideration is that there are books coming out EVERY YEAR to say the least, and that off course includes books for children, MS and YA and off course text books. While the later sometimes have almost the same information from edition to edition, in science at least, theory can change a lot, and hence the book that the library has from, say, 2 years ago, might carry statements that are no longer valid.

As for books that are not text books, a lot of them that have appeared recently, tackle more and more recent events or situations and hence offer a completely different reading experience than a book from 20 years ago. This does not demerit the value of books from 20 or more years ago off course, but is not the same thing, and one person cannot say that because you have the Encyclopedia Britannica from 1950 at home, you have no use for a Wikipedia entry for Climate change.

It is normal that different entities have to go under budget cuts but is a sad thing when one of the first options is education. I grew up not knowing a public library until I was a full grown teenager. My school's (a private one) library was the only library I knew besides the one at home, and I consider myself lucky because of this. When I moved here and finally had access to a free public library system it was heaven for me. Demoting the value that books can have for children AND for their educators is not alright. 

What is your opinion on this situation? Is there such thing as enough books, particularly when it is related to children's education?

On the News This Week: Ralph Lauren promotes Kids Literacy

Hello, Hello everybody! Welcome to another "On The News" post. Here is our piece of news:

From August 5, 2014 through September 1, 2014, 10% of the purchase price from the sale of the apparel and accessories* in the Fall 2014 Children's Fashion Show will benefit Reach Out and Read as part of the Ralph Lauren Children's Literacy Program 

          -From Ralph Lauren website

When I first saw this on Twitter, my first thoughts were very positive. I love campaigns that promote reading particularly for children. Reach Out and Read promotes reading, early literacy really, through medical practitioners, such as pediatricians.  It is a great cause, and it sure deserves some extra support. It reaches "only" the United States and I am using quoting marks, because it is a lot, even is technically is only one country.

But then I went to see the collection. It is adorable, both the clothing for girls and boys. You can find clothes for your 2 year old toddler and up to 16 years old...but it can be incredibly expensive!!!

Sure, you are going to tell me, well It Is Ralph Lauren. Yes, they have very good structure in their clothing, good quality materials...they also have a fair amount of their clothing outsourced and hence their cost of manufacture doesn't really compensate their prices. It is all related to the lable. Off course I know this is not a situation unique to RL, I know the "power" of a label, not only in fashion...but right now I am looking at the adorable clothing and thinking: if I had a kid, would I want her/him to learn about this power so early in life? even if part of this money is going to help other children?

I do not have kids yet, and I know parents want to give the best of everything to their kids, including good example, supporting nice causes like this one, but a voice inside of me keeps telling me that I might as well just donate the 40$ that RL would give Reach Out and Read, instead of buying a 395$ Schoolboy Jacket...What do you think? I would love to hear your opinions as always.

On the News this week...

This might become a weekly installment about book related news, let's see how it goes

I have been living in Montreal for almost 5 years now and I really like this city. Regardless of the fact that winter settles here for almost 6 months every year thank you very much, it is an amazing city, full of restaurants, museums, site seeing and good bookstores, both indie and chains.

This week, I learned that one of the biggest stores of Chapters (think Barnes and Noble, or Waterstones but in Canada) located in downtown Montreal is closing...and it will be replaced by a Victoria's Secret. This is bothering and it has nothing to do with VS. Granted I do not like VS; I feel inadequate with my body after five minutes of watching their famous Angel fashion show; I could not find anything that felt comfortable at their store; I do not like the fact that they have an underwear line for girls that looks sometimes lie lingerie for girls. But this is a general feeling I get often with some lingerie companies. This is not however what upsets me about them replacing Chapters.

What bothers me is that is not a bookstore replaced by an art gallery, or a small museum, or even a new restaurant. Now there will be a retail lingerie store...in front of ANOTHER lingerie store (in this case La Senza) that is a few steps from ANOTHER lingerie store (La Vie en Rose), sure there is still La Maison de la Presse International, but its dedicated as the name shows, to press. To quote my boyfriend, is not like a form of culture is being replaced by another one form...is bras all over the place.

It is true that a couple of steps nearby of the Chapters in question you find Odyssey, a nice place for buying and selling books; if I remember correctly is only Anglophone literature so there is a bit less offer than what you could find on Chapters. But again, my point is not that we are losing a place where to buy books, there are tons of places here, and that is great...is the nature of the replacement that makes me sad.

What do you think of this type of situation? I would love to see your comments