[NLA] Discussion: Minneapolis Literacy Campaign

[David J. Rosen]

NLA Colleagues,

Janet Isserlis, who has reservations about literacy media campaigns,
sent me this Website address for the Minneapolis Campaign Literacy:
Right to Read 2001

http://www.gmnetwork.cc/campaign.htm

I think this provides a good example of some common problems of literacy
media campaigns:

1.  It focuses on the *problem* of *illiteracy*, not the benefits of
literacy'
2.  Its emphasis is kids, not adults or families;
3.  Its main activity is providing free books for kids -- worthwhile,
but not very helpful for an adult who cannot read.

This analysis is from a cursory reading of the Website, however; the
actual campaign may have been/may be much more extensive.  Anyone from
Minneapolis on the NLA list care to comment?

David J. Rosen
<DJRosen at theworld.com>