FYI:
Current Literacy Information & Resources
Fall 2006

FYI highlights information and resources that may be of interest to practitioners, researchers, policy makers and administrators in the literacy field in British Columbia. FYI is compiled by library staff based on the reports and journals we receive at the library, email notices, Web sites and other current awareness services. It is sent out quarterly with Literacy BC’s E-Bulletin and posted on the Literacy BC Web site under “Publications” at www.literacy.bc.ca. Thank you for forwarding to us information you would like to see in the next FYI.

• Skills and Skill Shortages
  Findings from the Workplace Partners Panel’s Viewpoint Leadership Survey.
  Ottawa: Canadian Labour and Business Centre, 2006.
  A September 2006 survey looks at skill shortages facing the Canadian economy and labour market. Concerns about skill shortages are highest in Alberta and British Columbia.

• The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis – Golden Oak Award Winner 2006
  Adult learners chose The Heaven Shop as the winner of Ontario’s Golden Oak award. This award, funded by the Ontario Library Association, gives new readers a way to read books chosen specifically for them. Ontario learners can also post comments about books they are reading online. Other nominated books for 2006 were: Fires! by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (Annick Press, 2004); Maria Chapdelaine by Louis Hemon (Tundra Books, 2004); Rachel: The Maybe House by Lynne Kositsky (Penguin Canada, 2002); Rescue of Nanoose by Mary Borrowman (Horsdal& Schubert, 2004) and Rosie’s Dream Cape by Zelda Freedman (Ronsdale Press, 2005).

• Google’s The Literacy Project
  Google, in collaboration with LitCam and UNESCO’s Institute for Lifelong Learning, has created “a resource for teachers, literacy organizations and anyone interested in reading and education.” Rather than doing a general Google search, this site uses Google’s technology that segments the Web by type of resource. It brings you literacy-related journal articles, books, video, maps, blogs, and groups. Deb Monkman, Literacy BC librarian, says that in her opinion, it is one of many resources to check but it has a long way to go before being her first choice. She asked some colleagues with an interest in literacy to check it out. Denise North, a teacher librarian working at Vancouver Public Library’s Britannia branch (a joint use library), reports that the “Google Scholar literacy links are quite insightful and helpful. I’ve found its overall usefulness hit and miss due to the restricted access to many publications.”