Children's Literature Delegates Meet with South African Colleagues

Roman, Susan, American Libraries

A delegation of 54 authors, publishers, school and public librarians, and other children's literature specialists met with colleagues in South Africa November 2-16 to discuss strategies for the promotion of reading and family literacy in the changing nation.

Authors Virginia Hamilton and Zena Sutherland; Louise Pelan of Harcourt Brace; Marianne Cams, editor-in-chief of Cricket magazine; Julie Cummins, head of children's services at the New York Public library; and Grace Ruth, children's materials specialist at the San Francisco Public Library, were among the distinguished delegates.

The information exchange also covered the training of children's librarians, trends in children's book publishing, the historical development of children's literature, and library collection development. Under the auspices of the People to People Citizen Ambassador Program, topics for examination had been planned and negotiated over the six months preceding the visit. Nevertheless, the delegates were surprised by the richness of the exchanges that took place, as well as by the sights and sounds of the activity in South Africa that surrounds children's literature.

Visits to a one-room library in Soweto …

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Publication information: Article title: Children's Literature Delegates Meet with South African Colleagues. Contributors: Roman, Susan - Author. Magazine title: American Libraries. Volume: 28. Issue: 1 Publication date: January 1997. Page number: 19+. © 1984 American Library Association. COPYRIGHT 1997 Gale Group.

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