Strategies for promoting reading culture among the children at Kampala Capital City Authority Children’s Library

Abstract

The aim of the study was to develop Strategies for Promoting Reading Culture among the Children at Kampala Capital City Authority Children’s Library. The objectives of the study were to; identify the factors that motivate children to become interested in reading, examine the role played by the library in promoting a reading culture among the pupils, examine the challenges faced in promoting a reading culture among the pupils and propose the appropriate strategies to promote the reading culture among pupils at KCLIC. The study used a case study research design. Purposive and simple random sampling methods were used to select 4 librarians and 260 pupils respectively. Questionnaire, Interview, and Observation Methods of data collection were used. The study found out that the factors that motivate children to be more interested in reading included; catchy and inspiring book covers, illustrations, interesting words, and story lines, reading clubs in their communities and schools, having friends who are interested in books and reading regularly, passionate library staff. Kampala Children’s Library and information centre play a role in choosing a book for pupils to read, explaining hard words that pupils come across, reminding them to read and pronunciation of words. The challenges faced in promoting reading culture among pupils included; uninteresting reading materials, limited number of books, noise from friends while reading and limited time for reading. The strategies suggested to promote the reading culture among pupils were; setting up readers’ clubs, encouraging storytelling and pupil authors, timetabling reading and library lessons, reading sessions, rewarding pupils, supply of non-textbook reading materials, interventions by schools in reading, organising reading competitions at school, setting up rules and regulations on reading, encouraging the children to read and creating of book clubs The study concluded that reading culture is essential in the lives of young children and also fosters academic performance. It should be generated right from children libraries. Provision of library materials, organizing reading competitions and reading aloud to pupils can be identified as the basic requirements for developing the reading culture. The study recommended professional training to the staff members, integration of story hour, book talks and exhibition into the school curriculum, provision of relevant and current information resources, recruitment of more qualified librarians and re orientation for the parents.