Centres for adult literacy: a bridge between librarians and illiterate people In Belgium (the French speaking part), around 10 percent of people aged are illiterate Their reading and writing abilities are not sufficient to meet the daily life needs Some are foreigners Others are Belgian people (and met school failure)

Centres for adult literacy: a bridge between librarians and illiterate people Every year, around people attend adult literacy centres.  to find a job,  to enter a vocational training,  to be more autonomous in their daily life,  to support children at school. The adult literacy process accordingly includes economical, social and cutural dimensions.

Centres for adult literacy: a bridge between librarians and illiterate people Librarians are willing to open the doors to more people, including illiterate people. They are reluctant: how should they know that people meet difficulties in reading? Which kind of books should they advice? Although Illiterate people are willing to read books, they avoid libraries. They don't dare, don't want to be asked which books they are looking for. Starting point: a few observations

Centres for adult literacy: a bridge between librarians and illiterate people Illiterate people Librarians Adult literacy centres

Centres for adult literacy: a bridge between librarians and illiterate people International Day for Literacy

Centres for adult literacy: a bridge between librarians and illiterate people

Library,… this is something missing in my training Libraries allow book lending at low prices. It is also an opportunity to meet people, consult books I am not interested. I have no patience when reading a book I like comics. DVDs are missing: they should be more available. llliterate people have expectations we would like to know and meet llliterate people think that libraries only provide novels, or books you were forced to read when you were at school They do not know that you can go into a library, and just have a look or read a newspaper or consult internet. Interest, motivation LearnersLibrariansTrainers

Centres for adult literacy: a bridge between librarians and illiterate people I thought that I would never find out anything for me in a library..... But when we met the writer and when the librarian read some pages of the book, I found out that all things written by the writer were my life. She wrote things very similar to what I lived, even if it happens in another country. I saw that books were interesting.. I changed my mind. Today I see that there is a need for cultural books, to have got a wider culture, to learn about other cultures People think that a library is a cultural place, that it is the “temple of knowledge” They think that it is not for them, that they won’t find anything interesting Culture may frighten away Cultural barriers LearnersLibrariansTrainers

Centres for adult literacy: a bridge between librarians and illiterate people I do not tell anybody that I am not able to read. I am not able to ask for help Alone, you cannot go in You are afraid. You think you will not be able. You don’t want to detail your situation, and moreover if the other one seems to laugh in, you will leave The face to face meeting (illiterate person – librarian) is frightening There is a “frontal impact” with the one who is responsible for book lending They will never come in alone We should be more supporting, and improve the welcome service: this should be a specialised rol/function Fears LearnersLibrariansTrainers

Centres for adult literacy: a bridge between librarians and illiterate people some changes : Some learners asked to receive the 'street librarian” within the premises of the association Two librarians offered a room for organising a literacy training One librarian made the proposal of organising a slam workshop for literacy learners Another librarian made the proposal of organising various workshops (writing and editing, reading aloud,...) Three groups of learners took part in a major meeting gathering all people willing to share with others about a book they had discovered during the training