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| Lauren and William Alex were medalists this year in their reading club |
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| Ruth Cooper delivers reading material in the vast Skeena region |
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| The Lit Limo onsite at Literacy Day in Old Town Hazelton |
PHOTO CREDITS Mack McColl
The little blue book bus, called the Lit Limo, trundles around the Skeena region of North West B.C..
Ruth Cooper and her husband run the traveling road show, and the program of delivering literature is funded by relevant agencies, including one called the Adult Literacy Program of the provincial government.
The B.C. ministry of Advanced Education is helpful, said Ruth, in keeping LOGS on the road (Learning Opportunity Group Society.) Other committees engaged include Literacy for Life, and the Skeena region is solicited via fund raising.
"It has been running for the past few years, since 2000," said Ruth. "In the last few years we have received more funding to redistribute reading material with no strings attached."
The communities encountering the Lit Limo include over a dozen, with all the nine Gitxsan communities and a few others. "And generally we are busy. Last year we had over 4,000 visitors on the bus, and 13,000 pieces were distributed."
Ruth explained, "The books are all donated. We handle 20,000 books annually. It underscores the generosity of the people, and the yearning to read."
A lot of people read, but a lot of people would read a lot more, she said, if it is available. Book stores in the territory are sparsely situated, with Terrace an hour or more away being about the closest.
"We have a nice public library," in Hazelton, said Ruth, who is a librarian employed part-time at the Old Hazelton town library, "but," Kispiox, for example, is 40 km away.
"We take the Lit Limo out to the communities. One of the cool things we do is instigate summer reading clubs in the villages. These clubs are based on stories, activities, and prizes. One hundred and 64 children participated this year," Ruth smiled.
By running a well-conceived and adequately funded outreach program, "We get more readers in the region." At the Literacy Day on Sep 6 08, where we encountered the Lit Limo, "Today we had 34 visits and delivered 129 books."
In a land of great distances the service is far better than you could imagine, "In Hagwilget we stop for an Elder and come right to her driveway. We want to reach adults because sure they can read but it's a use it or lose it proposition."
The kids love it. Ruth rounded up a couple of school kids who won gold medals in their reading clubs this summer, Lauren and William Alex. "We are getting more repeat readership overall, whereas it used to be more readers over all coming through."
She explained, "Now they are looking for us," and the Lit Limo is been elevated from curiosity to the high platform of practical necessity.
Some days, she laughed, "You'd think it was a rock star's bus. They line up to get in."
In fact the Lit Limo is trying hard to reach the adult readers. "I have tried to find good reads for adults who have less formal education."
This is not necessarily a limitation in subject matter, "For some of these people who didn't shine to school maybe they believe self-education in of paramount importance."
As far as access to reading is concerned, she said, "We feel those are the people who get missed, the independent learners."
In this world the Lit Limo is a perfect vehicle, "It is all self-motivation, nobody is cramming books at anybody. We are available to offer advice," said the Library Sciences graduate and former teacher.
"We will hold books, look for titles, advise on reading habits," and Ruth also runs reading programs. The Lit Limo even carries a few pairs of reading glasses. Also, on most occasions Ruth has a box of apples on board.
She ran the Apple a Day Reading Club this summer. These reading programs receive funding from the Kitimat Skeena Regional District, the Upper Skeena Early Childhood Development program. These funds pay for gas and purchase a few new books.
The programs are in synch with the need for reading in society. "Our programs involve literacy for work skills, and Adult Basic Education learners, and Youth Service agency students."
Ruth noted that provincial programs currently support literacy efforts and the LOGS program is a close reflection of the concerns being met by a community service with a heart.
