This newsletter is a periodic offering with updates and information on the GBA’s activities, including products, tools, and guidance relating to every stage of the book supply chain.
News and Updates
Book Supply Chain Video!
In the GBA’s latest animated video, learn how the global book gap is a major driver of illiteracy worldwide, and how investments in books have been shown to be essential for learning.
Help close the book gap by sharing this video and encouraging others to become GBA members.
Contribute to the Global Digital Library!
The Global Book Alliance actively seeks high-quality early-grade reading materials in all languages for addition to the Global Digital Library (GDL). If your organization has, or is creating such materials, please consider contributing to the global collection of openly licensed freely available books on the GDL.
Contributing to the GDL in 5 Steps:
The GBA provides guidance and support for each of the following steps in the process:
Creative Commons License
Check the quality and accessibility of your books
Format your files as electronic books
Provide information (metadata) about the books
Upload your files
Read Morefor the details, or email comms@globalbookalliance with any questions.
Expanded Translation Sprint for the GDL
The GDL Translation Sprint is back and better than ever! In 2020, the Global Book Alliance collaborated with Norway, UNESCO, UNHCR, ADEA, Verizon, Learning Equality and Creative Commons to set up a “translation sprint” to support volunteers to translate children’s reading books into as many local languages from around the globe as possible.
This year, starting on World Book Day (April 23) and running through World Literacy Day (September 8), translators and proofreaders will enjoy new accessibility functionality through sign language translations, audio translations, and more.
Interested in becoming a translator or proofreader? GBA members will be the first to hear.
Partnerships
World Bank's Read@Home
Read@Home is a new effort by GBA partner the World Bank to get reading, learning and play materials into homes, targeting families who are unlikely to be reached with many of the remote learning approaches rolled out in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past 6 months, the World Bank has been working with governments in 10 countries to identify existing partners, books and tools to help parents and family members support their children’s learning. In North Macedonia, for example, there has been a strong push to distribute books to all children from low-income families in their mother tongue.
African Children’s Books Highlighted Through SDG book Club
GBA partner Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) is participating in a new, multilingual initiative. In it, book sector organizations from across the African continent come together and commit to augmenting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Book Club with a collection of children's books about the different goals in English, French, Arabic and Kiswahili.
The book club will launch on World Book Day (April 23) and will feature quality African books that deal with the themes of the SDGs. Submissions are open now.
Help Grow the GBA Collection of Literacy and Book-related Resources
The Global Book Alliance continues to build its collection of research and guidance on the crucial role of books for developing and maintaining literacy.
Newly Added to Our Collection:
Good Stories Don’t Grow on Trees: A Guide to Effective Costing of Storybooks in The Global South
Research from the Early Literacy Resource Network aims to raise awareness of the various costs that go into producing and translating storybooks and of the relationship between investment and quality.
Enjoying Books Together at Home: Ideas for Parents & Carers for Encouraging Reading
A guide from GBA partner Save the Children introduces parents to the importance of reading at home and has suggestions for parents and careers of activities that they can use to encourage reading.
Keep an eye on our twitter feed for news, updates and resources related to the book supply chain and closing the global book gap!
Like What You See?
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please help us spread the word and forward this to colleagues and friends who may be interested and invite them to become GBA members.
