Anne Lamott, author and activist, wants to propose a revolution. But not your typical revolutionary show of military force or government takeover. In an article for Salon.com, she expresses her frustration with the current political climate in the US. Regardless of political leanings, I think her suggested tools for revolution are worth consideration. She writes:
“In this revolution, there will not be any positions except kindness. And libraries. We will not even have a battle cry, as that can lead to chanting, and haranguing…We would simply look one another in the eyes, shake our heads, and say, “This just can’t be right.”
I consider Lamott’s thoughts on revolution in light of widespread frustration with things like the No Child Left Behind act. I think about her words alongside those I read over the break from Promoting Reading in Developing Countries by the International Reading Association and Vincent Greaney – accounts of countries where the literacy rate for women is practically 0% and areas where some of the most compelling reading material is a discarded owner’s manual for US-made vehicles – written in English, a language few to none of the local children speak.
And I thought about libraries. I remembered how excited I was as a child when I got to pick – I got to PICK – a book from the library to take home. I think of my current life as a grad student on a budget, and how grateful I am for the stacks and stacks of books available to me with the click of a button – from local libraries, and even distant ones through elaborate loan systems.
We cannot underestimate the power of ideas, and I’m experiencing renewed gratitude for the easy access I have to so many of them. So how can we provide wider access to more and better reading material for communities that currently lack it? I’m wondering where I sign up for Lamott’s revolution.
- Rachel Bowers
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