Library Reflections – Library and Information Week 2025

By: Elizabeth Heck

As a university educator, research fellow, and Master of Information student, I have explored reading and literacy from various perspectives.  This year’s ALIA Library & Information Week 2025 (July 28th – August 3rd) theme was To Read or Not to Read: Literacy Matters. A theme that alignes to recent teaching on early childhood literacy for pre-service and postgraduate education students.

To Read or Not to Read: Literacy Matters

Library and Information Week 2025 offered a timely and thought-provoking theme – To Read or Not to Read: Literacy Matters. As educators and advocates for early childhood development, both in the literacy learning and librarian fields, we often speak about the importance of reading. The week invited us to pause, reflect, and reframe that conversation: not just why we read, but what it means to read in a rapidly evolving world.

A Week of Reflection and Dialogue

Throughout the week, my students engaged in activities that explored:

• The social and emotional value of reading: How stories help children make sense of their world, build empathy, and develop identity.
• Access and equity: Who gets to read? What do they read? How  do libraries play a crucial role in bridging gaps in literacy access?
• Digital vs. print literacies: The shifting landscape of reading in the digital age. How do readers access text? What digital or print literacies are they enaging with as readers?

These activities were not just academic – they were personal and reflective.

Why Literacy Matters for Young Children?

For young children, reading is more than decoding words – it’s about:

• Language development: Exposure to rich vocabulary and sentence structures.
• Cognitive growth: Building memory, attention, and comprehension skills.
• Imaginative play: Stories spark creativity and open doors to new worlds.
• Relational bonding: Shared reading moments strengthen connections between children and caregivers.

Library and Information Week reminded us that literacy is not a luxury – it’s a right.

And for young children, it is a foundation for lifelong learning, wellbeing, and agency.

As we continue to prepare future educators, weeks like this remind us that literacy is dynamic, relational, and deeply human. Whether it’s through picture books, audiobooks or digital storytelling, our role is to nurture a love of reading that empowers children to explore, question, and grow.