TRADE / CONSUMER  The Trade Publishers' Group deals with issues relevant to the publishing and distribution of general interest adult and children's material such as the changing retail climate, and provincial and federal legislation that impacts members' firms and/or their customers. We act as a liaison between the bookselling and library communities, their respective national and regional associations, and allied organizations to promote and protect the interests of our members. Gathering and disseminating information useful to member firms is also an important function of the Group. In addition, the Group provides detailed membership statistics on a monthly basis. A Word from the Director (Colleen O'Neill, ext. 226): These publishers of general interest books and other media maintain a close liaison with government officials regarding importation and distribution of product in Canada.  Members Jim Allen President Thomas Allen & Son Ltd. Harold Fenn President H.B. Fenn and Company Ltd. Donna Hayes Publisher & CEO Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. David Kent President & CEO HarperCollins Canada Ltd. David Swail President & CEO McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited Allan Reynolds President & CEO Pearson Education Canada David Davidar President and Publisher Penguin Books of Canada Brad Martin President & CEO Random House of Canada Ltd. Iole Lucchese Co-President Scholastic Canada Ltd. Linda Gosnell Co-President Scholastic Canada Ltd. Kevin Hanson President Simon & Schuster Canada Bill Zerter COO John Wiley & Sons Canada Limited Board of Directors:  Linda Scott - Random House of Canada Therese Garnett - John Wiley & Sons Claudia Hawkins - McGraw-Hill Ryerson David Millar - Simon & Schuster Shelley Tangney- HarperCollins Canada Kathy Goncharenko - Scholastic Canada Yvonne Hunter - Penguin Books

Tips for Book Buyers  1 Look at community, national and regional bestsellers lists.  2 Look at book reviews in newspapers; magazines.  3 Ask booksellers what is hot in specific areas - cooking; gardening; self-help.  4 Think about book and movie tie-ins  5 Ask what is new in the person's life who you are buying for - new baby; new house; travel on the horizon  6 What hobbies does the person have?  7 If you know a favourite author go and search on the web for other books by that author or similar in story line - help create a library for your friend or relative  8 Puzzle or trivia books often hit the mark  9 Children's books with activities  10 Ask a librarian or teacher what is current for a certain age group

The school library advocates across Canada welcome the findings of a new study that confirms well-stocked, professionally managed school libraries deliver results for kids.

The Ontario Library Association study conducted by Queen's University researchers and People for Education shows that in elementary schools with teacher-librarians, children enjoy reading more and perform better on standardized reading tests.

The Ontario Coalition for School Libraries is calling on provincial governments to begin reviewing all school library policies and funding levels to ensure that such programs are recognized as a core pillar of the education system.

Colleen O'Neill, Executive Director for Trade & Higher Education of the Canadian Publishers' Council, stressed the importance of such a study.  "The need to continue to measure student success throughout the continuum of education will most definitely have a positive effect on their future."  The Canadian Publishers' Council, as Canada's main English language book publishing trade association was founded in 1910 and represents the interests of publishing companies that publish books and other media for elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional and reference markets, the retail and library sectors.   

This is the first study to be done in Canada.  Although there has been considerable research from other countries on the relationship between school libraries and student achievement, the study represents the first Canadian statistics and evidence.  Since 2002, the Coalition and its partners have been urging provincial education officials to reverse years of funding cuts, re-open school libraries and re-instate teacher-librarians as a means of improving literacy, cultural awareness and student performance. Academics, librarians, researchers and parents called on the new Minister of Education to improve staffing and funding models for school libraries in Ontario.

The study found a relationship between schools' libraries and their students' test scores on Grade 3 and 6 EQAO Reading Tests.  It also found a connection between student's access to teacher-librarians and their attitude toward reading.

People for Education has been tracking the effects of policy and funding changes on Ontario's elementary schools for nine years.  There has been a significant drop in the number of elementary schools with teacher-librarians.

The researchers also pointed to significant regional disparities in students' access to libraries.  Over one-quarter of the Northern Ontario schools reported that the library was unstaffed, a significantly higher percentage than all of the other regions.

The full study is available on both the Ontario Library Association and the People for Education websites at: 

http://www.accessola.org/
http://www.peopleforeducation.com/

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