Save the Libraries!
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"Without literacy there can be no politics, there can only be rumours, gossip and prejudice" declared Lenin following the Bolshevik’s seizure of power in 1917. The Tsarist legacy was illiteracy rates of over 60% in the male population, rising to over 85% among women. The situation was even worse in rural areas. Literacy was regarded as essential by both Lenin and Trotsky for understanding and propagating the message of socialism: “You can’t build a communist society in an illiterate country,”
A major campaign was launched in 1919, known as Likbez and overseen by the sinister sounding Extraordinary Commission for the Liquidation of Illiteracy, to address the issue. A far reaching propaganda campaign was initiated which featured a range of striking promotional posters designed to be understood by those who could not read. A vast network of reading rooms was established to act as centres for learning.
By 1939, a mere 20 years after the start of the programme, male literacy rates had climbed to over 90% and those of women to over 70%. The era of Stalin meant the emergence of an authoritarian and prescriptive educational programme but, ironically, the written word also became the most potent tool of dissidents.
A 2024 survey found that more than 180 UK council-run libraries have closed or been handed over to volunteer groups since 2016, and these trends particularly affect deprived areas where they are needed most. Of the remaining libraries, around a third have experienced reduced opening hours.
There are many organisations promoting and supporting libraries and their work. Some are listed below.
https://librarycampaign.com
https://www.librariesforprimaries.org.uk
https://www.booktrust.org.uk/
https://literacytrust.org.uk/
https://bookaid.org/what-we-do/supporting-libraries/
"Without literacy there can be no politics, there can only be rumours, gossip and prejudice" declared Lenin following the Bolshevik’s seizure of power in 1917. The Tsarist legacy was illiteracy rates of over 60% in the male population, rising to over 85% among women. The situation was even worse in rural areas. Literacy was regarded as essential by both Lenin and Trotsky for understanding and propagating the message of socialism: “You can’t build a communist society in an illiterate country,”
A major campaign was launched in 1919, known as Likbez and overseen by the sinister sounding Extraordinary Commission for the Liquidation of Illiteracy, to address the issue. A far reaching propaganda campaign was initiated which featured a range of striking promotional posters designed to be understood by those who could not read. A vast network of reading rooms was established to act as centres for learning.
By 1939, a mere 20 years after the start of the programme, male literacy rates had climbed to over 90% and those of women to over 70%. The era of Stalin meant the emergence of an authoritarian and prescriptive educational programme but, ironically, the written word also became the most potent tool of dissidents.
A 2024 survey found that more than 180 UK council-run libraries have closed or been handed over to volunteer groups since 2016, and these trends particularly affect deprived areas where they are needed most. Of the remaining libraries, around a third have experienced reduced opening hours.
There are many organisations promoting and supporting libraries and their work. Some are listed below.
https://librarycampaign.com
https://www.librariesforprimaries.org.uk
https://www.booktrust.org.uk/
https://literacytrust.org.uk/
https://bookaid.org/what-we-do/supporting-libraries/
