From Reading Promotion to Digital Literacy

Abstract

Traditional services have had to adapt to keep up with changing dynamics in the digital age, including the digitalization of library services and moving them online, especially for overcoming COVID-19 limitations. Small special libraries aimed at reading promotion, in particular, remain at risk, especially those addressing the needs of young people and children. Furthermore, the growing generation now learns differently, with digital media dominating the education and library sectors. This study investigates Rolling Books, a non-profit reading promotion and educational performance-based small organization in Hong Kong, as a case study on moving reading promotion services for schools. The authors analyze the pros and cons of replacing its featured onsite reading promotion program “Clown Story Theater” with an online version using the 5E instructional model. Besides overcoming the limitation of COVID lockdown, the online program can leverage digital media and eBooks to foster digital and media literacy skills while promoting reading, storytelling, and story creation.