Digital boost for Indigenous-language books in outback
By LLOYD JONES
A global online reading platform has been engaged to get more books written in First Nations languages to remote Indigenous communities.
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation, a national charity of the Australian Book Industry, has partnered with digital platform OverDrive that supports libraries and schools globally through its flagship apps, Libby and Sora.
The aim is to make more Indigenous-language stories written and illustrated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders available in libraries, schools and remote communities.
The titles have QR codes that allow readers to join “read-alongs” to hear First Nations languages.
Languages from across Australia featured in the new collection include Dhurga, Yawuru, Walmajarri, Kriol, Tiwi, Wirangu and Bunuba.
The titles feature QR codes, allowing readers to join “read-alongs” to hear First Nations languages and to connect directly with the storytellers.
Zoe Cassim, of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, told AAP the books were important for the quest to preserve Indigenous languages across Australia.
The foundation encourages local storytelling and illustration, with its work centred on remote communities where English might be a second or third language.
It involves distributing those stories through physical books and digital versions and working with schools and libraries to do so.
Local storytelling and illustration is being encouraged, with work centred on remote communities.
“We just want to get our books out and libraries are a beautiful place for people to connect over that joy of reading,” Ms Cassim said.
Keeping community stories in book form to pass on down through the generations was an important part of the foundation’s work.
“Our elders are ageing and they are passing away. We want to capture as much of that as possible to support the communities to keep those stories.”
The foundation has published over 230 books in 45 different languages and is working with over 500 language communities around the country.
More than 230 books in 45 different languages have been published by the foundation.
The foundation will use Libby, a library reading app that’s free with a library card, along with Sora, a digital reading platform designed for schools.
OverDrive’s Mal O’Brien said making stories available through Libby and Sora helped libraries and schools connect young readers with language and culture.
The platform serves more than 92,000 libraries and schools in 115 countries with a large digital catalogue of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and videos.
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