International Literacy Day is recognized to raise people's awareness of and concern for literacy issues in the world. At The Children's Library their aim is to affect an enthusiasm for literacy by simultaneously placing reading and writing with other novel attractions and events. For International Literacy Day, The Children's Library, an after-school care program's message to children, was, "You look it, but do you book it?"
It is the view of the principals in The Children's Library's that there is an overlooked epidemic in The Bahamas and that the country's societal ills are closely linked to an ignored crisis -- functional illiteracy.

This year's theme for International Literacy Day was "Literacy and Sustainable Societies".

And at the 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers of Education, education ministers committed to support the continued development of the continuum of lifelong learning and recognized the key role it plays in the economic and social development of Commonwealth countries.

At the conference held in The Bahamas, ministers called for continued efforts to ensure that those people who have not completed school, or not had access to basic education, or wish to continue their professional development, are given lifelong access to support in numeracy, literacy and skills for employment.

At The Children's Library, located at Rosetta Street and Hawkins Hill, they say literacy is more than reading and writing, and more than a skill or technique, and that the end product of literacy is about people's self-esteem and ability to function and flourish in society as private individuals, active citizens, employees, or parents. The focal goal of The Children's Library is to brighten the minds of the Bahamian children by fostering a long-term love of literacy that will be vital and beneficial in improving their future, and jointly, for promoting strong and sustainable economic growth in The Bahamas.

The Children's Library principals believe there is no single cause of poor literacy, and that it is a solvable problem. They say given the complexity and interrelatedness of the challenges involved, effectively addressing illiteracy and poor literacy requires the commitment and active engagement of a wide range of campaigners and that teachers and parents have a crucial direct role to play in nurturing the literacy of children and young people, while other key players, such as governments, policymakers and even industry, play important supporting roles. They say close coordination, co-operation and partnerships, between all relevant stakeholders are essential if any initiative to develop literacy skills in the Bahamian children and young people are to succeed.

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