Jane Davis

Dr Jane Davis is Director of The Reader Organisation, which she founded in 1997. Jane left school at 16 with 2 GCSEs and became a single mother at 18 before returning to education in her twenties. The Reader Organisation believes that literature is a valuable human resource, not just an academic discipline, and develops deeply-rooted, ongoing weekly reading projects, working with groups and individuals ranging from children who do not attend school to older people with dementia. “We want to put books at the heart of life, and we want to do that in partnership with library, health, social and cultural services. It is our aim to bring about a Reading Revolution – great books reaching everybody – in the UK and beyond.”

Detail session 9

Books as Windows: how shared reading helps us to look out and in

Following on from the 2008 PLA Conference we are pleased to welcome back Jane Davis. The project runs more than 120 weekly read aloud groups across Merseyside, reaching over 600 people, in libraries, schools, GP surgeries, hospitals, Day Centres and workplaces as part of the Get Into Reading (GIR) project. It is a charity dedicated to bringing about a Reading Revolution - this means great books reaching everybody – their mission is to engage people of all ages and backgrounds in sharing a wealth of literature. They believe that reading is a force for social good that can build community and enhance lives. Jane will lead an interactive session exploring GIR practice in which you can experience for yourself the power of shared reading. Using examples taken from real life groups Jane will discuss why GIR has been so successful in reaching ‘hard to reach groups' and answer your questions on the development of GIR in conjunction with the NHS and other agencies.