Dear friends,

Today is Indigenous Literacy Day. I am writing to you to seek your support for the work the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) does to foster literacy in remote communities around Australia.

The ILF achieves their goal through three programs: Book Supply which supplies age and culturally relevant new books to over 250 remote communities each year; Book Buzz which is an early literacy program targeting pre-school children, and the Community Publishing Program which helps remote communities bring their stories to life.

I had the privilege of visiting the Tiwi Islands with children’s author Alison Lester earlier this year and was able to see the work the ILF does first-hand. We gave away books and ran a range of programs with kids at the Milikapiti School for primary students and Tiwi College for secondary students.

I met kids and spoke to teachers and elders. They were all adamant that the work of the ILF was having an important impact on improving literacy levels as well as raising self esteem within the communities through the publishing program.

Over the past year Readings and its staff have donated and raised over $40,000 for the ILF. As today is Indigenous Literacy Day, we’ll also be donating 10% of all our book sales today. I hope you will consider joining us in supporting this wonderful cause.

You can donate to ILF by clicking here. I urge you to do it today! Your support, no matter how large or small, will really make a difference.

I’m also pleased that we are hosting a special celebration of Indigenous Literary Day today at Deakin Edge in Federation Square. Join us from 10.30am to 11.30am to see performances from ILF’s ambassadors, Andy Griffiths and Jared Thomas. Students from Tiwi College Alalinguwi Jarrakarlinga will also perform the story from a new book that they have helped to create – Shallow in the Deep End.

Mark Rubbo is the managing director of Readings.