Today is Indigenous Literacy Day. Between 40% and 60% of Indigenous children living in very remote locations across WA, SA and NT are achieving below minimum standards in Reading in Year 3. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) is working to raise the literacy levels of Indigenous Australians living in remote communities by providing access to educational materials, getting culturally appropriate books into homes and schools, and working with communities to create and publish the stories of Indigenous people. My colleague Emily Harms recently visited the Tiwi Islands to see the work the ILF was doing – you can read her report here.

The ILF cannot continue their valuable work without our support. Readings is donating 10% of all book sales from our shops today to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and all donations made to The Readings Foundation in September will go to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. You can donate online to The Readings Foundation here. All donations over $2 to The Readings Foundation are fully tax deductible.

We’re holding two terrific events at our Carlton shop this week: tonight, Martin Flanagan will be talking about The Short Long Book, a biography of AFL football legend and Indigenous spokesperson Michael Long, and on Thursday night we launch Decolonizing Solidarity: Dilemmas and Directions for Supporters of Indigenous Struggles, a landmark book in Indigenous affairs. We hope to see many of you there.