President Carriuolo on The Importance of Reading
RIC's President Nancy Carriuolo was the inaugural speaker for the Library Lecture Series on October 22, 2008. She spoke about the significance of books and reading in her life. An avid reader throughout her life, Pres. Carriuolo recalled that reading was one of the few “affordable” activities available to her as a child growing up in a family of very modest means in rural New York. Trips to the public library were a regular and always special activity. She was able to "give back" in later years when as a college student she interned at a public library. She had many projects and activities there but one of her favorites was the weekly story hours for children.
As a high school English teacher, Dr. Carriuolo was intent on encouraging and instilling an appreciation of literature and reading to her students. Even her early college teaching experience included teaching remedial reading. Reading truly "engages the brain in many ways" she said. More than simple word recognition or comprehension, reading calls on the mind to visualize, to hear, to smell; reading works one's memory and imagination. Reading creates opportunities to "take risks" and to experience many things from the “safety of a comfortable chair.” With less time these days to read, Pres. Carriuolo has focused her reading on books about higher education, particularly those by college and university presidents in hope that she may learn from their experiences and wisdom.
The 55 students, staff and faculty in attendance were also joined by Lynda Thompson's 2nd grade class from the Henry Barnard School, and everyone was treated to a reading by Dr. Carriuolo of Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague (2002). The book is about a captivating canine, Ike LaRue, who, much to his chagrin, ends up “captive” at obedience school. His letters home complain of “imagined indignities and exaggerated tales of mistreatment.” The 2nd graders were very taken with Ike's adventures and offered many observations about his behavior and ultimate fate.
Rachel H. Carpenter
