Children´s Libraries in Sweden Eva Fred and Katarina Dorbell Consultant librarians County Library of Västra Götaland

Introduction n Library Act 1997 n every municipality shall have a public library n loans must be free of charge n open, free access - no charge to use the libraries or its resources n priority groups: children, teens,disabled persons and immigrants

Library system n The public lending library- most widespread cultural institution in Sweden n 1400 main libraries and branches n 47 million library visitors (total 2002) n Trained Children´s librarian at every main library

Mobile Library “Book-bus”

Statistics n 18,5 loan per child and year age 0-14 n 9 out of 10 children age 3-8 visited the library during the last year n 1/3 of children age 3-8 has participated in storytelling hour at the library

Pre-school activities n Pre-school n Family day-care n Open pre-school

Pre-school (cont.) n An educational group activity for enrolled children between 1-5 n 77 % of all children age 1-5 attended pre- school and 10% family day-care (2001)

Pre-school curriculum n Pre-school has its own curriculum n Marks the importance of the pre-school as a first step in life long learning n Care and education going hand in hand n Learning and development n Importance of a rich language

Compulsory School n All children between 7 and 16 must attend school n Education is compulsory and free of charge n Included in the compulsory schooling are special schools (deaf children) and schools for the learning disabled

The Convention of the Rights of the Child n Article 3 best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration n Article 12 right to express views n Article 13 right to freedom of expression

The Convention of the Rights of the Child n Article 17 encourage production and dissemination of children´s books n Article 23 disabled Children should enjoy a full and decent life n Article 31 right of the child to rest and leisure

Network n Child health centers n Pre-schools n Schools n After school care n Children´s librarians local,regional,national, international levels

Children age 0-5 What do we do? n Co-operation with Child Health Centres –importance of introducing books and reading to the baby –A book-gift for all new-born´s n Nurse-Librarian-Parent co-operation –Parental education at the libraries n Preschools and Open preschools

Children age 0-5 (cont.) n Library introduction n Book-bags n Storytelling hour n Sing together n Nursery rhymes

Age 6-12 n Library card at age 6 n Book gift (some libraries) n Cooperation with teachers n Organized guidance for school classes n Working in themes n Children do research-work n Library knowledge, catalouge,finding your way in the library

Age 6-12 n Reading tips n ”Devour” Age n Book-talks /Reading circles n Story telling n Writing courses/”circles” n Writing camps n Summer Reading Clubs

Age 6-12 n Meet an author n Exhibitions n Internet/Chat/Info - search n Programs such as Literature, Theatre, Music, Dance, Cultural inheritance, Arts and Crafts

Young people age What do they want? n Internet, info-search n Chat, n Magazines n Comics n Graphic novels n Fantasy n Science Fiction n Reading tips n Reading groups n Writing groups n Meet the Author n Discussion groups n Camps

Reading promotions n “Alfons, Ellen, Kotten and all the rest…” –pre-schools with a literature profile n OpenPreschool in multi-cultural areas –Brämhult/Norrby n Clever Fox in Rinkeby –learning reading by reading

Reading promotions - National projects n The Bookjury n Catalogue of books for children´s and young people n The Children´s Library on Internet n A Reading North n Nordic library week n The National reading day n The Children´s literature week

Library service for children with disabilities

The Apple Library n special department at the library n offers a wide range of media for disabled children n in collaboration with teachers at special schools

The Apple Library at Gothenburg

The Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille: TPB n An important resource for the public library n government body n produce and lending central to public libraries n provide inter-urban loans n DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System)

All children need books n all public libraries have talking books for visually or print impaired children n for visually impaired children there are also Braille books n no special libraries for talking books – part of the public service

Who can borrow? n every child suffering from a print impairment such as n blindness n partial sight n mental retardation n dyslexia

Learning disabilities n special talking books for reading training DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) n books are read at varying speed n listen to the book and simultaneously read the printed text

Easy to read n Printed books easy to read n Short sentences n Easy vocabulary n For children with reading and writing disabilities and children with special needs

Mentally retarded n special talking books with sound illustrations n sounds more pleasant n makes it easier to listen to n the text is short and easy n read clear and slow

Braille books n picture books available for Braille readers n interfoliated – picture books which has been interleaved with transparent plastic pages with Braille text n transparent page contains the text and short description of the pictures n enables visually impaired adults to read to sighted children

Tactile picture books n used by blind or partially sighted children n relief pictures n Braille text and printed text on the same page n trains the spatial ability such as consciousness of direction: right-left, over- under

Examples of media´s at an Apple Library

Sign Language n For deaf children the library offers videos with stories in sign language n Childrens Library on the Internet provides book reviews in sign language

Physical disabilities n Is the library building accessible for people in wheelchairs? n Narrow doors -wide doors n stairs-elevator n lending desk - to high or reachable

Alternative and augmentative communication n Pictogram symbols n Introduced to serve as an alternative method of communication for people with a limited ability to speak, read and write n Children books with pictogram symbols

Alternative and augmentative communication n Communication with Bliss symbols n Children´s books with Bliss symbols

Open Media/Open Learning n Specially adapted computers offered to blind, visual impaired and /or persons with reading disabilities

Open Media (cont.) n Reading station computer n Scanner n Magnifying camera n Different screen reading programmes n Braille display n Braille printer n Computer games to support children with special needs

Open Media (cont.) n Special trained staff “Reading and writing assistant”

Work tasks: n Marketing n Guidance and teaching n Technical maintenance n Introduction to and teaching DAISY

Promote Children´s books and reading n The Apple library: n Trying to initiate reading project to children with learning disabilities n Help the teachers and caregivers find books for all children n Books are fun for all children!

Thank you! n Katarina Dorbell n n Eva Fred n

Meeting our young library users n Children ask questions - can the library answer? n The Convention on the Child n Integrity n Feeling welcome - staff, library room,, quality?