Monthly Archives: December 2016

Return literary tour – Can Llaurador

Ivana Ares Seijo, library director

Can Llaurador library in Teià has created a literary tour based on the young adult series Retrum, by

Francesc Miralles. The books deal with the adventures of Christian, a teenager living in Teià, when he meets a group of Gothic youngsters who want to communicate with the dead. All the activities in the tour are closely linked to the books and their main elements: the cemetery, the night, the train, clothing, and music.

Structure

After searching the story for the locations where the action takes place, we realized we could not focus solely on the cemeteries. The literary route should be seen as a tour that takes advantage of the visit to Teià’s cemetery to get to know Teià’s other landmarks. Luckily, the protagonist of the story walks around the bars, the restaurants, the school and the cultural centres in the area.

The route was marked with QR codes located at the 8 points along the way to Teià which relate to the books. We chose QR codes because they provided us with an affordable way to link the physical and literary setting.

The tour covers five sections:
-Teià
-the cemeteries in El Maresme
-Barcelona’s cemeteries
-Sant Cugat del Vallés
-European cemeteries

Sponsors and colaborators

Last but not least, we needed funding. It was time to start looking for sponsors and collaborators for the activities we had in mind: a talk with the author, a concert and a photography award. We were conscious that we needed to find a different sponsor for each activity and at the time, we just had the books, the tour, and a bunch of ideas. So, when we wrote to possible sponsors we incorporated excerpts from the books related to their business. Our first contact was Cementiris de Barcelona. The director of Quality and Communication, Marta Aladren, www.cbsa.cat, visited Teià’s cemetery and promised to sponsor the two activities we planned to do in the library. She also offered a free night tour of Monjüic cemetery.

The section on European cemeteries was a big challenge: we wanted to offer the library users a chance to travel in Europe, like the characters in the stories. InterRail was the answer. We contacted Joan Franco Coll, head of InterRail Management and Marketing Department, www.interrail.eu/interrail-passes, who provided two 15-day Global Passes for the winner of the photography contest.

Saint George’s festival 2015

We decided to hold all events during Saint George’s festival, since the night is one of the recurring themes in the story.
The talk with the author and the Gothic make-up workshop were held in the library. Participants had been asked to dress in black, like the characters in the books. Later, we gathered in front of the cemetery to attend Nikosia’s concert. Miralles’s band played the soundtrack of Retrum and other sinister songs. He was acompanied by the singer/song-writer Hypatia Pétriz, the violinist Marc Amat, and Jordi Lligadas as sound-technician. After the concert we enjoyed a night walk of the cemetery.

The cemetery, a night view: exhibition and night session

Arenys de Mar Photographic Association contributed to the event with the exhibition The cemetery, a night view. They also offered an evening long exposure photography workshop. After an introductory rundown at the library, the participants met at Teià’s cemetery for the photography session. The photographs submitted are now part of the library’s photographic collection.

Teia’s cemetery photography contest

The purpose of the contest was twofold: to target a young audience, the 18-25 year olds, and to improve the library photographic collection, which proved to be too small at the time of editing the leaflet. We also thought it would be a good idea if the award linked Teià to the rest of Europe. Thus, we were very happy to present the winner with two InterRail Global passes, second class, for a 15-day period, courtesy of InterRail.

The library staff was in charge of the contest rules and the jury selection. Our aim was to engage residents in Teià with an interest in the arts. The members of the jury were: Joan Casellas, action art performer; Josep Duran, photographer; José María Alguersuari, photo journalist for La Vanguardia; and Pep Mas, amateur photographer.

You can see the winner photo and the seven runners up at http://rutaretrum.blogspot.com.es/search/label/Concurs%20de%20fotografia

WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED

• the route was presented at the 14th Catalan Seminar on Information and Communication www.cobdc.net/14JCID/wp-content/uploads/comunicacions/ruta-literaria-retrum.pdf
• and at the 3rd Badalona Libraries Seminar. http://serveiseducatius.xtec.cat/se-badalona/intranet/index.php?module=pagines&type=user&func=display&pageid=237
• in 2016 Francesc Miralles joined the project “De capçalera” http://biblioteques.gencat.cat/ca/detalls/Article/Tandems-deCapcalera
• Retrum is now compulsory reading for students of 3rd year ESO at Teià’s Secondary School
• students of 3rd year ESO met writer Francesc Miralles at Teià’s cemetery
• guided tour with Francesc Miralles
• 150 participants
WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON

• a book club with the writer in one of the cemeteries included in the Retrum tour, with the collaboration of Barcelona Cemeteries and the Barcelona Libraries Consortium
• an augmented reality map of the literary tour

LINKS

• Literary tour
www.teia.cat/arees/cultura/biblioteca-de-can-llaurador/retrum
• Video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu-Wkq2V8TU
• Retrum
www.retrum.cat
• Songs

• Videos of the cemeteries
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRFHJgNA584&list=PLpGS-wQh94BUTnQl1pJdQp-I6dmoBSPNR
• Blog
http://rutaretrum.blogspot.com.es/

Ivana Ares Seijo, library director aressi@diba.cat

Renew or die: the information literacy skills of the Public Libraries of Sabadell

Authors: Children and Young People Teamwork of the Public Libraries of Sabadell (Barcelona, Spain)
http://sabadell.cat/bims/
Facebook: https://ca-es.facebook.com/bibliotequesmunicipalsdesabadell
Twitter: @bibliotequesSBD

Sabadell is a city –near Barcelona— with 208.300 inhabitants and it has a network of seven public libraries. The Children and Young People teamwork of Public Libraries of Sabadell started in 2011-2012 as a group of library professionals that were working in children and youth’s areas. The goal of this group is sharing knowledge, improving methodologies and resources.


Until 2012, we just offered library & information skills training sessions to schools, adapted to the levels of the education system but not adapted to the current environment and necessities. So teamwork decided to rethink all training program and create different training itineraries, from kindergarten to secondary education level, including new sessions about poetry, local authors and comic books. In addition, this year 2016 we have renewed the secondary education training sessions to offer activities related with young adult fiction and Internet searching skills.
Since 2012, the results have been very positive:
• In 2012-2013 we offered 9 different types of sessions and in 2016 we offer 14.
• In 2012-2013 we executed 165 sessions with different schools and in 2016 we have done 319.
• In 2012-2013, 3,797 students have participated in the program and in 2016 it has been more than 8,000 students (21% of the total of pupils).
This increase is due to: deep renewal of the information literacy skills training program; dissemination strategy for the new services between all schools; and, the amazing work of library professionals.
More information (in Catalan Language):
http://www.sabadell.cat/ca/serveis-bims/serveis-a-entitats-i-escoles
http://www.fesabid.org/sites/default/files/repositorio/actas_fesabid_20

We Are All Readers, We Are All Artists. Sculpture and Reading in the Library Clarà De Barcelona


 

Author: Mont Sureda. Clarà Library Director. Consorci de Biblioteques de Barcelona
suredarm@diba.cat
www.barcelona.cat/bibclara
http://www.barcelona.cat/bibclara

The Clara Library , located in the city of Barcelona has created a new centre of interest in sculpture, due to the origins of the building where it is located (old workshop and House of the noucentist sculptor Josep Clarà Ayats (Olot, Barcelona 1898-1958 and later Clara Museum) and at the beginning of the collaboration with the ICRE (Catalan Institute for Research in Sculpture) in the seminars of sculpture and temporary exhibitions of sculptural works in the library.

One of the sculptures there are now currently on display in the library is the READER, the Sitges ‘ artist Elvia Cor. The work is in the lobby and will be the image of this new centre of Catalan sculpture. You can see an image of the work here.
About this work emerged the project, WE are ALL readers, WE are ALL ARTISTS and is willing to make dissemination of the new center of interest and promote the art and reading.

On Monday, October 24, with the collaboration of the Literary Agency Sandra Bruna, were the sculptress  Elvia and the writers Victor Amela, recent Prize Ramon Llull, Francesc Miralles, Glòria Sabaté, Mari Carmen Conde and Begoña Garcia Carterón, who inaugurated the project, which involves placing a book of sculpture and leave another, so that the sculpture vary and become alive. The evolution of the work can be seen on social networks using the hashtag #ellectorcor.

he project will continue a stable time in the lobby of the library, where users of the library who would like to be able to bring a book and grab one another in turn, so that the work vary and become alive. For Friday December 16, there are plans to make a Christmas workshop where families will participate the writer and Illustrator Marta Blanch and the Illustrator Antonio Baza, that will make the exchange of books, inviting all attendees to participate.
WE ARE ALL READERS, WE ARE ALL ARTISTS is a project alive and travelling which expresses love for art and reading. Thanks to that the project was born of this Union between the sculpture and the books in a library, old Museum of a sculptor, we consider that a library or a museum are exceptional spaces to continue giving life to the reader. From here we invite those libraries that are interested in hosting this facility to contact the library Clarà. Give life to the READER!

 

Partnerships: Creating a new vision for libraries

Photo: Bernard Fougères

Registration for the 2017 IFLA MetLib Conference in Montreal is now open!

 

The event will be held from April 30, 5 pm, to May 5, noon, in Montréal, at the Grande Bibliothèque (475 De Maisonneuve Blvd East, Montréal, Québec, Canada). Montréal will be celebrating the 375th anniversary of its founding, which is a great opportunity to discover its rich culture and diversity.

 

Our friends at MetLib tell us that the registration deadline is March 31, 2017. Don’t miss this great event!

 

You are also invited to contribute to the program and submit a summary of your proposal no later than January, 20, 2017. 

 

Wide open: Read and read wide open/De Bat a Bat: Llegir i Llegir-se

 

Authors: Carla Canongia  and Marta Puig ( Xarxa de Biblioteques Municipals.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bibliotequesXBM/
Twitter: @bibliotequesxbm

Wide open: Read and read is a new resource designed to facilitate the work with young people from 12 to 16 years through picture books; a universe where art, literature and philosophy go hand in hand.

The DNA of the project are young people, reading, library, activities, participation, dialogue, listening, street art, thought, literature, picture books, experience, innovation.
The resource consists of 3 Bats (Author, Subject and Picture Books).

Bat01: that which is not seen (open what is to do, to think and to continue).
Bat02: what you say and do not say (all playing with words and pictures, we give meaning to the outside world and in yourself).
Bat03: the struggle (the struggle between oneself and the world).


The objectives of the project are:

  • To discover the picture books as an element of promotion and discovery of new forms of reading and writing
  • To develop the entrepreneurial spirit, participation, critical thinking in young people
  • To promote strategies of work/promotion focused on direct participation, dialogue and listening
  • To promote a community of practice focused on exploring new strategies, tools and methods aimed at young audiences.

Mon Mas, creator of the resource, made us think about what it is that makes us happy; What is the spark that makes us get up each day … Mon Mas made us see, with the dynamics in which we see immersed, as illustrated albums can be the perfect excuse to talk about life, death, family, what we are concerned, we are happy … and of that restless and exciting youngsters of our libraries!

In 2017, 12 libraries will be able to put into practice with the young of its municipalities the three experiences, the three Bates, created for this first year of the project. Each library participating in the project will receive a Bat per quarter, this Bat will consist of a box with the materials and albums that are necessary to carry out the session. The ideal is between 15 and 20 adolescents per session.

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Indigenous Spaces in Library Places

Monica Galassi and Kirsten Thorpe from the Indigenous Services Unit launch the Strategy

Monica Galassi and Kirsten Thorpe from the Indigenous Services Unit launch the Strategy

The State Library of New South Wales (NSW) in Sydney (Australia) recently launched Indigenous Spaces in Library Places a strategy to provide Indigenous services across the State’s public library network. The program’s goal is to create interest and awareness on the way libraries across the state can engage and support Indigenous peoples and communities.

The  main objectives revolve around the concepts of Welcome, Support, Share, Include, Build and Collaborate and the Strategy (which can be downloaded from the website) provides practical and thoughtful assistance in implementing these.

A cohort of public librarians from across NSW are currently participating in Aboriginal Cultural Competence Training as part of this initiative with feedback from participants demonstrating strong engagement with the content.

 

EIFL launches 2017 Public Library Innovation Awards

box_4_innovation_award_trophies_0

Our friends at EIFL have announced a new EIFL Public Library Innovation Award – for public library services that improve lives.
All public and community libraries in developing and transition economy countries may apply. The deadline for applications is 27 January 2017.

Libraries that apply must use information and communication technology (ICT) to improve lives in their communities by addressing any of the following issues, which are included in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development:

  • Economic wellbeing and employment
  • Farming and sustainable agriculture
  • Health and hygiene
  • Digital inclusion
  • Gender equality and empowerment of women and girls
  • Education for all
  • Climate change and other issues affecting the environment

 

The prize includes US$1,500 and wide publicity through EIFL’s global communication channels and networks.
Applications will be accepted in English, French, Russian and Spanish. Further details are available at the EIFL website.