Author Archives: Pirkko

Virtual Reality to develop new forms of storytelling and story creation in Ängelholm Public Libraries

Virtual Reality to develop new forms of storytelling and story creation in Public Libraries

In the autumn of 2019, Ängelholm Libraries, in the south of Sweden, thought about how we could develop the libraries’ work with reading promotion. One idea that stood out was to use new technology to reach children. We decided to try using VR (Virtual Reality). We applied for and received a project grant from Region Skåne for this VR-experiment. The purpose described in the application was mainly to develop new forms of storytelling and creation of stories with the help of new technology. We wanted to find new ways to work with visualization and storytelling, combine analogue and digital ways to work and let the children meet the literary worlds in new ways.

We aimed with these new methods to inspire more people to read and use VR as a bridge between worlds, not only between digital and literary worlds but also between the library worlds and today’s young people’s worlds. We took our starting point in section 8 of the Swedish Library Law, which states that public libraries shall pay special attention to children and young people to promote their language development and stimulate reading, among other things by offering literature based on their needs and conditions. Ängelholm Municipality’s plan for IT and digitalisation points to VR as a way to bring the municipality’s public environments to life and meet the demands of the culture of the future.

During early spring 2020, we contacted a teacher at a local school to, together with her class, be a pilot in this experiment. Together we came to the conclusion that a suitable theme for the experiment was ancient history. In the spring of 2020, we planned how the project would be implemented, worked on how we would present it to the class, compiled a list of literature, investigated what skills we needed to develop and so on. At the beginning of September it was time to start. We invited the class to Vejbystrand’s library. We presented the project, told what it was we wanted to do and showed them some examples of nearby ancient history – Luttra walkway, the rock carvings in Tanumshede and Ale’s stones. Ale’s stones were made available for the children to see and experience in the VR-headset.

At the start-up meeting, we also had with us some ancient finds, an arrowhead, an ax and a scrape, that the children could look at and feel. With them back to school the class got a large pile of books, both reading aloud books, chapter books for the children to read for themselves and books about antiquity, and two cultivation boxes. The children would create their own ancient worlds in these cultivation boxes. The teacher was given instructions on how they needed to leave space in the worlds so that we could fit a 360​-camera, aside from that they got completely free hands to create what they wanted within the theme.

We had thought that on at least one occasion during the autumn we would be in the class when they worked with their ancient worlds, but the pandemic prohibited this. We were a little lucky in other ways that we learned through a colleague that there is an archaeologist at Fredriksdal’s museums in the city of Helsingborg who goes out to schools and shows and tells stories. We told the teacher about this and she got in touch and it resulted in an exciting visit. This is something we will in one way or another try to take with us in the continued work with this project. When the autumn term was coming to an end, the class was done with their worlds, we picked up the boxes and the filming started. It was more time consuming to film than we had expected. Finding the right perspective and the right feeling in the experience took time, but we still thought that the experience was so important that it simply had to take the time it took. The editing of the films also took quite a lot of time, but in the end we had achieved the results we were striving for.

After having to postpone a bit, due to the pandemic, it was finally time for the class’ to visit the library. The class was again invited to Vejbystrand’s library. We had prepared by taking two ancient worlds to the library, we had set up the VR equipment and fixed with a photo corner with green screen. When the class arrived, the teacher quickly divided them first into the two groups that had worked on each cultivation box and then these two groups were divided once more. While a small group, 4-5 students, stayed with us at the library, the others went out to a nearby playground. This was a very good strategy that ensured that no children would have time to get bored of waiting for their turn. Each child in the small group got to see the VR-film from “their” ancient world and then choose which image they wanted as a background in the photo we then took of each child and cut into the ancient world using green screen technology.

Everything flowed very nicely, all the children were happy throughout the morning and this was very important to us. When all the children had seen their world in VR and taken their photo, we gathered the whole class inside the library again for a joint conclusion to the workshop. We took one last green screen picture, a group picture which we then sent together with all the children’s individual pictures to the teacher. We asked the children a little about how they had experienced the work they did during the autumn and were told that they thought this was a fun way to work that they would like to do again, that they felt that they had learned more, that it was very fun to work with the craft when they created the worlds and that it was great fun to get a photo of themselves in their world and of course to get the tour of the world in VR.

Overall, we are very satisfied more with how the experiment developed and we are very happy for the great collaboration with the school, the teacher and all the children. Our long-term goal is for all schools in Ängelholm municipality to be offered to collaborate with us in this way, using VR and a subject theme. We have secured additional funding from Region Skåne to continue this work. Lessons from the pilot experiment to take into account is the time filming and editing takes, that the green screen was a very good complement, that we can with advantage seek cooperation outside the school and library world to deepen the experience, for example museums, local history associations or other parties with special knowledge of any chosen theme.

This Youtube video shows how children use techniques to make videos.

Text: Emelie Ljungdahl, librarian, and Martin Memet Könick, Library Director and Public Libraries Section SC-member.

The Best Pieces from Public Libraries Section Webinar

Many of us, myself included, have a tough time coping with the corona crisis. Sometimes however, this crisis also presents us with possibilities and opportunities that we have not thought before. The midterm webinars is such an example.

Between 12-15 April the Literacy and Reading and Public Libraries Sections jointed offered mid-term webinar program offered. You can see all the webinars here.

Normally we would have our mid-term meeting with our section, in my case, the Public Libraries Section and share our knowledge and experiences there with each other. But with the webinars we were able to share this much broader, with more than 1000 participants from over 40 countries as it turns out. Also, this time we had an opportunity to offer a webinar in a different language. Thanks to my colleague in the Public Libraries Section, Adriana Cybele Ferrari, we were able to provide a separate webinar in Portuguese, which was very well received. In our section we try to take steps in achieving the IFLA strategy. These webinar series are a good example how we inspire by sharing knowledge and how we can connect with the field.

I was a co-facilitator at the Public Library Innovations in COVID and enjoyed sharing very different experiences from colleagues around the world. You can find the recording of the webinar here.

Casey and Amanda presented their tutor bus, where they reached kids that were not able to go to school on the off days. You can find their presentation here. A great way to go out and connect to community.

Whitney presented how she connected with elderly people trough their elders check-in calls. A great way for a public library to show how they can make a difference in people’s lives. You can find her presentation here  Elder Calls Project Presentation.

Binoy from India explained how his library used social media to reach a huge number of citizens and creating a great number of products as a result. Great to see how a small team of one, can make a huge impact. You can find his presentation here.

Catharina told us about innovations and a different way of working in her public library in Sweden. Her library reacted to the pandemic with a more flexible and agile way of working. You can find her presentation here

 

At the end we had some great questions from the participants. I enjoyed it very much and hope we can host a webinar like this soon.

Sander van Kempen

Member of SC Public Libraries

Announcing a new Speaker Reflecting Back and Thinking Forward – Seminar

Join IFLA Public Libraries and Literacy Reading Sections for our Reflecting Back and Thinking Forward Mid-term Seminar from 12-14 April 2021.  We look at how public libraries have responded to COVID and how the lessons learnt will impact the future. We will also explore some of the great initiatives around reading and literacy that have emerged during this time and how we can expand on this. There will also be an opportunity to ‘meet’ the world’s Children’s Laureates/Ambassadors and hear of their vision for the future.

Register for the program here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pIoOA9c_T56egeBkYeMjRw

Announcing a new speaker for our The Future of Libraries in a Post Covid World Panel

Liz McGettigan, 

Liz is an experienced senior leader with a focus and passion for delivering strategy and results. Passionate about libraries and trusted information, digital and social inclusion, leadership and transformation

Formerly Head of City of Edinburgh’s Library and Information Services, a trustee CILIP  and a Past President  of CILIP Scotland  Liz founded the Edinburgh EDGE Conference and is  Co-Chair of Internet Librarian International London. She has achieved several accolades as a  Scotland Women in Technology Finalist and named as  one of Scotland’s top 10 Digital Disruptors . She is very proud to have been named as one of HOLYROOD’S TOP TECH 100. An effervescent Speaker with extensive international experience of libraries around the world with strategy, marketing, technology, innovation, and community engagement.

Liz joins our other knowledgeable panellists listed below.

 

Mr Gene Tan, Assistant Chief Executive, National Library of Singapore https://www.linkedin.com/in/gene-tan-32316b63/?originalSubdomain=sg 

Gene Tan is an Executive and Creative Director who has helmed 3 national projects working at the highest level of government & across people and private sectors – Singapore’s Bicentennial, SG50 Capstone Exhibition The Future of Us and the Singapore Memory Project. Top librarian who was Director of the National Library and President of the Library Association.

Ms Liz Jolly, Chief Librarian, British Library.

Liz Jolly has been Chief Librarian at the British Library since September 2018. She is responsible for teams delivering core activities such as collection development; services for researchers, learners, businesses and entrepreneurs; research strategy and digital scholarship; an extensive cultural programme of exhibitions, events, and the Library’s online presence.  Liz has over twenty years’ experience in a variety of institutions in the university sector, most recently as Director of Student and Library Services at Teesside University. An Honorary Professor at Teesside, Liz is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow both of the CILIP and the RSA. She was Chair of SCONUL, the UK university library directors’ group, from 2014-16 and is a member of the Board of Governors at the University of Portsmouth. Liz is a Vice Chair of the SCONUL Content Strategy Group and a member of the Editorial Board of the New Review of Academic Librarianship.

 

Margaret Allen, State Librarian, State Library of Western Australia, Chair Public Libraries Section Committee. ALIA President 2011, ALIA Fellowship 2014, Public Service Medal 2018

Through her role as CEO of the State Library of Western Australia, Under Margaret’s leadership the State Library works in partnership with Aboriginal people through the Storylines Project to ‘build and maintain an online database of digitised heritage material from the library’s collections relating to Aboriginal history’ and through its Aboriginal Family History project offers training in information literacy, and research skills to support clients with family history research.

Margaret a long term contributor to IFLA, was engaged in the 2012 IFLA International Leaders Programme. As Chair of the Australian Libraries Copyright Committee (ALCC) and a member of the Australian Digital Alliance (ADA) Board of Directors Margaret is an active participant in the Australian copyright reform debates committed to copyright reform that enables fair access. Margaret was ALIA President for the 2011-2012 term of office. She represented libraries on the government’s Book Industry Collaborative Council and she is a valued member of the ALIA ebooks and elending Reference Group, presenting at think tanks across Australia during 2013.

Panel Facilitator: Erik BoekesteijnErik Boekesteijn  is a senior advisor at National Library of the Netherlands as well as a facilitator and consultant for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and a SLIS Fellow. Boekesteijn got his start in the Netherlands’ DOK Library in Delft, recognized as one of the most innovative public libraries in the world.

 

We look forward to seeing you all at our virtual catch up.

Register Here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pIoOA9c_T56egeBkYeMjRw

 

Refletindo sobre o passado e pensando no futuro é o tema da Seminário Intermediário

Refletindo sobre o passado e pensando no futuro é o tema da Seminário Intermediário

13 de abril de 2021 às 14 horas (horário de Brasília) – 7 p.m. horário de Amsterdam

Pela primeira vez haverá um painel em português com o tema “Bibliotecas Públicas e inovação em tempos de COVID” com relatos sobre os desafios e as alternativas encontradas para atender as comunidades durante a pandemia.

Nossos convidados são:

Isadora Cristal de Souza e Silva Escalante, Rede de Bibliotecas Comunitárias, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil 

Mestranda em Ciência da Informação no Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia (IBICT) em convênio com a Escola de Comunicação (ECO) da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Especialista em Alfabetização e Letramento pela Universidade Cândido Mendes (UCAM). Graduada em Biblioteconomia e Gestão de Unidades de Informação pela Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Atualmente é bibliotecária da Rede de Bibliotecas Comunitárias Baixada Literária em convênio com o Centro Comunitário São Sebastião de Vila de Cava (CECOM).

 

Marilena Nakano, Rede Beija Flor de Bibliotecas Comunitárias, São Paulo, Brasil 

É presidente da Rede Beija-flor de Pequenas Bibliotecas Vivas de Santo André. Cursou Pedagogia e História. Fez mestrado e doutorado na área de Educação, Estado e Sociedade pela Universidade de São Paulo e pós-doutorado pela Université Paris 13 (França). Até 2016, foi professora universitária na área de educação. Também foi professora da rede pública de São Paulo do Ensino Fundamental 1 ao Ensino Médio. Atuou na África no campo da alfabetização de jovens e adultos. Na França, foi professora de educadores sociais, trabalhando na área da mediação de território.

 

 Nuno Marçal, Biblioteca Municipal de Proença a Nova, Portugal.

Especialista em Ciências Documentais, variante de Bibliotecas concluída na Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias. Licenciatura em Sociologia concluída, na Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias. Bibliotecário-Ambulante responsável pela “Bibliomóvel” da Biblioteca Municipal de Proença-a-Nova desde o dia 26 de junho 2006. Bibliotecário da Biblioteca Municipal de Proença-a-Nova desde o dia 3 de janeiro de 2002.

 

Pierre André Ruprecht, SP Leituras, São Paulo, Brasil 

Graduado em administração de empresas pela Escola de Administração de Empresas FGV-SP. Foi professor de Metodologia da Pesquisa na área de Comunicação. Coordenou a área de multimeios e formação na Fundap, e ministrou cursos na área para o Senac, Fundação Cenafor, e outros. Foi coordenador geral da assessoria da Secretaria Municipal de Cultura de São Paulo e Gerente de Planejamento e dirigente em empresas, entre elas a Editora Brasiliense e, mais recentemente, gerente de projetos na área cultural. É tradutor e, desde 2011, exerce o cargo de diretor executivo da SP Leituras – Associação Paulista de Bibliotecas e Leitura, organização não-governamental responsável pela gestão da Biblioteca de São Paulo, da Biblioteca Parque Villa-Lobos, do Sistema Estadual de Bibliotecas Públicas do Estado de São Paulo e de outros programas ligados a bibliotecas e leitura.

Facilitadora: Adriana Ferrari 

Bibliotecária com especialização pela PUC Campinas e MBA pela POLI USP. Assessora e Coordenadora da Unidade de Bibliotecas e Leitura da Secretaria da Cultura do Estado de São Paulo (2007-2015). Assessora do Gabinete do Reitor da Universidade de São Paulo (2015-2018).  É Diretora da Biblioteca Florestan Fernandes da Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas da USP, Vice Presidenta da FEBAB e Membro do Comitê de Bibliotecas Públicas da IFLA.

Esperamos ver todos vocês em nosso evento virtual!

Faça sua inscrição aqui: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pIoOA9c_T56egeBkYeMjRw

Speakers announced for the Public Libraries Innovations in Covid Panel Reflecting Back and Thinking Forward – Webinar

Join IFLA Public Libraries and Literacy Reading Sections for our Reflecting Back and Thinking Forward Mid-term Seminar from 12-14 April 2021.  We look at how public libraries have responded to COVID and how the lessons learnt will impact the future. We will also explore some of the great initiatives around reading and literacy that have emerged during this time and how we can expand on this. There will also be an opportunity to ‘meet’ the world’s Children’s Laureates/Ambassadors and hear of their vision for the future.

The exciting program is listed below.

All times listed in Amsterdam Time:

April 12, 2021 – 9.30am – 10.30am: Meet the Children’s Laureates/Ambassadors
April 13, 2021 – 10am – 11.30am: Public Library innovations in COVID
April 13, 2021 – 12:00pm – 13.30pm: Literacy and Reading during COVID
April 13, 2021 – 19:00pm – 20:30pm: Public Library innovations in COVID (Portuguese)
April 14, 2021 – 10:00am – 11.30am: The future of libraries in a post COVID world
April 14, 2021 – 12:00pm – 13.30pm: Reading together during a pandemic
April 15, 2021 – 10am – 12pm: Public Libraries Business Meeting – an open meeting for all to attend

Register for the program here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pIoOA9c_T56egeBkYeMjRw

We are very excited to hear from Public Libraries from around the world on their changing

services in response to Covid-19:

 

Panel: Public Libraries Innovations in Covid: April 13th 10am – 11.30am

Whitney Oakley, Branch Manager, USA

Whitney was born and raised in Colorado USA. She has her B.S. in Human Services and currently works as the Branch Manager of the Anythink Bennett Library. Whitney is passionate about community and national service and sits on the Town of Bennett Board of Trustees as a Trustee Member. She currently lives in Bennett, CO with her husband, daughter and their many animals.

Whitney will share with us her library’s Elders Check-In Calls program and the impact it had on her community. 

You can find out more about her library here: https://www.anythinklibraries.org/location/anythink-bennett

 

Casey Bruck, Programming Librarian USA 

Casey Bruck is the Programming Librarian at the McCall Public Library in Idaho, USA. Casey calmly navigates all kinds of library programs—from kids’ maker-space robotics to adult travelogues.  Ask him about any ideas you might have to keep our library a dynamic place of learning in our community. He is also leading the way in our Idaho Room’s digital history project, to make all our local history records available online.

Casey and his Tutor Mobile partner Amanda Keaveny will share with us how they developed a new service: The Tutor bus for their community

You can find out more about McCall Public Library team here: https://www.mccall.id.us/library-staff

 

Binoy Mathew Librarian Selection Grade at the Valapattanam Grama Panchayat Library, Kerala, India 

Binoy Mathew is Librarian, Special Grade of Valapattanam Grama Panchayat Library in Kannur District, Kerala, India. He has a Postgraduate Degree in Economics and Bachelor Degree in Library and Information Science. He currently lives in Kannur district with wife,son and mother.

 

Catharina Isberg Library Director, Helsingborg City Libraries, Sweden 

Catharina has previously worked as a Deputy Director and Manager for an academic library and as manager and vice president on an international level for a pharmaceutical industry library. Catharina’s wide variety of different library fields has brought a wealth of different ideas to her work in public libraries.  Catharina has also been an active participant for IFLA and is has taken on a number of roles over the past 10 years with her current roles including Governing Board Member 2019-2021, Congress Advisory Committee Member 2019-2021, and a Professional Committee Member 2019-2021.  You can find our more about the Helsingborg City Libraries here https://www.bibliotekfh.se/service-och-tj%C3%A4nster?refId=guxzYT&culture=sv

 

Panel Facilitator: Martin Memet Könick 

Martin is Library Director of Ängelholm Libraries in the South of Sweden. Martin is an elected member of IFLA:s SC for the Public Libraries Section.

 

 

Panel Moderator: Sander van Kempen

Sander is a Senior Advisor at the Royal Dutch Library in the Netherlands.  Sander is an elected member of IFLA’s Section committees: the Public Libraries Section

 

 

We look forward to seeing you all at our virtual catch up.

Register Here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pIoOA9c_T56egeBkYeMjRw

 

Reflecting back and Thinking Forward

Join IFLA Public Libraries and Literacy Reading Sections for our Reflecting Back and Tinking Forward Mid-term Seminar from 12-14 April 2021.  We look at how public libraries have responded to COVID and how the lessons learnt will impact the future. We will also explore some of the great initiatives around reading and literacy that have emerged during this time and how we can expand on this. There will also be an opportunity to ‘meet’ the world’s Children’s Laureates/Ambassadors and hear of their vision for the future.

The exciting program is listed below.

All times listed in Amsterdam Time 

April 12, 2021 – 9:30 – 10:30: Meet the Children’s Laureates/Ambassadors
April 13, 2021 – 10:00 – 11.30: The future of libraries in a post Covid world
April 13, 2021 – 12:00 – 13.30: Literacy and Reading during COVID
April 13, 2021 – 19:00 – 20:30: Public Library innovations in COVID (Portuguese)
April 14, 2021 – 10:00 – 11.30: Public Library innovations in COVID April 14, 2021 – 12:00 – 13.30: Reading together during a pandemic
April 15, 2021 – TBD: Public Libraries Business Meeting

Register for the program here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pIoOA9c_T56egeBkYeMjRw

Our speakers include:

Panel: The Future of Libraries in a post Covid world

Mr Gene Tan, Assistant Chief Executive, National Library of Singapore https://www.linkedin.com/in/gene-tan-32316b63/?originalSubdomain=sg

  

Gene Tan is an Executive and Creative Director who has helmed 3 national projects working at the highest level of government & across people and private sectors – Singapore’s Bicentennial, SG50 Capstone Exhibition The Future of Us and the Singapore Memory Project. Top librarian who was Director of the National Library and President of the Library Association.

 

Ms Liz Jolly, Chief Librarian, British Library.

Liz Jolly has been Chief Librarian at the British Library since September 2018. She is responsible for teams delivering core activities such as collection development; services for researchers, learners, businesses and entrepreneurs; research strategy and digital scholarship; an extensive cultural programme of exhibitions, events, and the Library’s online presence.  Liz has over twenty years’ experience in a variety of institutions in the university sector, most recently as Director of Student and Library Services at Teesside University. An Honorary Professor at Teesside, Liz is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow both of the CILIP and the RSA. She was Chair of SCONUL, the UK university library directors’ group, from 2014-16 and is a member of the Board of Governors at the University of Portsmouth. Liz is a Vice Chair of the SCONUL Content Strategy Group and a member of the Editorial Board of the New Review of Academic Librarianship.

 

Ms Christine McKenzie

Christine is the President of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) from 2019 to 2021, leading the library field under the theme “Let’s work together”.[4][5] Her mandate takes the results of projects as the IFLA Global Vision where librarians around the world created a bottom – up strategy[6] where one of the highlights and opportunities are related to focus on our communities and work more collaborative and develop strong partnerships.

 

Margaret Allen, State Librarian, State Library of Western Australia, Chair Public Libraries Section Committee. ALIA President 2011, ALIA Fellowship 2014, Public Service Medal 2018

Through her role as CEO of the State Library of Western Australia, Under Margaret’s leadership the State Library works in partnership with Aboriginal people through the Storylines Project to ‘build and maintain an online database of digitised heritage material from the library’s collections relating to Aboriginal history’ and through its Aboriginal Family History project offers training in information literacy, and research skills to support clients with family history research.

Margaret a long term contributor to IFLA, was engaged in the 2012 IFLA International Leaders Programme. As Chair of the Australian Libraries Copyright Committee (ALCC) and a member of the Australian Digital Alliance (ADA) Board of Directors Margaret is an active participant in the Australian copyright reform debates committed to copyright reform that enables fair access. Margaret was ALIA President for the 2011-2012 term of office. She represented libraries on the government’s Book Industry Collaborative Council and she is a valued member of the ALIA ebooks and elending Reference Group, presenting at think tanks across Australia during 2013.

 

Panel Facilitator: Erik Boekesteijn

Erik Boekesteijn is a senior advisor at National Library of the Netherlands as well as a facilitator and consultant for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and a SLIS Fellow. Boekesteijn got his start in the Netherlands’ DOK Library in Delft, recognized as one of the most innovative public libraries in the world.

 

We look forward to seeing you all at our virtual catch up.

Register Here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pIoOA9c_T56egeBkYeMjRw

 

Lithuanian public libraries welcome people with autism

Public libraries are public institutions and should be available to anyone. However, in reality – it is not always the case. Parents that have children with autism spectrum disorder often avoid public places because in most cases those places are not suitable for their children. But public libraries in Lithuania say “Library for everyone”, presenting a unique project implemented throughout Lithuania.

Experiences are not always pleasant

Ingrida, who has a son with an autism spectrum disorder says: “It’s not easy – you have to adapt to the environment, and communicate the way you do with anyone, but don’t expect a “normal” response”. She stresses the importance of teaching the basic rules, to show what behaviors are acceptable. For example, when you take a book from a shelf in a library afterwards you have to put it back on the shelf. You have to teach them what to do.

She mentions that “Saying to such a child to ‘sit quietly’ or ‘stay calm’ is the same as telling a blind person to ‘see’ or telling a person who can’t walk to get up and go. It doesn’t work like that”. Not only do people with autism spectrum disorder need to learn to live in the society, society also needs to learn to accept and understand this socially sensitive group.

Jacob’s mother Živilė says that people with autism spectrum disorder are greatly aided by visual information which indicates, for example, where books are placed, where to go, and finally where the toilet is. “These days, we talk a lot about integration but it is sometimes difficult for the family to go out in public. We are afraid because we do not know how the child will behave in the library and how others will react”.

 

Creating a safe environment for all individuals

Since November, the doors of Lithuanian public libraries have been decorated with a colorful logo “Library for everyone”. This is a sign that the library is becoming an even more open and friendly place for all individuals, despite their differences and diversity.

Many individuals with an autism spectrum disorder have an easier time processing information with visual cues. Using adapted text and pictures is key to familiarizing themselves with unknown environments and situations.

As of 2020 Lithuanian public libraries have social stories and posters that help visitors with autism spectrum disorder prepare for a visit to the library. The social stories that visitors will find on the library websites allow them to get acquainted with the library spaces, rules, and staff.

To help manage anxiety, calm down, and relax a special toolkit has been prepared for each of the public libraries. It consists of sensory-tent, tactile, audio, and visual aids. In addition, training for library staff on how to behave and help autistic children in the library have also been organized.

An example for all public institutions

In Lithuania, similarly to the rest of the world, the number of autism cases is increasing. The spectrum of autism is very wide, however, the most common problem areas are social interactions, sensory sensitivity, linguistic and non-linguistic communication. Still, research indicates that individuals with autism spectrum disorder identify the library as a great place to relax, educate, and spend quality time. In a recent survey, about 90 percent of families with autistic children said that they would visit libraries more often if they were more adapted to their needs.

The fact that Lithuanian libraries are becoming friendlier to this community is a big step forward, giving hope that other public institutions will follow this beautiful example.

The project “Implementation of a network of libraries friendly to people with autism spectrum and other language, communication and behavioral disorders” was financed by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.

  If you would like to know more, contact:

Justina Grigienė, communication manager of project “Implementation of a network of librariesfriendly to people with autism spectrum and other language, communication and behavioral disorders”

[email protected]