Tag Archives: Public Libraries

Orienting young adults – The Cinema Classroom Project

Co-operation with Barcelona Province Public Libraries and the ESCAC Foundation (Film and Audiovisual School of Catalonia)

When young adults are on the second year of High School, in Spain, they find themselves in front of one of their life’s toughest decisions, such as choosing University studies. Some of them have a clear vocation that they have already developed throughout their lives. But some doesn’t. From the libraries of the province of Barcelona, Xarxa de Biblioteques Municipals  we offer them the chance to try some very special university studies: the possibility of dedicating their career to the cinema.

Students of Secondary School and 1st and 2nd of High School experience a live class of introduction to sound, assembly, or the crafts of cinema in general, based on the film Jaws. They can immerse themselves in film adaptations of literary classics that must be read during the course, such as Hamlet, Frankenstein and The Metamorphosis; they can learn how the film world has portrayed the painters, or how they have adapted successful books to turn them into scripts. And, finally, they can hear how former students of the school who have premiered their first feature films explain the way they have travelled to fill a movie theatre. All the lectures are free, open to the public, and free for users. The ESCAC takes charge of the fees of the professors and the rights of exhibition of the films that are projected.

Libraries can enhance their role in the educational community

For all the participating libraries in the project this is an opportunity to complement the activities they carry out around the cinema, reinforcing their role as link with the educational community, and opens a window to a young audience that often unknowns the possibilities that our facilities offer. For the ESCAC it is a powerful speaker to publicize their studies, at the same time an opportunity to attract talent that, otherwise, could not be considered the possibility of studying them. Who knows, perhaps one of the thousand five hundred pupils who went through the lectures of the Aula de Cinema of last year will be the next Juan Antonio Bayona.

The Aula de cinema  (Cinema Classroom Project) is a collaboration between the XBM libraries network of Diputació de Barcelona and the ESCAC Foundation (Film and Audiovisual School of Catalonia). Some libraries selected based on their work towards cinema are in contact with institutes in order to organize master class sessions by ESCAC Professors.

For the participating libraries it is an opportunity to reinforce their role as speakers behind the educational community and to inform young people about what facilities they can offer. More than one thousand five hundred students went attended the lectures of the classroom of Cinema last year.

Text and photos: Jaume Felipe Villa, Director Biblioteca Maria Àngels Torrents

Winning the Public Library of the Year Award is great promotion for your library

What impact does winning the Public Library of the Year Award have?

In 2018 our Public Library, School 7 in Den Helder, the Netherlands, was awarded Public Library of the Year 2018 during the IFLA congress in Kuala Lumpur. As a proud director, I received the Award. We were overwhelmed; we did not think we would win it. We had to compete against large libraries from Singapore, Brazil and the US. What would be the deciding factor for the jury? We had no idea. But we decided to turn it into an adventure and, regardless of the outcome, enjoy the moment when we could present ourselves to an international audience. Great to show School 7 to colleagues from all over the world. When the chairman of the jury delivered the outcome, we could hardly comprehend that School 7 had really won the Public Library Award 2018!

School 7 stayed in the spotlight, to this day visitors from home and abroad come to Den Helder because they have heard about the prize. The library agenda is still full of tours. We have since welcomed colleagues from South Korea, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Saba, Estonia and France. The guestbook is full of beautiful compliments and enthusiastic responses. From “ordinary” visitors, but also from the minister and from Prince Carnival, who came to celebrate School 7 with his entourage.

Photo: Janita Krimps

These visits also provided something for the city. People go for lunch or coffee. They might also spend the night in Den Helder. With this Award we have put the city on the map. The library as city marketing, how beautiful is that?

The Public Library of the Year Award is a prize that opens doors. For example, I was invited by King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima to have lunch at Noordeinde Palace, along with a few other Dutch people who have delivered an exceptional performance. And I was also invited by the king and queen to the traditional New Year’s meeting in the palace in Amsterdam.

Suddenly magazines and other media include School 7 in their content. For example, we were part of a documentary series on national television, I was interviewed several times by foreign magazines and School 7 serves as a location for photo shoots and film recordings for other parties.

Winning such an important prize also ensures reinforcement in society. We notice that the inhabitants of the city and the politicians are proud of us. When the councilor suggested a few months ago to involve the library in the municipal spending cuts, this was rejected by the nearly full city council. “It is simply unthinkable for you to receive international guests and we will cut your budget!” Said the party leader of the largest political party.

At the construction site opposite School 7 the contractor has attached a long canvas to the scaffolding around the new building. It says: “Our library is the best in the world!” This reflects the pride of the population at the library. And that pride has been cashed in by the Award.

Text and photos Jacinta Krimp, director School 7 (translation by Sander van Kempen, member of SCPL)

The Public Libray of the year award launched on 2018, March 1st !

 Awarded by the IFLA and the IT company Systematic which sponsors it,  this award is presented to the best new public library anywhere in the world in terms of focus on community needs, local culture and digital development.

The award goes to a public library that is either newly built or set up in premises that have not previously been used for libraries. To be considered for the award, the library must have been completed in the period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017.

The IFLA Public Libraries Section has been part of this award form the very beginning in 2014 in cooperation with the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces (Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen).

The previous winners have been

Public Library of the Year 2016: Dokk1, Denmark
Public Library of the Year 2015: Kista Public Library, Sweden
Public Library of the Year 2014: Craigieburn Library, Australia 

After a short break, the award is back on the libray field, still sponsored by Systematic.

Jan Richards, chair of the IFLA-PLsection:

“The IFLA Public Libraries Section is delighted to be part of this award, which celebrate excellence in library planning and design. Public libraries are an essential part of a strong community, and being able to acknowledge and share best practice examples helps us ensure that we create great environments for our citizens,”

The award is accompanied by a prize of USD 5,000 that goes directly to the winning library, which will be selected by an international professional jury on the basis of an overall assessment of the libraries entered for consideration.

The winner of the “Public Library of the Year” award for 2018 will be announced at the end of August during the 2018 IFLA Annual Meeting, which will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Applications for consideration for the 2018 Public Library of the year award will be open from March 1st to May 15th.

https://systematic.com/library-learning/awards/public-library-of-the-year/

China Continues their review of the Public Libraries Law

The draft was submitted to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee for a second reading at the bi-monthly session, which runs from 30 Oct until 4 Nov 2017.

The draft states that modern technology should be integrated into public libraries, with more digital content and networks, to deliver better services to the public.   Some lawmakers have suggested that specific functions of the national library such as organizing the protection of ancient books, carrying out research and international exchanges on libraries, and providing guidance and technical support for libraries be included as functions of public libraries.

China has more than 3,100 government-run libraries and around 50 public libraries set up by citizens, enterprises and public institutions, social groups and other organizations, according to the Ministry of Culture.

 

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-10/31/c_136717591.htm

Reopening of Pasir Ris Public Library, the first Mall Library with a dedicated Teen Space in Singapore

Photograph - Public Libraries Standing Committee-Jane Wee

Pasir Ris Public Library reopens its doors to the public on 28 November 2015 after nine months of renovations. The library features versatile and distinct spaces to meet different user preferences and needs, enhancing the reading and learning experiences for all patrons.

Bird-Eye

It is now the first mall library with dedicated spaces for teenagers that have been created by their peers from the Inspiring Readers Society (a name which the pioneer team of 39 members, aged between 13 and 19 collectively decided). The aim of the society is to encourage engagement in content discovery, reading and discussions with their peers while also creating a sense of ownership of the library spaces among the teens.

IRS

These teenagers will be co-creating video trailers that recommend books that they like, made available for viewing by other teens visitors at the Book Tree in the library.

Pic2

They will be organising regular Hangout Sessions in the Mezzanine, where the members will share with other teenagers about any topic relating to a recommended book.

Teens

Teens and adults alike can interact with a Doodle Wall, where they can draw using their fingertips with the help of an interactive projector to facilitate live discussions through the use of visualisation. There are three such Doodle Walls in the library, the other two being located at the Programmig Area and the Early Literacy Section.

DoodleWall

Teens’ Mezzanine, conceptualised through feedback from teens and the public, was specially designed with movable furniture to enable teens the flexibility to create an environment conducive for in group activities such as group discussions and brainstorm sessions.

Pic1

Seats

Spaces to engage the wider community

Reading Terrace, with windows overlooking the Pasir Ris Park, features staggered platforms for casual reading and the use of natural light.

Terrace

Intense readers can indulge in solitude and a good book at the Quiet Reading Lounge with individual nooks.

QuiteReading

Nestled with comfortable casual seating, the Children’s Deck enables parents to emotionally bond with their children while engaging them in the world of knowledge and building the love for reading.

EarlyLit

Pasir Ris Public Library, located at the White Sands Mall is one of the 26 public libraries in Singapore. It was first opened to public on 6 October 2000 and currently served a population size of about 137,500.

 

Successful Applicants Announced

EIFL1

EIFL’s Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) has announced the names of 10 successful applicants for the grant call – Public libraries preparing children and youth for the future. There were  over 270 applications from 71 countries

The 10 successful libraries will implement projects that use a wide range of technology – smart phones, 3D printers, computers, the internet, robotics and more – to teach children and youth valuable digital skills, to build their creativity and confidence, and to help serve their health, education, literacy, research, media and other needs.

Regular updates about these services are posted on the EIFL website and social media   .