Report on children's library service in public libraries

【2005-KN001】

The Committee on Children and Young Adults of the Japan Library Association released a report on children's library service in public libraries in FY2003. The report was based on a questionnaire sent to public libraries throughout Japan (64 prefectural and 2,575 local libraries) in April 2004. 177 libraries newly started a service for children and the entire number of collected books for children was increased compared with the year 2000. Storytelling and lectures about children were held more often by these libraries. The libraries lent many more books to schools, which indicates the establishment of closer coordination with the schools. On the other hand, the number of full-time librarians for children's library service is decreasing as a result of the government's project to downsize public libraries; thus a larger part of the job is covered by part-time librarians or people doing more than one job.

(2005.3.31 update)