Not just books - A library for all - Comparative study

Grundtvig 2 Project | Not Just Books:Library for all Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

2 Project | Not Just Books: Library for all

Comparative study about work, tools and skills in the libraries in each country for lifelong learning

The Public Reading Libraries and lifelong learning -an approach, different realities

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

Project | Not Just Books:Library for all

Methodology

written questionnaire , in English language sent by e-mail to Norway and Sweden

written questionnaire, in latvian language sent by e-mail to Latvia

written questionnaire, in portuguese language sent by e-mail to Portugal

information when requested by phone

Sample

LATVIA LATGALE REGION POPULATION 364 343 INHABITANTS AREA 14 594 KM2 LIBRARIES 13 RATIO 1LIBRARY PER 28 026,38 INHABITANTS Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

NORWAY HORDALAND TYLKER POPULATION 448 343 INHABITANTS AREA 15 450KM2 LIBRARIES 33 RATIO 1 LIBRARY PER 13 586,15 Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

PORTUGAL DISTRITO DO PORTO POPULATION 1 817 986 INHABITANTS AREA 2 395 KM2 LIBRARIES 18 RATIO 1 LIBRARY PER 100 999,22 INHABITANTS Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

SWEDEN STOCKOLM LÄN POPULATION 1 640 389 INHABITANTS AREA 6 519 KM2 LIBRARIES 27 RATIO 1 LIBRARY PER 60 755 INHABITANTS Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

Project | Not Just Books:Library for all Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Country Administrative or politic Division Population Area km2 Total of libraries Libraries per inhabitant Latvia Region 364 343 14 549 13 1 28 026 ,38 Norway Tylker 448 343 15 450 33 1 13 586,15 Portugal Distrito 1 817986 3 395 18 1 100 999,22 Sweden Lan 1 640 389 6 519 27 1 60 755

Questionnaire with 8 pages

15 main questions

Guardianship

Framing

Building

Area

Comfort

Accessibility

Sign language

Period of functioning

Services

Qualitative characterization of the collection

Activities

Staff

Cooperation

Publicizing of the services and the conditions of accessing them

New basic skills

Selection and management of collection

Objectives of the comparative study

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Know the work of libraries in different countries for lifelong learning

contacted libraries

90

libraries that responded to the questionnaire

35 38,8%

Project | Not Just Books:Library for all Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries country Libraries contacted libraries respondents % weight of each country in the sample Latvia 13 13 100% 34% Norway 33 5 15% 13% Portugal 18 14 72% 36,8% Sweden 27 6 22% 15,7%

Guardianship

Municipality

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries country % Latvia 85,7% Norway 40% Portugal 100% Sweden 100%

Framing

Most of libraries belong to a network

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries country National Network Regional Network Municipal Network Any Network Latvia 35,7% 21,4% 42,8% 7,14 Norway 20% 40% 40% 0 Portugal 66,6% 8,33% 21,42% 14,2% Sweden 16,6% 33,3% 50% 0

Building

Most of the buildings erected or modified specifically for libraries belongs to Portugal

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries country Built or adapted specifically for library Built or adapted for library and other services Latvia 21,42% 64,28% Norway 0 100% Portugal 71,42% 21,4% Sweden 33% 66,6

Project | Not Just Books: Library for all

Area

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries country area % Latvia 100/500m2 64,28% Norway 1000/ 1500 m2 60% Portugal 2000/2500 m2 28,5% Sweden 2500/3000m2 50%

Comfort

All libraries have a heating system

All reading /consulting rooms receive natural light

Libraries furniture and decorative elements are in good state of conservation

All buildings have an adequate lighting system

Most of the Latvian libraries do not have air conditioning

Project | Not Just Books/Library for all

Accessibility

All Norwegian libraries have only one floor

Portugal has the largest number of libraries with more than 2 floors : 42,2%

Latvia: only 7,14 % libraries possess an elevator

Portugal: only 64,28 libraries possess an elevator

All Sweden libraries with than one floor have elevator

In the outside of the building have slopes for wheel chairs ?

Latvia:64,28%

Norway:40%

Portugal:64,28%

Sweden:33,3%

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Our libraries need to pay more attention to external access of entry motivating to come who have difficulties in locomotion

Presence of the library in town

note a curious case : in Norway there are not an indication of the direction of the library in their cities & towns

All Portuguese town & cities has the library direction

In Latvia only 35,71% has the library direction

In Sweden 66,6% has the library direction

To guide public and gain customers is very important to have information in localities indicating the path to the library

Period of functioning

Some Latvians and Swedish libraries are opened in Sunday.

All Portuguese and Norwegian libraries close in Sunday

Only Portuguese libraries are opened after 8 pm -21,5 %

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries The libraries that have fewer work hours per week are the Norwegian 80% work 3-4,5 days per week

Per week the library is opened:

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries For lifelong learning, especially during the working life of citizens is very important that libraries have extended opening hours country <20h 30h-40h 41h-50h 51h-60h >61h Latvia 28,5% 42,5% 28,5% Norway 80% 20% Portugal 35,7% 28,5% 21,42% Sweden 33,33% 50% 16,6%

Services

The classics services of reading and consultation of books and newspapers are present in all libraries

Only all Swedish libraries have consultation and reading e-books and audio books.

It is possible listening music or watching a dvd or video in:

85% Portuguese libraries

41% Swedish libraries

40% Norwegian libraries

39% Latvian libraries

Borrow of books

Almost Latvian libraries borrow books-85,7%

Almost Portuguese borrow books -85,7%

All Swedish and Norwegian libraries borrow books -100%

Borrow books for reading at home is very important for those who work and need to update a document or if they want learn more about some subject.

Internet

All libraries have Internet for the users and his consultation is free.

Some libraries in Portugal and Sweden enable its consultation outside the hours of work.

All libraries have a catalogue and it is available in Internet in many libraries. Have the catalogue in the Internet allows the user to know from any point if the document that he needs is available in his library. When the library includes a collective catalogue that information is more complete

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Country Catalogue on line available in Internet Collective catalogue with other institutions Latvia 100% 64% Norway 100% 100% Portugal 28,5 42,8% Sweden 100% 83,3%

Diffuse selective information

This is a service of great importance for lifelong learning because it allows the user to be informed almost automatically about the entry of documents on topics of his interest

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries country DSI Latvia 57% Norway 80% Portugal 50% Sweden 50%

Library out of doors looking for users privated from going to library ( jails, hospital, day centers for old people, rural and remote areas)

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Country Service for reading in hospital Service for reading in jails Service in day centers for old people Itinerants libraries Poles Latvia 14% 35,7% 42,8% 42,8 57% Norway 0 0 40% 20% 0 Portugal 21% 14% 28,5% 57% 57% Sweden 16,6% 0 50% 16% 100%

Services for Disable people >blind

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Country Impression equipment in Braille language Computers with speech synthesizer Computers with suitable keyboards Printed catalogue in Braille of documents in Braille Free available the catalogue in Braille Latvia 42% 14% 7% 0 0 Norway 0 20% 0 0 0 Portugal 21% 21% 14% 21% 21% Sweden 100% 100% 50% 33% 33%

Provision of equipment and software for the realisation and print texts (s choolar work, academic work, curricula, etc)

Provide tools for the development of texts and its printing shall be a service of this libraries allowing those who do not possess such equipment the possibility of use in their personal and professional life (for example to write and print a letter of application for a new job)

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Country Computers and software Equipment for impression Latvia 50% 57% Norway 80% 0% Portugal 86% 86% Sweden 100% 100%

Library collection

The monographs are the most significant part of the collection in almost libraries consulted, next is multimedia and finally periodics

Documents in foreign language

Only 1 swedish library and 2 Portuguese do not have documents in foreign language

All libraries have documents addressed to individual non-formal learning, like language courses, cook courses, manuals with exercises and the solutions, do yourself, etc .

All libraries have documents to support the formal education-dictionaires, grammars.

Activities

The library promotes regularly activities for adult people?

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Country Yes% Latvia 100% Norway 40% Portugal 78% Sweden 83%

The activities carried out in great number are exhibitions about writers, literature and varied affairs, conferences about literature, lectures, guided visits to the library,meeting with writers.

How the community knows the existence of the library?

What means of dissemination use the library to make known its services?

How do the users know the conditions to access the library?

Project | Not Just Books: Library for all Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries country Norms approved by the qualified entities Translated Regulation Possess an agenda or a programme for monthly activities The library have a web page Latvia 100% 0 92,8 50% Norway 100% 20% 60% 80% Portugal 78,5 0 85,7 100% Sweden 66,6% 33% 100% 100%

Project | Not Just Books:Library for all Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Country Possess an agenda or a programme for monthly activities Latvia 92,8 Norway 60% Portugal 85,7 Sweden 100%

Project | Not Just Books: Library for all Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Forms of disclosure of the monthly programme of libraries in each country Country In joint publication edited by the tutorial organism In the web page Posters distributed in the city Letter sent to the schools Local radios Local periodicals Pamphlets Latvia 7% 42,8% 35,7% 14% 7% 21% 35,7% Norway 0 60% 40% 20% 20% 20% 0 Portugal 64% 85,7% 28,5% 64% 28% 35,7% 42,8% Sweden 16,6% 100% 83% 33% 16,6% 50% 83%

New basic skills

All the libraries are equipped with computers connected to Internet and its consultation are free.

G enerally the staff was trained to deal with new technologies and help users in their difficulties

However Portugal has the lowest percentage, only 42.8% of the employees received training in the area of new technologies

As regards the provision of Internet and other tools outside the openning hours (using a card as in the ATM machines, for example) Portugal has the highest rate-50%

In Latvia any library provides this service

Selection and management of collection

All libraries accept suggestions from users to acquire new documents.

The suggestions of users has an annual weight, in the new acquisitions, between 0.5% and 6%

All libraries inform the user of the intended document admission. Portugal and Latvia prefer the telephone, Sweden and Norway prefer the e-mail to contact the user.

This is a first reading and analysis of the results of the questionnaires

Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries In this approach we can conclude that our libraries are prepared to be active partners in lifelong learning, because this institutions work for all the people and not only for students. These activities and services need to be better disclose in their communities.

Freedom , prosperity and the development of society and of individuals are fundamental human values. They will only be attained through the ability of well-informed citizens to exercise their democratic rights and to play an active role in society . Constructive participation and the development of democracy depend on satisfactory education as well as on free and unlimited access to knowledge, thought , culture and information.

The public library, the local gateway to knowledge , provides a basic condition for lifelong learning , independent decision- making and cultural development of the individual and social groups . IFLA/UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 1994