The Reykjavik City Library provides library services to residents of Reykjavik, Iceland. It has 6 branches and circulates over 1 million items annually. Services include children's programs, literacy initiatives, and multicultural outreach. The library aims to be socially inclusive and provide equal access to information for all residents.

1. Reykjavik City Library

2. A brief tour …
1. Iceland
2. Reyjkavik City
Library
3. Programming

3. Iceland facts
• National Population = approximately 320,000
– Loudoun County 325,000
• 80% live in the Reykjavik area
• Settled in 874
• 80% of Icelandic males are of Nordic origin
• 63% of Icelandic females are of Celtic origin
•Live expectancy
• Male = 74 years
• Female = 81 years
• Comprehensive state health care

4. Iceland facts
• 6% of population is of foreign origin

5. Geography

6. Resources
Geothermal Power

7. Resources
Fishing

8. Resources
Farming

9. Government
•In 930 established republican government; 1262 -1944
ruled at various times by Norway and Denmark.
•In 1944 became a Republic.
Þingvellir – Where Icelandic government began

10. Politics
National Day – June 17

11. Politics
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson = President
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir= Prime Minister

12. President’s Residence

13. Citizens

14. Peace House

15. Citizens

16. • Lutheran = State
Church
• All recorded
• 90% baptized first
year
• 90% Confirmed
• 85% Married
• 99% Funerals
• 10% Weekly
Services
• Bible stories
taught in school

17. Leif Ericsson

18. Hidden People & Trolls

19. Icelandic Sagas
Required reading for all Icelandic school children

20. Bookstores typically
open 8am – 11pm
Literacy rate = 99%
• 2011 = 757 books
published
• Publishers support
school libraries
“recipe for reading”

21. Education
@ 16 yrs of age – choose
to continue to Upper
Parents pay 30% of the Secondary, 97% do, pay for
cost of Playschool textbooks
Tuition for Higher Education:
$400 a year

22. Between 6 – 16 years of age
“We are fluent in English by 9 years of age.”

23. Playschool

24. Children • 80% of their average
salaries during the leave
• 9 months
• fathers were given three
months’ leave, mothers
three months and the
parents were given three
months to share as they
wished.
• Fertility increasing to 2.1
children per woman
“My parents and
grandparents taught me
to read.”

25. Reykjavik City Library
•6 Branches
•Circulation = 1,034,000 annually
•Bookmobile & Storymobile
•Mission: “The Reykjavik City Library is a public library
and open to all. It operates in accordance with local
public library regulations with the goal of providing
equal access to information, knowledge, and
entertainment.”
Free Wi-Fi. Had just removed Internet stations –
“Everyone has computers at home. They weren’t
being used.”

26. History
• The establishment of the library is partly due
to the sale of fishing vessels owned by the City
of Reykjavik to France in 1917.
• The Government of Iceland made it a
condition for the sale that a part of the profit
would be used to set up a library for the public
in Reykjavík.
• It is one of the city’s oldest cultural
institutions.

27. Operations
• From its beginning the library lent cases of books
to fishing vessels.
• Reykjavík City Library operates within the
tradition of library services in the other Nordic
countries, Western Europe and North America.
The Library also operates in accordance with the
Icelandic Public Libraries Act from1997
• The UNESCO Public Library Manifesto from 1994.
• The library also looks toward to the IFLA
Multicultural Manifesto from 2008.

28. Points of Contact
Thorbjorg Karlsdottir, Children’s Librarian Kristin Vilhjalmsdottir, Manager of
Multicultural Projects
“A public library is in fact a gateway into society.”

29. Youth Services Objective
Visits to Reykjavik City Library should be a part of the
cultural upbringing of children and teenagers
Ways to achieve objective:
-Library visits for school children and a good connection with
the schools in Reykjavik.
-Story hours for young children as a weekly event and other
programs offered, such as puppet theatre and music
programs.
-Special projects for children and teenagers, such as writing
workshops.
-A collection that appeals to children and teenagers.
-An emphasis on reading promotion for children and
teenagers as well as information literacy.

30. Children’s Onsite Programs
• Storytimes (Winter weekends)
– Mother Tongue – language games, stories, dance,
singing, and other activities to stimulate Icelandic
language
– volunteers present in languages other than Icelandic
upon request
• Introduction to the Library – 4th Grade classes,
part of their Icelandic studies, they come to
library

31. Children’s Onsite Programs
• Writing Workshops- ages 8-12
• Heilahristingur (Shake Your
Brain) Homework Help provided
by Red Cross volunteers for
immigrant 5th – 10th Graders
• Cultural and educational
programs –storytellers, drama,
music, etc.
• El Dia – International Day of the
Child/Day of the Book

32. Children’s Outreach Programs
Bookmobile
Story Van – takes
storytimes to Playschools

33. Family Mornings
Informal playtime for children, coffee and conversation for adults.

34. Family Mornings
Librarian joins
them for 10-15
minutes of songs
and rhymes
(Icelandic) and
announces any
upcoming
programs.

35. Family Mornings
Formal topics are
presented 3 times a year-
Fall, Winter, Spring.
Topics presented by
outside presenters
included:
Sleep & Sleeping Habits
Heuristic play with
objects
Mother Language
(Icelandic language
“games” )

36. Summer Reading Program
Located in entry lobby, under main stairway.

37. Summer Reading Program

38. Literacy Trunks

39. Children’s Program Space

40. Children’s Area

41. Children’s Area

42. Children’s Area

43. Children’s Area

44. Children’s Area

45. Teen Area Poetry Slam & other
literary/cultural events
No teen volunteer
programs
“The overall number of
library visits is
decreasing, especially
teens.”
Starting a Teen Book
Club.
Investigating online
Homework Help.

46. Adult Area

47. Program Space

48. Adult Programs
Author Visits
Film Discussions
Art Exhibits
Literary Tours
Knitting Group
Televised sports
New books

49. Multicultural Programs
IFLA Multicultural Library Manifesto – a gateway to a
culturally diverse society in dialogue.

50. Multicultural Programs
Introduction to the Library for adult
Icelandic language learners.
Let’s Read the Newspapers – Practice
Icelandic and discuss current issues
Women’s Story Circle – practice Icelandic,
share stories and ideas; complete public
art projects.
Flying Carpet – outreach to schools,
coordinate cultural exchange activities or
projects.

51. Women’s Story Circle
Their art is on display at Reykjavik City Hall

52. A cooperative project between the City
ArtoTek Library and The Association of Visual
Artists,

53. Public Art

54. Public Space

55. Public Space

56. Public Space

57. Reyjkavik Photography Museum
Located on the 6th Floor of the Library

58. Reyjkavik Photography Museum
Family Area

59. Library Shop
You can buy puzzles, dolls,
calendars, playing cards,
games and other literature
related items. The toys are
connected to popular
Nordic fiction characters,
such as Pippi Longstocking,
and Helgi.

60. Reykjavik City Library
“A public
library is
in fact a
gateway
into
society.”