A presentation by Project Planner Mika Mustikkamäki in My Media Playground seminar 15th Feb 2013 in Tampere, Finland.

1. Media Education in
Finnish Public Libraries
Mapping the field and building sustained practice
Mika Mustikkamäki
Finnish Library Association

2. Outline
1. The rhetoric of media education in Finnish
public libraries
2. Mapping the field: Libraries and media 2012
3. Sustained practice: plans for action

3. Observations/truisms

4. Observations/truisms
• Libraries sit at the crossroads of different media

5. Observations/truisms
• Libraries sit at the crossroads of different media
• Librarians are curators of information (as well
as gatekeepers)

6. Observations/truisms
• Libraries sit at the crossroads of different media
• Librarians are curators of information (as well
as gatekeepers)
• Libraries love literacy and literate citizens

7. Observations/truisms
• Libraries sit at the crossroads of different media
• Librarians are curators of information (as well
as gatekeepers)
• Libraries love literacy and literate citizens
• Libraries are facing challenges from digitisation,
decline in lending, budget cuts

8. The Rhetoric

9. The Rhetoric
• “The public library does/will not educate.”

10. The Rhetoric
• “The public library does/will not educate.”
• “Media education happens - at school.”

11. The Rhetoric
• “The public library does/will not educate.”
• “Media education happens - at school.”
• “The public library has always been a media
educator.”

12. Libraries and media 2012
• Commissioned by the Ministry of Education and
Culture, carried out by Koulukino
• A survey, sent to all 321Finnish public libraries,
with a response rate of 41%
• First national survey of its kind, measuring both
attitudes and actions in the field

13. Some key findings

14. Some key findings
• 91% think the elementary school is a very important space for
media education - only 35% think the same of the library

15. Some key findings
• 91% think the elementary school is a very important space for
media education - only 35% think the same of the library
• Supporting reading in different ways is seen very important by
92% - supporting the creativity of, and content-creation by
patrons by less than 10%

16. Some key findings
• 91% think the elementary school is a very important space for
media education - only 35% think the same of the library
• Supporting reading in different ways is seen very important by
92% - supporting the creativity of, and content-creation by
patrons by less than 10%
• Some 65% think information seeking skills, separating fact
from fiction, and age restrictions are very important subject
areas - a little over 10% see games, virtual worlds, and
understanding the structure and workings of media industry as very
important

17. Some key findings

18. Some key findings
• 74% see the book as a very important medium, 60% the
internet, 36% the computer - the other end of the spectrum
hosts television, mobile phones and radio

19. Some key findings
• 74% see the book as a very important medium, 60% the
internet, 36% the computer - the other end of the spectrum
hosts television, mobile phones and radio
• 9-18-year-olds is seen as the most important target group for
media education by 67% of the respondents - the most important
actual target groups are the same

20. Some key findings
• 74% see the book as a very important medium, 60% the
internet, 36% the computer - the other end of the spectrum
hosts television, mobile phones and radio
• 9-18-year-olds is seen as the most important target group for
media education by 67% of the respondents - the most important
actual target groups are the same
• adults are seen as the most irrelevant target group for media
education, while the immigrant population is the most “neglected”
in everyday work

21. Some key findings

22. Some key findings
• 50% have discussed media education, but don’t include it in
strategic planning, 32% have not even discussed it, 16% have it in
the strategic plan

23. Some key findings
• 50% have discussed media education, but don’t include it in
strategic planning, 32% have not even discussed it, 16% have it in
the strategic plan
• 25% have assigned media education as a responsibility for
someone in the organisation

24. Some key findings
• 50% have discussed media education, but don’t include it in
strategic planning, 32% have not even discussed it, 16% have it in
the strategic plan
• 25% have assigned media education as a responsibility for
someone in the organisation
• 67% have a co-operation plan with local schools, but only a third of
these plans include media education specifically

25. Some key findings
• Top six practices/contexts of media education in Finnish public
libraries
1. Visits from schools
2. As part of everyday library work
3. Storytime clubs
4. Booktalking
5. Information seeking workshops and courses
6. Visits from day-care centres

26. Some key findings

27. Some key findings
• Top three perceived obstacles for media education in Finnish public
libraries: lack of time, personnel, knowledge and skills

28. Some key findings
• Top three perceived obstacles for media education in Finnish public
libraries: lack of time, personnel, knowledge and skills
• Confusion as to who are the most important partners and target
groups, in relation to achieved goals with different target groups

29. Some key findings
• Top three perceived obstacles for media education in Finnish public
libraries: lack of time, personnel, knowledge and skills
• Confusion as to who are the most important partners and target
groups, in relation to achieved goals with different target groups
• Continuing, pedagogical education for librarians is seen as key to
establishing a base for media education

30. Sustained practice

31. Sustained practice
• Strenghten the almost-nation-wide network of librarians who work with
media/new literacies, media education, information skills

32. Sustained practice
• Strenghten the almost-nation-wide network of librarians who work with
media/new literacies, media education, information skills
• Organise thematic workshops around topical issues, as well as establish
connections with higher education institutions for professional
advancement

33. Sustained practice
• Strenghten the almost-nation-wide network of librarians who work with
media/new literacies, media education, information skills
• Organise thematic workshops around topical issues, as well as establish
connections with higher education institutions for professional
advancement
• Underline the role of regional libraries in developing new approaches to
media education, as well as establishing good practices with distinctive
local features

34. Sustained practice
• Strenghten the almost-nation-wide network of librarians who work with
media/new literacies, media education, information skills
• Organise thematic workshops around topical issues, as well as establish
connections with higher education institutions for professional
advancement
• Underline the role of regional libraries in developing new approaches to
media education, as well as establishing good practices with distinctive
local features
• Collaborate and network with other municipal actors as well as the
NGOs

35. Sustained practice
• Strenghten the almost-nation-wide network of librarians who work with
media/new literacies, media education, information skills
• Organise thematic workshops around topical issues, as well as establish
connections with higher education institutions for professional
advancement
• Underline the role of regional libraries in developing new approaches to
media education, as well as establishing good practices with distinctive
local features
• Collaborate and network with other municipal actors as well as the
NGOs
• Draft a qualitative handbook of media education for public libraries with
the aid of professionals in the field

36. Thank You
mika.mustikkamaki@fla.fi
facebook.com/mustikkamaki