The document summarizes the results of a comparative study about libraries in four countries: Latvia, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Data was collected through questionnaires sent to libraries. The study looked at topics like governance, facilities, services, collections, activities and community outreach. Overall, the libraries provided many important lifelong learning resources and services to citizens, but could improve areas like accessibility, technology training, and publicity of programming. The study aimed to share best practices between library systems.

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

2. 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

3. 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 Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

4. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all Sample Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

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

11. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all Objectives of the comparative study Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries Know the work of libraries in different countries for lifelong learning

12. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all contacted libraries 90 libraries that responded to the questionnaire 35 38,8% Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

13. 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%

14. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all Guardianship Municipality Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries country % Latvia 85,7% Norway 40% Portugal 100% Sweden 100%

15. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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

16. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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

17. 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%

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

19. 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% Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

20. Project | Not Just Books/Library for all 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 Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

21. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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

22. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all Presence of the library in town Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries 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

23. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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

24. Project | Not Just Books: Library for all 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%

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

26. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all It is possible listening music or watching a dvd or video in: 85% Portuguese libraries 41% Swedish libraries 40% Norwegian libraries 39% Latvian libraries Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

27. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all Borrow of books Almost Latvian libraries borrow books-85,7% Almost Portuguese borrow books -85,7% All Swedish and Norwegian libraries borrow books -100% Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries 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.

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

29. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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%

30. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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%

31. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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%

32. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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%

33. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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%

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

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

36. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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%

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

38. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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? Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

39. 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%

40. 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%

41. 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%

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

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

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

45. Project | Not Just Books:Library for all 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.

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

47. Project | Not Just Books/Library for all THANK-YOU Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries

48. Norway-8-11 May Comparative Study about libraries