International Journal of Library Science

and Research (IJLSR)

ISSN(P): 2250-2351; ISSN(E): 2321-0079
Vol. 5, Issue 3, Jun 2015, 1-8
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES FOR CHILDREN IN THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT

(WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO CHENNAI AND KANCHEEPURAM DISTRICT)
S. RAJENDIRAN1, K. NITHYANANDAM2 & R. MALLIGA3
1

Research Scholar, Hindustan University, Padur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

2

Chief Librarian, Hindustan University, Padur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Assistant Superintendent, Library Division, Chennai Port Trust, Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT
Setting up of Childrens section in a Public Library is essential. Traditional and digital services in Public Library
are discussed. The functions and advantages of the Digital Services are highlighted especially that of children libraries with
ICDL (International Childrens Digital Libraries) facilities. Data collected are analyzed and interpreted. Suggestions for
initiating Digital Library in Tamilnadu Public Library are given in this paper.

KEYWORDS: Public Library, Childrens Wing, Digital Library Services, Childrens collections, Library Services for
Children

INTRODUCTION
The Public Library is the gate way to knowledge. It is a lifelong, perpetual and self-education. It is a free service
to all. The vital role that public libraries can play in the national development of the country particularly in programmes
such as informal education, dissemination of information and recreational activities as well as in its programmes on
socio-economic development, has since been well accepted world over. Child is the father of a man. It is very necessary
that children should be provided adequate facilities for reading and learning.
Reading is a habit that should necessarily be cultivated among children. Catch them young is a phrase of great
social relevance. Habits picked up at the early impressionable period in ones life are bound to continue throughout life.

NEED FOR THE STUDY

Public libraries should have a separate section for children to meet the needs for their children clientele. It should
co-operate with school libraries.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

To inculcate reading habits among children.

To facilitate the right of every child to,

Information

Functional, visual, digital and media literacy.

Cultural development.

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S. Rajendiran, K. Nithyanandam & R. Malliga

Life long, self, perpetual learning.

Creative programmes in leisure time.

To help in developing skills.

To encourage children to become confident and competent people.

To stimulate their imaginations.

To develop a childs knowledge base.

To fulfill their information needs.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This article aims at improving Hard Copies Collection (Books, magazines) and soft copies of E-Resources for
children in the public libraries.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Due to time factor, the Researcher has chosen five libraries only. Thus Survey has been taken.

INFORMATION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN

Some of the essential services that should be provided in the childrens section are:

TRADITIONAL SERVICES

Lending Services: Children can borrow books (for education, information, inspiration and recreation), comics,
novels, story-books, text books, etc. along with multimedia collection in the form of CDs, DVDs, audio tapes,
audio books, etc. from the library.

Reference and information services: Children have special information needs that cannot be met through the
services traditionally offered by public libraries. It is intended to explore the special needs and requirements of the
child as a reference client and identify opportunities for the public library to take a greater role in meeting their
information needs. Both school and public libraries should develop partnerships to deliver quality reference
services to children. Reference service also provides assistance in the searching and location and using of library
material.

Story Telling: Story hours should be organized for different age groups where the library staff or children
themselves read out stories for leisure.

ICT Awareness: The childrens section should have basic computer and networking facility to provide exposure
to various IT applications like Paint, Word, Power point, etc. and surfing the internet for useful information. This
service aims at bridging the gap between the information rich & information poor, particularly through the
provision of ICT resources.

Drawing and Painting: Activities like drawing, painting, art and craft should be conducted to develop their
skills.

Impact Factor (JCC): 3.5789

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Public Library Services for Children in the Digital Environment

(With Special Reference to Chennai and Kancheepuram District)

Digital Services
With the advent of digital technology, libraries are migrating to digital world.
The following digital services have to be provided for children:
Digital Story Time: Parents can read story books to children using a computer projector and a large screen
display. This has the advantage of making illustrations and words) large enough for everyone to see and the technical
nature of the display is often engaging.

Online audio and video material: Such material helps children to learn by listening and viewing material such as
e-books, audio books, movie adaptations of books, etc. This material can be directly accessed and downloaded
from the website of the digital library.

Public Libraries Websites Offering Digital Services for Children

In the present environment, public libraries have to develop library websites to meet the needs of their young
clientele.
International Childrens Digital Library-Digital Library for the Worlds Children
The important features of this library are as follows:

It offers books in more than 40 languages.

The collection is available for children of different age groups like three to five, six to nine, and ten to thirteen.

For easy retrieval, the books are classified under various categories like short books, medium books, long books,
recently added books, award winning books, fairy tales and folk tales, picture books, chapter books, kid characters
etc.

One can read book with the help of Standard and Clear Text Readers, Comic Reader, Spiral Reader.

One can also create his/her own personal bookshelf. (International Childrens Digital Library).

TAMILNADU SCENARIO
In Tamil Nadu the condition of children section in public libraries is not satisfactory. British Council Library
offers a well put up childrens corner within its premises. The Central Government established the Raja Rammohan Roy
Library Foundation (RRRLF) at Calcutta. Among the various current programmes of RRRLF is providing assistance to
childrens libraries and the childrens section of the general public libraries.
The mission of childrens virtual library portal is that

It has Internet World-wide Learning Resource Center for Children.

It provides free literature.

It provides access to Childrens virtual library for everyone.

Every child can know and appreciate the richness of literature form all over the world community.

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S. Rajendiran, K. Nithyanandam & R. Malliga

METHODOLOGY
The Researcher surveyed the Data collection in the following five Public Libraries in Chennai and Kanchipuram
District.

Connemara Public Library, Chennai.

British Council Library, Chennai.

Anna Centenary Library, Chennai.

District Central Library, Chennai.

District Central Library, Kancheepuram.

It is found that these public libraries have hard copies for children. But soft copies for children were available in

Connemara Public Library and British Council Library.

Data Analysis and Interpretations
Data has been collected from Connemara Public Library, British Council Library, Anna Centenary Library,
District Central Libraries of Chennai and Kancheepuram district.
Table 1: Availability of Hard copies of childrens Books
Sl.
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Particulars
Total No. of Childrens
Book
No. of Story Books
No. of Cartoon Books
No. of Poetry Books
No. of Drama Books
No. of Drawing Books
No. of Comic Books
No. of Essay Book
No. of Magazines for child

Impact Factor (JCC): 3.5789

Connemara
Public
Library,
Chennai

British
Council
Library,
Chennai

Anna
Centenary
Library,
Chennai

District
Central
Library,
Chennai

District
Central
Library,
Kanchipuram

4,650

6,000

11,08,000

32,853

4,122

2,500
200
100
250
50
--1,000
12

4,500
500
------1,000
--12

67,000
2,020
9,000
10,025
4,550
1,500
11,000
15

13,000
1,500
1,512
750
100
--2,000
10

2,100
170
200
450
50
50
252
10

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Public Library Services for Children in the Digital Environment

(With Special Reference to Chennai and Kancheepuram District)

No. of Cartoon Books

No. of Poetry Books

No. of Drama Books

No. of Drawing Books

No. of Comic Books

No. of Essay Book

No. of Story Books

District Central
Library, Kanchipuram

Total No. of

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

District Central
Library, Chennai
Anna Centenary Library
British Council Library
Connemara PublicLibrary

Figure 1
Analysis Hard Copies
Childrens Book Collection
It is observed that Anna Centenary Library has the larger collection of childrens books(1,08,000) where as
District Central Library, Kancheepuram has the lowest collection of childrens books (4,122).
Story Books for Children
Anna Centenary Library contains more collections of story book (67,000) whereas District Central Library,
Kancheepuram has poor collection of (2,100).
Other Books for Children
Anna Centenary Library possesses maximum collection of other books such as Cartoon books, Poetry books,
Drama books, Drawing books, Comic books, Essay books etc.
Magazines for Children
Anna Centenary Library subscribes 15 magazines for children every year, whereas only 10 magazines are
subscribed by District Central Library, Kancheepuram.
Table 2: Availability of Soft Copies of Childrens Books

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Sl. No.

Particulars

Connemara Public
Library, Chennai

British Council
Library, Chennai

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Total No. of CDs available

Total No. of DVDs available
Total No. of Audio Cassettes
Total No. of Video Cassettes
Total No. of E-Books (online)
Total No. of E-Magazines

350
300
50
100
1000
2

1000
2000
200
500
95,000
20

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S. Rajendiran, K. Nithyanandam & R. Malliga

Figure 2
Analysis Soft Copies
Among five libraries chosen for study Connemara Library and British Council Library are having E-Resources for
children.
E-Resources for Children
There are 350 CDs available in Connemara Library, whereas British Council Library has 1,000 CDs.
Connemara Public Library contains 300 DVDs, but British Council Library has 2,000 DVDs.
50 Audio cassettes are available in Connemara Public Library and 200 Audio cassettes are available in British
Council Library.
There are 100 Video cassettes in Connemara Public Library, but 500 Video cassettes are there in British Council
Library.
There are about 1,000 E-Books are available in Connemara Public Library, but British Council Library contains
95,000 E-Books for children.
There are only 2 E-Magazines in Connemara Public Library, but there are 20 E-Magazines are available in British
Council Library.
Inferences
From Table 1, it is inferred that Anna Centenary Library has richest collection of various books, whereas other
libraries have poor collections of books for children.
From Table 2, it is observed British Council Library has maximum E-Collection with it, but Connemara Public
Library has few E-Collections for children.

Impact Factor (JCC): 3.5789

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Public Library Services for Children in the Digital Environment

(With Special Reference to Chennai and Kancheepuram District)

SUGGESTIONS
It is suggested that Connemara Public Library and District Central Libraries have to improve the Hard copies
collection for children.
It is recommended that many digital resources may be included in all Libraries, except British Council Library.

Physical format should be attractive.

Poetry hour and story time during week days.

Children collection should include

Books

CDs

Audios

DVDs etc.

Reference sources

The children should occasionally be taken to visit book exhibitions.

Individual browsing resources should be encouraged.

Prizes may be awarded to promote reading habits.

Library Teachers should be appointed in all schools of Tamilnadu to promote childrens services.

CONCLUSIONS
The Society of Tamilnadu, should come forward to request the Government of Tamilnadu to take a policy
decision to start Digital Library Services also to children to satisfy the 4th and 5th Law of Library Science stated by Dr.
S.R. Ranganathan. The father of Modern Library movement of India.

REFERENCES
1.

Gill, Philip, Ed, (2001). The Public Library Service, Munchen: Saur, 2001.

2.

ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science (1983), ALA, Chicago.

3.

IFLA. The background text to the Guidelines for Childrens Libraries Services, 2003. www.ifla.org

4.

International Childrens Digital Library. http://en.childrenslibrary.org/icdl/

5.

Story Place. http://www.storyplace.org/storyplace.asp>

6.

Pateman, John (2008). Public libraries and digital divide. Information for Social Change, 26, 52-55.
http://libr.org/isc/issues/ISC26/26%29Public%20Libraries%20and%20the%20Divide.pdf

7.

Wani, Zahid Ashraf (2008), Development of public libraries in India. Library Philosophy and Practice. 1-10.
http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/-mbolin/wani.pdf>

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