School Library Café was held [City of Literature Okayama Participation Project].

The Association for School Library in Okayama is working to improve school libraries to support children's deep learning. Last year, the School Library Cafe was held on Saturday, October 28, at the Okayama Prefectural Lifelong Learning Center under the auspices of the Okayama City Board of Education as a the City of Literature Okayama Participation Project].

We were able to learn from a wide range of people, including citizens, teachers, and writers, and to discuss the ideal state of school libraries. In addition, many requested that we tell them about school libraries and the work of school librarians.

Thus we planned to hold a café where citizens could freely discuss school libraries, exchange reports and opinions on current school library activities and children's education, and aim for school library activities that can accept and respond to the wishes of children and the community, as well as for the enhancement of school libraries. The school library café will be held in order to promote school library activities that can meet and respond to the wishes of children and the local community.

We also believe that the school library café will provide an opportunity for a wide range of citizens to become familiar with literature and create the soil for a Creative City of Literature.

• Date: June 9, 2024 (Saturday) one thirty pm to three thirty pm
• Location: Multipurpose Hall, Okayama Prefectural Library
• Contents:
  Greetings (Rieko Kinugawa, Representative of Okayama Association for School Library)
  Report on school libraries in Okayama City (ChisakoAkuta, School Librarian, Hirafuku Elementary School, Okayama City)

Mami Konishi, School Librarian, Higashiune Elementary School, Okayama City “Support for Children's Reading Activities”

Children's school life is busy, and they are surrounded by a dizzying amount of information through the use of ICT, learning, lessons, games, and watching videos. However, they lack the experience of “reading,” of facing the printed word carefully and reading and thinking about it.

School librarians have been reading an entire book during “book time” (a class using the school library) to every grade level for three years. By doing this at all grade levels in response to developmental stages, and by combining this with daily book introductions, displays, and events in the school library, we have been able to develop children who read willingly and read even longer books. We would like to emphasize our efforts to establish a whole-reading experience that speaks in the flesh.

Tomoko Doji, School Librarian, Ashimori Elementary School, Okayama City “Supporting Learning with Tablets”

Children are increasingly using tablets in their daily learning and reading Internet information (online information) at school and at home, which is causing problems.

School librarians provide support for digital citizenship education. We held a workshop on how to read and understand Internet information (discussing problems with online flyers and confirming their safety) during “book time. We are promoting learning that repeats the action of thinking and consulting without relying solely on one piece of information.

We also hold events using tablets in the school library. We will continue to use tablets on a daily basis to obtain information, promote activities to make decisions, and nurture the ability to read and understand information.

Comments of the talk

•  “I feel that children's ability to read and read is declining, and it is important to encourage reading in school libraries,” “Digital citizenship education is related to ordinary life. It is also important to be aware of the fear of believing only what is true.
• There was a lively free talk, with some participants saying, “I would like to exchange more information on children's upbringing and the two themes (how to deal with reading and digital information). There is not enough time. and others expressed their expectations for the next school library café.

• The cafe was attended by a diverse range of participants (63 people), including citizens, council members, teachers, city staff, and out-of-prefecture citizens, allowing for learning and active exchange.
• Throughout the entire café, we were able to share the actual roles and initiatives of school libraries and school librarians. Many participants expressed their hope that school librarians would continue their activities to create rich reading experiences for children and encourage them to become familiar with tablets and check information.
• The school librarian gave a report on children's “reading and reading skills” and “how to deal with digital information and tablets,” and since this is an issue of the day, we were able to proactively exchange information and discuss the issue. I am glad I participated. I want to make use of what I learned today. I want to continue learning about children's reading and how to deal with Internet information. Many participants said they were glad to have participated in the seminar and wanted to make the most of what they learned today.
• After the meeting, participants continued to discuss and look at the exhibits in the hall, expanding friendship and networking among them and serving as a catalyst for community development that values children's reading and literature.

• The participants commented that they would like to have more time for information exchange and discussion.
• We would like to increase the participation of parents and guardians of children who use the school libraries, and we would like to further promote the enhancement of school libraries in response to their wishes for school libraries.

(This article was written by the secretariat of the Creative City of Literature Okayama based on the report from the School Library Café.)