The project From thought to action : Reading promotion in progress

The purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities for children’s librarians to extend their competence in the area of reading promotion. The study is carried out within an ongoing reading promotion project directed towards small children from 0-7 years. The study aims to answer the following questions: How do children’s librarians develop new skills in a reading promotion project? How do children’s librarians view a broadening of the concept of reading and how does their approach affect which skills that are acknowledged?The study is mainly based on qualitative interviews with five children´s librarians who all participate in the project. The theory used is Etienne Wenger´s social theory of learning where he defines learning as a process of social participation in Communities of Practice. The result shows that librarians value the sharing of experiences with colleagues in both informal and more formal discussions. Lectures, workshops and interaction with other professionals also contribute to new competencies according to the librarians. The interviewees emphasize the importance of understanding that children develop an interest in reading in different ways. The printed book is central when working with children but the interview subjects stress that reading can be further stimulated by using pictures, sound, singing and movement in activities that promote readingProgram: Bibliotekari