Libraries face after school recreation centres

In Sweden, many children in compulsory school attend after-school recreation centres. All children are offered local after-school recreation centre attendance in the age 6-12 during their parents’ work hours. Our aim with this Master thesis is to investigate how after-school recreation centres can use libraries to stimulate children’s own interest to read. The method employed is qualitative interviews with two recreation leaders and their collaborated librarian at an integrated school and public library. An additional interview was carried out with a librarian at a larger public library, who has created activities for after-school recreation centres. The theoretical background is a combination of Michael Buckland’s six aspects of access and Aidan Chambers theories about conditions for reading environment. Chambers theories about conditions for reading environment have proved to be the most applicable on the examined group. The study shows that there are several possibilities for after-school recreation centres to stimulate children’s interest in reading. Reading interest is stimulated through everyday situations, such as e.g. storytelling or play. It is also discussed that children’s interest in reading can be stimulated with different media, which libraries have possibilities to offer. A barrier is that after-school centres are interpreted as hidden by research and in practice. Like the after-school centre, the public library is also a place where children can develop their own interests. It is therefore important that the public library is made known and familiar to children as a part of the local cultural society