The Benefits of Children's Libraries
In addition to school and home activities, many other activities are important for encouraging children’s development. Among them are sports, games, music, theater, and of course, children’s libraries. Taking your children to the library can have a very positive influence on different aspects of their development.
We would highly recommend that parents go to children’s libraries with their little ones. They’ll be able to get to know how they work, and acquire the healthy habit of visiting them. At the same time, they’ll be able to enjoy the specially-designed activities that libraries can offer children.
In many cities, there are libraries exclusively designed for children, or at least a section devoted to kids’ books.
Reasons to take children to the library
One of the main reasons to take children to the library from an early age is that it will encourage their interest in reading. If they have a wide variety of books at their fingertips to keep them amused, then they’ll feel very motivated to spend time looking at them. It’ll be a great activity for them, and they’ll probably want to go regularly.
Children’s libraries have a good atmosphere
The atmosphere in children’s libraries is perfect for encouraging children to read. The place is cozy, you can sit quietly and read in great comfort. Books are usually strategically placed so that children can reach them easily.
Having children regularly visit a library is also a way of creating a very enriching cultural habit. In addition, it will encourage them to avoid a sedentary lifestyle, as they’ll have to make the effort to walk there.
Libraries help children learn the rules of coexistence
Taking children to the library will help them learn to respect certain rules of coexistence. It will also help them respect others.
The fact that you should be silent in libraries will also teach children the importance of being quiet and not disturbing others. You can also take this opportunity to teach them the importance of looking after books. In this way, others can also enjoy them too.
In addition to silence and looking after books, they must also learn the importance of returning the books before the specified return date.
Visits to the library will also teach children to value public services. They should realize how fortunate they are to be able to use them freely. They’ll discover the areas designed especially for them, with all sorts of resources at their fingertips.
A brief history of children’s libraries
One of the best-known children’s libraries is the one that opened in 1965 in the French town of Clamart. This library was called La Joie des Libre. It had a children’s section like no other – a great area designed especially for children and adolescents.
Although it wasn’t the first children’s library in Europe, it did have a great impact. This place got its inspiration from another famous children’s library that opened in Paris in 1924: L’heure Joyeuse.
It was a library inspired by the initiative of an American institution. It formed part of a wider plan to help rebuild European countries after the First World War. The highlight of that place was, without a doubt, the respectful welcome given to all children, regardless of their social or cultural origin. That was something that wasn’t at all common at the time.
This library has created a very bright and cozy reading area, with furniture specially designed for children. The books were selected rigorously, and all were on shelves within reach of children.
The famous Parisian library was a truly revolutionary place that was very successful among children and young people. They found it to be a very pleasant and welcoming area, and the work of the librarians there was remembered for a very long time.