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Stock Services offered - over 37,000 books and documents - referencing - numerous periodicals and dailies - borrowing - comics - bibliographical information (also by phone) - records - stellar distribution of books - Biblioteca Premises Activities - seating for 90 people - booking of visits for schools of all levels - two reading rooms - conferences - children’s corner - presentation of new books - garden Catalogues and data-bases Context - computerised catalogue of books present The Isolotto library is located in an area of in the library Florence, which prevents characteristics Access to: common to lower-class suburban areas. In BIFI - the network of Communal Florentine the late fifties, many immigrants, refugees, libraries families coming from rural areas found LIBER - books for children and adolescents accommodation here. Over the years, the CUT - unified catalogue for the Regione strong urbanisation process has deteriorated Toscana on CD ROM the living conditions of the area which is now lacking adequate public services and cultural opportunities. |
Over the past few years, the Isolotto library has recorded a steady growth in the number of registered users: from 902 in 1992 to the over 10,000 of today. An increase of 1000%, resulting in an offer of public reading services to over 10% of the local population. To account for this increase and growth in the use of its services, it is necessary to highlight the processes which have made it possible.
The Isolotto library which, at first, started only as a children’s and popular library, later, in the 70s and 80s, became a general library, yet its function of public reading was rather neglected resulting in an alarming distance between the public and the use of the library services.
It was a weak library: run down and not very welcoming, with scarce funds, very few purchases, and insufficient staff. In 1992 a collaboration was started between the Quartiere 4 and the Department of Science of Education of the University of Florence, in the person of Professor Paolo Federighi in order to devise methodologies for reaching potential users. It was necessary, therefore, to find new ways for spreading reading and consequently new ways for the distribution of books – a stellar distribution of books. This name definition came to indicate a project aimed at encouraging and spreading the habit of reading amongst the disadvantaged members of the public. The object was to involve the public in reading by lending books free of charge and at the same time experimenting with new methods. After a preliminary socio-economic, cultural investigation, several leading points, external to the library were selected: supermarkets, recreational clubs, meeting places, etc.
The experiments carried out gave unexpected and extremely positive results. From the experiment with external lending, there soon followed the idea of creating a mechanism for the distribution of books which would offer an occasion for reading to all segments of the public – a Bibliobus. The experiment with the Bibliobus soon combined the necessary energies and resources to activate a new service of a travelling library. Thanks to the participation of the Florentine public transport company ATAF, the Ataf recreational club CRAL, the Florence milk company Mukkilatte and the contributions from the Regione Toscana, it was then possible to refurbish an old disused bus and transform it into a Bibliobus.
With the involvement of this new public into the library, new requirements have emerged for the management and organisation of the library in order to best satisfy the new requests; new services have been introduced such as home delivery for the handicapped or for people with other difficulties, attempting to meet varied interests and needs.
The experience gained has strengthened the determination in pursuing the objective to spread and encourage reading by means of a stellar distribution.
Since 1992 the Quarter 4 has been engaged in implementing services for the local population, encouraging and spreading the habit of reading amongst the disadvantaged members of the public . By new ways of book distribution - stellar distribution of books - several projects aimed to make the public a leading part in the cultural and educational self- development. The goal was to realise an educational dynamic system on the local territory, starting from the library, as a public information service.
The Socrates Project - Adult Education is based on these experiments and aims to improve adult education by:
In the second year, the European Commission confirmed the Isolotto Library as research Co-ordinator of the project, to draw out a model of educational service, where the public could became the subject of new information services, which aims to help citizens by giving advice and guidance about education and employment. The project foresees the participation and collaboration of the following libraries: Openbare Bibliotheek, Turnhout (B) - Helsinki City Library (FL)- Library and Culture NFA, Gothenburg (SW) - City and County of Swansea (GB)- Biblioteca Vallesiana di Castelfiorentino - Biblioteca Comunale Gorgonzola, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano, Ufficio Educazione Permanente, Biblioteche e Audiovisivi.
This project is part of Socrates Project - Adult Education. It aims to define a model of Superstructure, a kind of education training and information Service, able to put into contact the public libraries with the local public agencies for job-related information to young and adult population.
The information service will have the responsibility of proposing to the various target-group individual courses, training opportunities and educational itineraries, that will be done through reading promotion, media information advice giving and motivating the adult population to use the various different cultural and training opportunities which can be found in the locality.
The proposal bases itself on noting that the Library today is not any longer the only infrastructure determining the access to all information; but it can co-operate and support the effort done by other agencies, acting in the field of adult education and create a new individualised information service. The system realises a distribution service model in the locality, that can be defined as stellar and participation model and that facilitates the service's access. Establishing such a Superstructure the public library supports the efforts done by other agencies acting in the field of adult education and creates a new service.
In this way it seems possible to produce an operational proposal which could help to increase the exchange and co-operation between the library and the other offices and existing organisations of the local community, which are engaged in different fields: Young unemployment, vocational training, cultural activities, etc.
The quality of the experiences will be evaluated to define the right model of Superstructure, that could create for the public light access conditions to multiple information, available from different sources. To implement the project the library collaborates with the University of Florence and especially Prof. Paolo Federighi, of the Department of Adult Education. At the start of the project we have organised a meeting of the European and Italian Partners to define common phases, aims and objectives of the project.
Especially the goals of the formed Group work is:
Foreseen budget:
here following I will explain in details the financial modality of the Socrates Project by the European Commission. Please to act this information and to stress eventual questions, that is to be clear, transparent and to agree common activities are the base of cooperation.
