Libraries of the future today

Giant dinosaurs play in the children's corner of the IE Centre;

School libraries today are quite different from those of the past. Card catalogues, a library classic, have been replaced by rows of computers, and the use of floor space is more diversified. Of course, today's libraries still contain the traditional bookshelves and rows of cubicles, but some have been transformed into a learning centre where students can choose to listen to music, watch videos, browse the Internet, as well as read books in a quiet setting.

Why such a transformation? According to Associate Professor Namtip Wipawin, library director at Sripatum University, libraries should play a more active role in creating an environment conducive to learning outside classrooms. One way to do so, she says, is by utilising technology, such as computers and the Internet. Another is through a more aggressive floor plan design that departs from traditional classroom or staid library style. New approaches to the design and arrangement of bookshelves, seating and lighting design; and the training of friendlier staff are all conducive to a more positive learning experience.

"Libraries contain a wealth of knowledge that everyone should be able to access and benefit from," she says. "And it is also a community where like-minded people can communicate and share knowledge." Under the traditional setting - rows of shelves and card catalogues - the image of a school library is associated with class assignments and homework. This image drives many students away.

The reason for transforming traditional libraries into modern learning centres, however, is not just to attract students. More importantly, the user-friendly facilities and relaxing atmosphere brought about by the careful integration of technology and floor space helps to create an environment that fits the lifestyle of kids today. Thus, both reading and learning become fun. "The point is to encourage students to visit libraries during their free time, without any homework or class obligations," she adds.

Steering children from the malls to the libraries

Quiet reading at IE Centre

In recent years, both the government and public sectors have begun focusing on promoting the love of reading among children. This is because the academic performances and IQ levels among Thai students have dropped to an alarming level. The average IQ level among Thai youths is lower than 80, according to a study released in 2005 by the Department of Health and the Department of Mental Health. While other factors, such as parenting and the academic quality in Thai schools, may contribute to this drop, the fact that not enough children enjoy reading books during their free time also play an equally important role.

So, what do teens do in their free time? According to the 2005 Abac Poll's research on teen activities, youth between the ages of 15 and 24 spend most of their year-end school break in shopping malls. Watching movies, listening to music, chatting online, and playing computer games are next in line. Since reading is not on the list, it is not surprising that very few prefer to spend time in a library.

For those who do, however, going to the library is equally as entertaining as browsing the Internet or going to shopping malls. Pharichat Tepprasittipol, a mathayom 2 student from Sainampeung School, is one of five students present at the Informal Education Service Centre (IE Centre) on a Tuesday morning during term break. She comes to the IE Center three to four times a week in order to read books on scientific experiments. The school library, she says, is more oriented towards academics and offers a smaller variety of books than the community library.

Bookshelves at Sarawittaya School's 40,000 book library

The IE Center, located within Bangkok's Science Centre for Education (Bangkok Planetarium), is both a community library and learning centre. Besides housing more than 30,000 book titles, the centre organises weekend activities for kids, such as painting and group reading. The library also has a children's corner, where the layout is more creative and the decoration is more colorful. Run by the Non-formal Education Commission Office, all services, including checking out books and attending classes, are available for free.

Between 150 and 200 users each day take advantage of the free services, with school children making up approximately 60 percent of the traffic. During the school term, this number is slightly higher. "Most children come here after school to read, do their homework, or wait for parents to pick them up," says librarian Vorawan Chittpayak. According to her, primary school kids like to read translated novels and edutainment materials, while older students prefer to read books on tutoring.

As many as 500 books are checked out each day

While community libraries or learning centres could help encourage children to read outside the classroom, their role is quite different from that of the school libraries. "Community libraries are geared toward servicing people in general, so the books don't have to be academically oriented," says professor Namtip. "School libraries mainly serve an academic purpose. Although they can have a more relaxing corner, the layout should clearly separate books from journals and academic subjects from non-academic subjects."

Entrance display at Sarawittaya School

This distinction, however, does not mean that school libraries should remain serious and "detached" from the students' lifestyle. At Sarawittaya School, for example, the library is as integrated to students' activities as the school's sports programme or student clubs. The key, says the school's director Srayoot Foosubnirun, is to encourage teachers to use the library before expecting students to do so.

Last year, Sarawittaya School opened its new library, which houses more than 40,000 books, 20 Internet-connected computers, hundreds of CD-ROM and DVD titles, and a multimedia lab that seats up to 60 students. The funding, says Srayoot, comes entirely from donations from parents and teachers.

As the director, Srayoot encourages teachers and school librarians to take an active role in organising various reading activities that revolve around the library. Each week, teachers pose a trivia question about reading and challenge students to actively search for an answer from one of the books available in the school's library. This activity, says the school's librarian, has become an instant hit and has increased the student traffic in the library.

"We have to ask ourselves how to make students enjoy coming to the library and how the school's library can help them relax after spending most of the day studying in classrooms," says Sarawittaya's librarian, Pannathorn Vijarn. The school's library does so by showing movies during lunch breaks and playing soft music in one of the study rooms. Students can also choose to browse the Internet or check out documentaries on CD for independent study.

With this new role as a learning centre, Sarawittaya School's library sees more than 50 percent of the students using its services daily, with about 500 books being checked out each day. While the school may want to see more students using the library services, the fact that students choose to spend leisure time in the library is promising in itself. For it is this love of reading that will build a foundation required to push the country toward a learning culture.