School libraries are one of the facilities that are required to be established in all elementary, junior high, high schools, and special support schools under the School Library Law. In addition to functioning as a reading center, school libraries are also expected to serve as learning centers and information centers, and in elementary schools in Kurashiki City, a specialized profession known as school library librarian operates the school library.
During the summer vacation, children do not attend school, so educational staff, including school library librarians, use this time as a preparation period for training and organizing supplies to ensure smooth school operations.
In Kurashiki City, an exhibition called the "Excellent Exhibition for School Libraries" is held every summer, gathering a large number of publishers from across the country. Having participated in the event as a former school library librarian, I will report on the event.
What is the 12th Excellent Exhibition for School Libraries?
The 12th Excellent Exhibition for School Libraries was held to provide a venue for interaction between school library librarians and educational staff in Okayama Prefecture and publishers, and to introduce books necessary for schools and libraries, with the aim of promoting reading and contributing to local culture.
The organizer is the Kurashiki City Bookstore Business Cooperative, which has been supporting schools in Kurashiki City for many years, collaborating on various projects under the mission of "continuing to deliver good books to children."
With a network unique to bookstores, 45 publishers gathered for the 2024 fiscal year, and the exhibition was held at the Mizushima Ai Ai Salon Community Hall in Kurashiki City, known for having the largest number of publishers in the country.
The atmosphere of the venue
When I arrived at the venue around 1 PM, booths were set up throughout the venue, displaying many picture books and children's books.
Each booth had a publisher's representative present, allowing for direct interaction between the representatives and school library librarians at the booths of interest.
According to the representatives, there was a line forming before the opening at 10 AM this time.
The participants were primarily educational staff such as school library librarians, but there were also participants from other prefectures, indicating that it is a noteworthy event.
I immediately started visiting each booth.
A place for skill enhancement and information gathering for school library librarians
In Kurashiki City, there is one librarian per school. In other municipalities, it is not uncommon for one person to serve as a librarian for multiple school libraries. An environment where educational staff involved with school libraries can share information is extremely valuable.
At the time I visited the venue, the publisher known for kamishibai (paper theater), Doshinsha, was conducting a kamishibai workshop. The way to use the wooden frame called a stage for kamishibai greatly affects how its charm is conveyed.
At the venue, the publisher's representative was teaching how to use the stage and how to turn the pages of the kamishibai, and all participants were taking notes and trying out the stage themselves.
A place for publishers and library staff to interact directly
I was surprised to find that many of the books displayed at the booths were reading materials such as novels.
At the school where I worked, we selected books to purchase during the summer vacation and before the winter break. I have heard that many other schools also select books during the summer vacation.
However, selecting books does not usually involve going out to purchase them; it is mostly done by ordering from catalogs that arrive at the school. The references used were recommended books and reference materials from the textbooks.
Textbooks are certified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, containing necessary information for children in that grade. Books related to subject learning serve as learning centers, while reference materials like encyclopedias are indispensable as information centers in school libraries.
Additionally, many of the books featured in textbooks are classic books that have been read for many years or expensive reference books that are not commonly purchased by families, making it easier for school libraries to decide to purchase them.
On the other hand, I have struggled every year to select reading materials that resonate with today's children.
However, at this exhibition, there were many reading materials published relatively recently on display.
As I picked up the books, the publisher's representative explained, "This book was published to help children enjoy committee activities more. It's an introduction to jobs, but it has a storyline, so I recommend it," providing specific details.
When I conveyed the committees present at my school, they promptly suggested reference materials that could be used for activities, allowing me to select books while imagining the children who would use those books.
Some of the books purchased for school libraries are types that are rarely seen in general bookstores, so I appreciated being able to receive information about new books directly from the publishers.
Exhibitions like this one also seem to have benefits for publishers. Publishers create books and sell them to distributors (book wholesalers). Therefore, they rarely have the opportunity to see how those books are used in schools or what kinds of books children prefer.
However, by having school librarians and educational staff visit booths directly, it provides an opportunity to learn about real voices from the field, such as "This book is popular at our school" or "We were able to do this kind of learning with this book."
Events where educational staff and publishers can interact directly are quite rare nationwide, and many publishers have representatives coming from the metropolitan area specifically for this event.
A place for government and participants to connect
The venue was also visited by Kurashiki City Mayor Kaori Ito.
In her greeting to the participants, she expressed gratitude for the donation of books (totaling 6.5 million yen) from participating publishers to all schools in the Mabi area of Kurashiki City, including the Kurashiki City Yada Elementary School, which was completely destroyed during the heavy rain in July 2018.
Additionally, there was an introduction of a new book corner for first graders in elementary school called "First Grader Exciting Library."
Mayor Ito is known to be an avid reader and is very knowledgeable about this "First Grader Exciting Library." After her greeting, she actively interacted with publishers while carefully visiting each booth.
Conclusion
The continuation of such exhibitions and the development of unique reading projects in Kurashiki City may be influenced by the government's proactive stance on children's reading education.
In the 2024 fiscal year, 132 participants from 107 schools gathered, and the Book Marche ended in great success.
School libraries are essential elements that must be established in every school and are crucial for school education. I hope this event continues to improve the quality of school libraries and enrich children's reading activities.
Data on the 12th Excellent Exhibition for School Libraries Kurashiki Book Marche Amuki Seiko
| Name | 12th Excellent Exhibition for School Libraries Kurashiki Book Marche Amuki Seiko |
|---|---|
| Date | August 1, 2024, 10 AM to 4 PM |
| Location | 1-50 Mizushima Higashi Chidori-cho, Kurashiki City |
| Participation Fee (Tax Included) | Free |
