An Evaluation of the Eligibility of Public Libraries in Istanbul for Pre-School Period Children

Abstract

The subject of pre-school education was among the major agenda issues in Turkey especially in the 2000s, and some legal arrangements have been made by the Ministry of National Education for the dissemination and support of pre-school education. Although efforts are being made to increase the enrollment rate in pre-school education, parallel to these dissemination efforts, it is important to develop studies to support free educational services out of school. Providing the access of children from different socio-economic backgrounds to the public libraries where special areas and programs are prepared for them will be a very important opportunity to equalize academic differences between children and reduce emotional vulnerabilities. As a matter of fact, children whose library use has been promoted since early ages are likely to remain library users in the future. Unfortunately, the lack of an organic link between the national education system and the libraries is a serious problem. As a matter of fact, the national education curriculum, which forms the basis of a compulsory period in the lives of children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17, is not designed to educate people who read books and use the library as the third space. The purpose of this study is to analyze the appropriateness of the areas designated for pre-school children in the children's sections of public libraries in Istanbul. This study analyzes the way in which the children's sections, which should constitute at least 25% of the public libraries, are effective as collections, services, activities and space, and how the public libraries provide service plans to pre-school children in this plan. These analyses were carried out in 30 public libraries in different regions of Istanbul. The data collection forms used in the study consist of 20 criteria under 5 factors.

Keywords

• İstanbul Halk Kütüphaneleri
• Okul Öncesi Dönem
• Kütüphaneciler
• Okuma Alışkanlığı