[Special Feature: Thinking About Public Libraries] Thoughts on Working at a Local Public Library

I currently work as a librarian at the Kanazawa City Library. While non-regular employment is increasing nationwide in the library industry, I was very fortunate to be hired as a regular librarian by my hometown municipality immediately after graduating from the Library and Information Science major in the Faculty of Letters at Keio University in the spring of 2012.

My first assignment was the Kanazawa Umimirai Library, which was only in its second year of operation at the time. I spent six years there in charge of in-house services and children's services. Then, due to a personnel rotation, I was assigned to the Tamagawa Library in the same city of Kanazawa in April 2018, where I am currently involved in duties centered on reference services for users as a member of the materials department.

Although I still lack experience as a librarian, I would like to take this opportunity to describe some of the things I have glimpsed through my work on the front lines.

The first thing that surprised me when I started working at the Kanazawa Umimirai Library was that it held a much wider variety of events than I had imagined. No matter how much libraries are the most used public facilities, the specific plans implemented to attract citizens to the library and convey the joy of reading vary depending on the circumstances of each region and library, and it was something I could not fully understand through university lectures alone.

At the Kanazawa Umimirai Library, I could easily understand the purpose of holding reading sessions and storytelling events for children, which are directly related to reading promotion. However, I did not initially understand the significance of holding concerts, art events, or collaborative events with community centers, which at first glance seemed to have nothing to do with the library. However, as I asked staff members who were there when the library opened about the history of its establishment, and as I became involved in holding events and heard the voices of users directly, those doubts were resolved.

The Kanazawa Umimirai Library opened in 2011 and is the newest library among the Kanazawa City Libraries. A large main road runs right next to the library, and since the western district has a higher population of children under 14 compared to other districts, it is expected to serve not only as an information hub but also as a "stay-type" library that acts as a base for exchange between various generations and regions, as well as a base for child-rearing support.

To take root in the community and promote interaction among people, the library must first be accepted and established in the area, becoming a place where local residents can gather casually. Furthermore, by collaborating with nearby community centers, universities inside and outside the city, and external organizations to hold a wide range of events, it can also disseminate diverse information.

Even if the content seems unrelated to books and reading at first glance, libraries originally house materials of all genres. If we can successfully connect people and books by piquing their curiosity, the library can fulfill its original role. The library facility itself was designed with a concept that makes it easy to concentrate on reading, and by providing various projects that can be enjoyed throughout the day, its significance as a "stay-type" library will be further enhanced.

Perhaps thanks to such efforts, there was an average of 2,226 visitors per day in fiscal 2016, and the number of visitors has been largely maintained every year since its opening. We also hear comments from visitors such as, "Since Umimirai was built, this area has become more cultured."

Although there were mobile library circuits, the western district was certainly far from existing libraries, and since many art museums and other cultural facilities are concentrated in the center of the city, people likely felt a psychological distance. These were happy voices from citizens that showed how books have become familiar to people in the neighborhood and that the library has come to be recognized as a cultural facility they can visit casually.

The Kanazawa City Kanazawa Umimirai Library, my first place of employment. It is known for being selected as one of the "4 Best Super Libraries in the World" by the BBC and one of the "20 Most Attractive Libraries in the World" by the US travel guide Fodor's.

As the Kanazawa Umimirai Library became established in the community, I also felt new movements. What left a particularly strong impression was seeing mothers who were initially participants in storytelling sessions eventually becoming active as members of the volunteer group for those same sessions.

In other cases, participants became friends with each other through library events and became regular users. Through the events and activities held at the library, encounters and connections were made between volunteers and participants, among participants themselves, and across the boundaries of volunteer groups. Witnessing the birth of new activities and usage firsthand made me realize the significance of the library as an exchange hub.

On the other hand, there are also challenges for a "stay-type" library. This is the car problem, which is inseparable for those living in regional areas.

The Kanazawa Umimirai Library has 100 parking spaces, but thanks to the many visitors, the lot frequently becomes full, especially on event days, which is stressful for both visitors and local residents. In addition to calling for the use of public transportation, we provide information about full parking lots on Twitter and the library's website. When the lot is full, staff members even go out to the parking lot entrance to collect books from those who came only to return them. However, when the congestion cannot be resolved, we have sometimes made in-house announcements requesting shorter stays. We do not want to hinder "stay-type" use as a regional exchange hub, and I feel the need for continuous ingenuity and efforts in the future.

My current workplace, the Tamagawa Library, plays the role of a preservation library among the Kanazawa City Libraries. Furthermore, it is adjacent to the Early Modern History Museum, which collects and preserves early modern historical materials, including the "Ka-etsu-no Bunko" (historical documents of the former Kaga Domain). Since users can go back and forth between the library and the history museum according to their interests, there are naturally many reference questions related to local history.

I have only been involved in this work for about two months, but I frequently receive inquiries and find it particularly difficult when users want to research the transition of names for a specific location from the past to the present, or what a place looked like in the past.

Residential maps, mainly the latest ones, are used by many people every day, and our library has held them since 1963 (though some years are missing).

On the other hand, there are areas where detailed old maps are preserved going back to the Kaga Domain era. "The past" is a broad term, and when trying to research detailed locations from the Meiji era to 1962, the available materials become limited, which is quite troublesome.

In responding to various reference questions, I often use digital information sources, including the internet, as part of my work. IT (Information Technology) has evolved compared to when I was a university student, and various search tools and databases exist on the internet. However, in front-counter work, I am made to realize that these are often unknown or that many people cannot utilize them effectively.

Perhaps due to the regional characteristics within the city, the age group of users who come to the reference room of the Tamagawa Library is relatively high. Many elderly general users are not accustomed to computers or machines and often request paper-based materials. Even if I show them a computer screen at the counter, tell them about materials that might be helpful for their inquiry, and explain how to search so they are satisfied at the time, it is not uncommon for them to return later saying, "Show me that material you showed me the other day again."

The process of searching for a satisfying answer together with the user at the counter is very interesting. Experiencing firsthand the provision of necessary materials tailored to the individual makes me realize that librarians are indeed needed. I want to continue to be challenged by reference questions from users, increase my knowledge of collection materials and search tools, acquire research techniques, and strive to become a librarian who can be even more helpful to users.

In recent years, I have heard the criticism that "libraries = free bookstores." You have probably heard the point made, even if you are not familiar with the library industry, that libraries simply lend books for free as requested by users and lack further utility, thereby hindering the management of bookstores and publishers. I had learned through lectures and various materials in Library and Information Science while attending Keio University that this is not actually the case, but I feel I finally understood it after working on the front lines myself. Although I only have six years of practical experience, things that could not be achieved by a "free bookstore" happen every day on the front lines.

In recent years, Kanazawa City has been putting particular effort into "citizen collaboration," and the library has also begun efforts to liven up the library together with citizens. I am bracing myself once again to work hard in my daily duties so that the library can be a place where books (information) and people, and people and people, can meet.