The heart is that children experience the magic of a book

At work in Riksu, there is a story series in which the employees of the city of Riihimäki talk about their work.

Librarian Tiina Löfberg has collected a lot of reading material suitable for nine-year-olds on the table for the third-graders' book recommendations. With the Right to Learn project, this year all second and third graders in Riihimäki are invited to the library.

"I try to read all the books for children and young adults that I recommend. A sticky note in the middle of the book helps to recall the book's highlights. It is a matter of my heart that children find pleasant reading and experience the magic of a book."

The people of Riihimäki borrowed library materials more than 340 times last year. That's a tough number for a town of less than 000. There are four library workers for children and young people. Everyone who comes to the department is greeted, because personal service makes them excited about reading at best.

"I always tell the children that it's wonderful if you read, but you're welcome to just hang out. The library is for everyone. It feels good when children and even teenagers greet me in the city. I have been working in the library in Riihimäki for more than 30 years and have met thousands of children."

Löfberg tells about Ronja and Ruska, who learn to read even before school. When they had read a thousand books, their mother brought a cake to the library as a thank you.

"I also got a nice beaded bookmark made by the girls. Yesterday, a girl from the second grade came to ask me if I still had the Princess Tiina book that she once made for me. Of course it is!”

654 new library cards

Löfberg starts the triplets' winking by reading aloud to them in the story room. Many take the soft toy under their arm. After the fairy tale, Tiina recommends books, and after that we think about how the books are organized in the library and we especially familiarize ourselves with fiction. Then the children get the task of looking for a specific book on the shelves in pairs.

"If someone doesn't have a library card, I will send a request for a library card to the parents together with the teacher."

So far in 2022, 654 new library cards have already been issued to the Riihimäki city library, which means new readers are coming all the time. In the fall of 2022, the library will organize eight open storytime classes for children, two author visits for school classes, and several storybook lectures or book recommendations for groups.

"In the eighth graders' genre tips, I introduce them to, for example, sci-fi, fantasy, horror and detective stories."

A brave new library

In the renovation of the library, about one hundred square meters more space was obtained from the former garage and the caretaker's apartment. They were made into a small music studio where you can sing, play the piano and drums and make your own demos. Young people got their own corner where they can also play. In the digital studio downstairs, you can convert VHS materials to digital format, make high-quality videos and take high-quality photos.

"More lending machines have been acquired. The biggest change is the self-service library downstairs, where you can do business without the presence of staff in the morning, evening and Sunday. There you can pick up reservations, read in the reading room and borrow detective stories, paperbacks and comics. Self-help library started operating in October."

Reading holds up

Every week, Löfberg collects books in bags, which the city messenger takes to kindergartens and schools for 1st to 8th graders. Each class can order two bags of books once per academic year, and the early childhood education group can order two bags twice per academic year.

"When age-appropriate books are taken to kindergartens and schools, everyone gets to interact with books.

Löfberg was recently in the Children's and youth book 10 years from now training, which was given by a strong belief in the book.

"Digitality is an alternative to a printed book. The more we read different formats, the better. In addition to books, there is a lot of competitive entertainment for children. Games and audiobooks are fine, but it's good to be able to experience the magic of books from an early age."

The library is important for everyone

88 borrowers visited the Riihimäki library last year. In August, 588 loans were made. New books are acquired all the time, for example in 37, 131 new books were bought for the library. The library is an affordable service, as its costs are only about one percent of the municipality's expenses, on average 2021 euros per year per inhabitant.

"Finns value the library. We have a lot of families with children who ask for books on topics such as the birth of a sibling or starting kindergarten. In the storytime class held every other Wednesday, toddlers sit on chairs and babies roll around on the floor. Last time there were 35 children and parents there. One father has brought many children to a story lesson, and he said that he himself had been here as a child."

Reading needs to be rekindled, and book advice is a good way of working to encourage reading. Libraries are comfortable, free and non-commercial spaces open to everyone.

The ten most read children's novels

• Parvela, Timo: Ella and friends as folk candles, 2022
• Troll: Master Detective Peppunen, 2018
• Pilkey, Dav: Captain Kalsari and the gruesome revenge of the radioactive roboboxers, 2015
• Nopola, Sinikka: Risto Räppääja and shy Elmeri, 2019
• Nopola, Sinikka: Risto Räppäääja and handsome Kullervo, 2002
• Noronen, Paula: Night school and freezing mold, 2021
• Troll: Master Detective Peppunen: The Riddle of the Ruined Temple, 2020
• Nopola, Sinikka: Risto Räppääja ja pakastaja-Elvi, 2001
• Nopola, Sinikka: Risto Räppääja and Julia the scheming, 2018
• Nopola, Sinikka: Risto Räppäääja ja stubborn finni, 2003

Reija Ypyä