What does the “Library Lovers” logo stand for?
The Swedish Library Association is conducting a campaign which will last until the General Election of 2010 and whose aim is to increase political commitment to publicly financed libraries. Sweden is the only Nordic country that does not have a national library policy. Consequently, Swedes do not have access to the full potential to be derived from a world-leading library system.
The lack of a concerted political stand in support of libraries has led to an alarming situation. Four hundred local public libraries have been closed down and 450,000 pupils are deprived of a staffed school library. There are fewer visitors to libraries, the number of book loans is decreasing, and the level of reading comprehension is sinking. All this is happening in spite of the fact that university libraries are in a phase of strong development. Electronic services and virtual library environments are becoming increasingly important, and libraries are being equipped with more and more computers.
Sweden should strive to create a library system which covers the whole country and which can help develop a knowledge society that is sustainable in the long term and available to everyone. Therefore, the Library Association has co-operated with the Swedish Writers’ Union, among others, to draw up proposals for the content of a national library policy. To obtain support for these proposals, the Association is now working intensively to influence public opinion.
During the spring of 2008, we will be conducting a special campaign whose theme is “Sweden needs a national library policy”, and here the “Library Lovers” heart will be the campaign logo. Moreover, all libraries will be provided with special campaign packages consisting of badges, display stands, bookmarkers and stickers. At the same time, politicians, moulders of public opinion and other decision-makers will have special information material sent directly to them. Librarylovers.se is the homepage of the whole campaign.
Peter Axelsson
Head of Public Relation
E-mail: pax@biblioteksforeningen.org
