Køge Libraries choose these paths

First case:
Now the pupils at HTX know where the
library in Køge is.

HTX (Technical Gymnasium) in Køge
has not got a library, let alone a librarian.
On the face of it the pupils are drifting
completely on their own in the great
information sea. I say ‘drifting’because
the pupils have not been aware that
they can steer their course towards one
of the libraries in Køge Municipality
and there get help with their navigation.
This makes Køge Libraries sit up
and think: “HTX must be saved”–and
then they throw out the lifebuoy.

The help I offer is to go to the gymnasium
and as part of the pupils’general
tuition try to teach them information
literacy. I teach them how to tackle an
information search process in connection
with their assignments and projects,
and I plan this process in a constructive
interplay with teachers at
HTX.

As a librarian it is particularly interesting
to create and sell a product to
an educational institution and develop
it in a continuous cooperation between
management and teachers. It is a challenge
to learn about HTX as domain
(organisation, pedagogical practice,
subjects, languages etc.) and to produce
an offer that matches their needs. Like
so many other challenges it also increases
one’s own professional competences.

The project looks to be a permanent
contract / a service agreement between
library and educational institution.

Anders Kragh Sørensen
Librarian
Koege Libraries
Anders.Kragh.Soerensen@koege.dk

Second case:
The Bottlery in Køge – involving the young
and groovy events

The start was a Hip Hop event: A
Battle Night where professionals
battled against each other and against
the bold locals. 260 young people supported
this initial cooperation between
the young, the bottlery and the library.

In 2006 an old bottlery hall was turned
into the youth culture centre of Køge.
In this rough hall with a café the young
meet at concerts, paint graffiti and play
heavy. There is a climbing wall outside
and the facilities for playing hockey.
And a lot more is in the pipeline.

Right from the outset Køge Libraries
wanted to help give the young some
groovy, but also educational experiences
and opportunities at the Bottlery
- all of them on the young people’s
terms. The Bottlery has been built up
by the young, for the young. Following
a brainstorming with a group of young
people, possible ideas were put to the
vote among the many young people in
Køge. Via sms and the library’s homepage
the young people decided on Hip
Hop, graffiti, extreme sport and
photos. Now, at the beginning of 2007,
a number of arrangements and events
have been planned. These will be
supplemented with exhibitions of
materials supplied by Køge Libraries.

The librarians reach out to the young
people. And the young know by now
that their local library takes their
wishes and needs seriously. A tremendous
bonus from the cooperation with
the bottlery is a network that just
continues to expand.

Thomas Drachmann Kastberg
Librarian
The Køge Libraries
thomas.kastberg@koege.dk

Lene Kaalund
Librarian
The Køge Libraries
lene.kaalund@koege.dk

The above-mentioned projects have received support
from Køge Municipality and the Danish Library Agency.
The projects are part of “Forever Young”, a networking
cooperation between Greve, Køge, Solrød and Vallø
Municipalities developed over the past few years.

Translated by Vibeke Cranfield