Day 3: Visit to the Barbican Library -Part 1

The Barbican Library at the City of London

The Barbican Library is located at the Barbican Centre and is within the jurisdiction of the City of London so it is run by the City of London Council. It is situated next to The Guildhald School of Music and Drama. 

Programming Services at the Library:

The librarians spoke about the programming and services offered. The librarian who was interviewed said she is a member of the Libraries connected, formerly known as the Society of Chief librarians,  and that the mission of the library is to focus on social inclusion and health and information literacy services accessible to people with visual impairment, people with dementia, and autism, one of the most challenging at the moment, since they wished they could offer a quiet space.
As far as a tracking of services, they tally services and customer reference questions then analyze these but don't have a metrics system yet.

Interviewing the Children's and Young Adults Librarian

The children section is in the lower floor.  The librarian mentioned the various programming offered such as rhyme time, bubble noises, reading clubs ("Superstar borrowers").   Puzzles, board games, coloring, screen films. One of the challenges is to recruit teen volunteers in the summer to read books to children and reward them for reading at least five books or you will get "jelly brain" . He also mentioned that there is a Green house near the Barbican center where city farmers join a mini fair.
Green house from Barbican center city farmers network once a month a mini fair at the libraries families come weekly guided reading volunteers for struggling readers

The Music Library:
You can check out instruments, you can come and play instruments and teach yourself. What at great idea! There are instruments and thousands of scores that can be borrowed.

Partnerships and community programs for the elderly 

Libraries must understand their communities and make sure every group is included. What made my day was hearing the librarin talking about community relations and partnerships and ways they are bringing social services into the library. The Barbican library has strong partnerships with the City Memory Group and students from the Guildhald School of Music . Thanks to these partnerships it is possible to teach musical instruments and sing songs to the elderly.