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No Adults Allowed: Library Space as a Tool for Social Change

No Adults Allowed: Library Space as a Tool for Social Change

How can a small library in a troubled area redefine its role in the community?

The multicultural neighborhood of Tøyen in Oslo faces frequent turnover of residents, economic deprivation, street crime, and other social problems. The neighborhood library set a goal to become a safe and inspiring place for local children and youth. To create a truly inviting space for the kids, challenges had to be resolved and conventional thought patterns had to be broken.

Today, Tøyen youth library is a destination of study trips for librarians and education experts from around the world. They can visit the library in the early morning or late evening as during opening hours access is allowed only for 10-15 year olds.

What can we learn from Tøyen’s success and perhaps also its challenges? The library manager, Reinert Mithassel, will discuss this with Mihkel Kaevats, the head of the Cultural Values Department at the Ministry of Culture. The discussion will be in English. The public can attend in person at the National Library and online via Facebook or Youtube.

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