HowInnovation Has
TransformedJapanese
PublicLibraries
June 22, 2019
ALA Annual ConferenceShunsaku Tamura

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OUTLINE OF THE
PRESENTATION
1. Introduction to Japanese Public Libraries
1.1. Legal Basis of Japanese Public Libraries
1.2. Japanese Local Government System
1.3. Development of Public Libraries in Japan
2. Coping with Recent Social Changes by Innovation
2.1. Recent Social Changes in Japan
2.2. Public Libraries’ Response to the New Situation
3. Notable Cases
4. Some Introductory Remarks on the Following Presentations
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1. INTRODUCTION TO JAPANESEPUBLIC LIBRARIESALAAnnual2019

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Local governments
establish public libraries
in accordance with
Public Library Law(1950).

1.1. Legal
Basis ofJapanese
PublicLibraries

Normally a section in
Education Department ina local government.

Use of library materials
must be free. (Article 17)
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Two Tiers System:・Prefectures

1.2.
Japanese
LocalGovernment
System・Municipalities(Cities, Towns, Villages)
Each municipality belongs to anyof the 47 prefectures.

Prefectures and municipalities
are both local public bodies ofequal status and cooperateaccording to their share ofduties.
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1.3. Development of Public
Libraries in JapanYear

No. ofAnnual
Libraries Circulation

1955

2017

773

3,292

 Emphasis on16m items

circulation
Which resulted in(0.19 percapita) Growth in no. of691m
items

libraries andcirculation(5.45 percapita)
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Now public
libraries are: -- One of the mostpopular places in acommunity, with
 -- Abundance ofbooks
 -- Free and open toall; Comfortable
places to visit
Ishikari Public Library,
Hokkaido
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2. COPING WITH RECENT SOCIALCHANGES BY INNOVATIONALAAnnual2019

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2.1.
RecentSocialChanges inJapanThe mostaged
country inthe world!

• Population aging
rate: 27.7％(U.S.: 15.4％)• Low economic
Declining
growth; Stagnant
number ofgovernment income
working
population; • Growing social
welfare expenditure
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Which leads local governments toCooperate with other actors in thecommunity
Demanding their departments andagencies much more contribution to thecommunity

With as less money as possible
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2.2. Public
Libraries’
Responseto the New
Situation

Shift from circulation toa variety of innovative“Community-oriented”
services:i.-- Promote reading and books
in a unique style;ii.-- Become community’s
memory keeper;iii.-- Help people deal with
their problems;
iv.-- Become a meeting hub
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3. NOTABLE CASES

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i. Promotereading andbooks in aunique style
Football players
recommend theirfavorite books

 Chofu City Library,Tokyo

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BooksRecommended
by Librarians

 Hirado City Library,Nagasaki

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Biblio-battle

http://en.bibliobattle.jp/
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BecomeCommunity’s
Memory Keeper Wikipedia Town

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https://www.slideshare.net/kenyahiraga/
151012-wikimedia-tokyomeetup?qid=1087de56-9606-482a-b96116
bc10208a9d8b&v=&b=&from_search=9

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Habitat mapof raccoons
made withpeople

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Help people deal with their problems


Machi-zemi : Turning a shopping district into a community’s leaning space

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Become ameeting
Hub Takeo City Library,Saga

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4. Some Introductory Remarks on
the Following Presentations

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Prefecture

Types ofLocal
Government• Tottori (SmallestPrefecture)
Municipalities• Hiroshima (Large City)• Shiwa (Small Town)
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Hope You Will Find
Intriguing Innovations in the
Following Presentations!
Thank you !

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