Intercultural library networking in Switzerland – Sharing material and

knowledge

Ruth Fassbind-EigenheerBibliomedia Schweiz-Suisse-Svizzera(Switzerland)

Switzerland – a short survey• Expanse: about 41.300 km2• Inhabitants: about 7.7 millions• 26 cantons (districts)• 2636 communities• about 1000 public libraries• 4 national languages (German, French,

Italian, Rhaeto-Romanic)• 23 % inhabitants without Swiss passport • Communities with up to 50 % migrants

Nationalities of the main migrant groups living in Switzerland (2008)

• Italy 291.585• Germany 234.640• Portugal 196.842• Serbia/

Montenegro 184.428• France 87.385• Turkey 72.204• Spain 65.166

• Macedonia 59.909• Bosnia/

Herzegovina 37.631• Croatia 36.281• South America 33.495• UK 33.298• Sri Lanka 28.024

Basics of intercultural networking

Material

Books Other media Material for reading

promotion

Knowledge

Formation courses Advice Information Exchange

Intercultural „players“

Bibliomedia Switzerlandwww.bibliomedia.ch

• Founded in 1920• Nationwide• Financed by Government/“private“ means• Library for libraries > resource library• Library information and development• Central library for foreign languages

Foreign languages at Bibliomedia

• Books in foreign languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Albanian, Serbian, Croatian, Turkish, Tamil

• Special stock with bi- and multilingual picture books

Bilingual picture books – handmade!

Special offers at Bibliomedia

• Multilingual material for reading promotion for children (up to 19 languages)

• „Reading hints for reading fun“ (special stock for children/youth with weak reading competences)

• Library introduction in foreign languages (internet „toolbox“)

Internet „toolbox“: library introduction in foreign languages

Association „Books without Borders“ (VBOGS)

• Founded in 1993• Coordination, communication, contact• Corporate projects• Formation for members• Members: 17 intercultural libraries• Mostly private enterprise• Mostly volontary work

Association „Books without Borders“

• Promotion of intercultural exchange

• Appreciation of all languages and cultures

• Encourages children and youth to speak and read their mother tongue

• Meeting point for immigrants

• Contacts with migrants‘ associations

Bibliomedia + VBOGS

• Bibliomedia = large stocks of the latest books: in the national languages (German, French, Italian) and the languages of the biggest migrant groups living in Switzerland

• VBOGS = books and other media in over 250 languages

Mondomedia

Aims:• Intercultural knowledge in all Swiss public

libraries• Intercultural library network• Intercultural library/librarian exchange• Intercultural formation for public libraries

Mondomedia• Mondomedia-Team: staff of intercultural libraries

(VBOGS) together with staff of public libraries

• Mondomedia-Manual: Concept and material (handouts etc.) for formation courses for staff of Swiss public libraries

• Mondomedia-Courses: basic knowledge about intercultural library work for staff in public libraries

Mondomedia Formation Courses

• Teamteaching: 1 teacher with migration background + 1 teacher with „Swiss“ background

• Intercultural competences/welcoming people from other countries and cultures

• Knowledge about Bibliomedia, VBOGS-libraries, bookshops for foreign languages

• Knowledge about the building of networks• Programs for children, youth and adults

VisionWherever there is need for it, local libraries (from small village libraries to big municipal libraries) offer media in foreign languages, media to help learning a Swiss national language and special reading programs!