Barnbibliotekariers kompetens och kärnkunskaper på området litteraturförmedling och läsfrämjande arbete
This paper conducts a qualitative examination based on interviews with six childrens librarians. The purpose is to put a perspective on the librarians competence and focal knowledge within the area of reading promotion and reading stimulation aimed for children, and also to examine how this competence and knowledge is constructed. The work is based on the following questions: How do childrens librarians experience reading promotion and reading stimulation within their profession? Which competence and what knowledge do childrens librarians experience as most important in order to make their work with reading promotion and reading stimulation function? What can be concluded regarding the construction of their competence and knowledge? The analysis is carried out from theories about competence, tacit knowledge and reading promotion. Following primary conclusions are drawn from the study: The professional role is mainly experienced as promoting reading as pleasure, but also as an important factor for childrens language development. The most important knowledge is the knowledge of childrens literature and the child as the promotee. Important qualifications are said to be commitment, empathy, good communicative skills and ability to listen. Knowledge of childrens literature is chiefly acquired by reading said literature. In time the knowledge of literature tends to function tacitly while the child tends to be more in focus. The competence and knowledge is based more on practical experience than on formal education.