An Analysis of public libraries' ability to represent preschool children in terms of their missions and responsibilities

The aim of this study is to emphasise that, in order for reading culture to be instilled and for reading to become a habit in Turkey, not only does reading as an activity need to be instilled in children at preschool level, but to also stress that public libraries need to adopt an active role in the embedding of the notion of the book and reading in the minds of children of preschool age. International standards state that public libraries should devote at least 25% of their collections, services and activities to children. Within the scope of this study, the efficiency of public libraries in terms of children?s services including the library as a space will be examined, in addition to determining the extent to which the preschool period is included in the planning of services. For the purposes of this study, a ?current situational analysis? comprising of 20 criteria was undertaken of public libraries operating in 30 different districts of Istanbul. Throughout this process, ?Guidelines for Library Services to Babies and Toddlers? prepared by IFLA was used as a reference for questionnaires and research documentation. The research carried out revealed that those public libraries that were effective and efficient in the districts in which they operated in were preferred by preschool children and their families. The results of the study also determined that these libraries were pioneering in terms of promoting reading as a habit and library use, because of the services and activities they provided.