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For Reading Cultural Equity and the Joy of Reading - KPL Adds 2 New Inclusive Toy Hubs!
Date:2023-10-23
:多元文化部

Kaohsiung Main Public Library (hereinafter referred to as KPL) continues to improve its collection and diversified reading promotion services. It has invited the Play Association of ROC to certify the inclusive toy installations at the Nanzikeng Branch and the Caogong Fengshan Branch, and both libraries have obtained the "The Play Resource Certification Mark" for inclusive toys. In addition to 6 The Play Resource Certification Marks for the visually impaired, hearing impaired, autistic, multiple disabled, silver-haired and parent-child games, KPL has added the 7th mark for multicultural games. Lin Jyun-Ying, the founding chairperson of the Play Association of ROC, also guided the librarians to learn about the 7 marks of inclusive toys for promoting the respectful inclusion of diverse cultures.

Wang Wen-Tsui, chairperson of Kaohsiung Public Library and director-general of the Bureau of Culture Affairs of Kaohsiung City Government, stated that multiculturalism is an intangible asset of cities. By creating high-quality inclusive spaces, the interaction of diverse cultures can collide to produce new cultural products. Also, by adding inclusive toys, a different type of reading materials, barriers between disabilities can be overcome. The toys with different marks can encourage the interaction of groups with different disabilities, for example, the toys for the visually impaired, hearing impaired, autism, and multiple disabilities. Furthermore, the elderly games, parent-child games, and multicultural toys, intergenerational and cross-national exchanges and interactions can be developed, which are lively and empathetic ways to promote cultural equity and reading equity.

Lin Yi-Cheng, acting director of Kaohsiung Public Library emphasized that in addition to providing a comfortable and friendly environment, the form of reading is no longer limited to paper-based reading. By increasing multi-sensory stimulation through toys to enhance learning pleasure, it generates an effect from inclusive toys, reading, and diverse inclusiveness. Both the civic cultural hall and mobile book vans launch thoughtful community services. Books, storytelling tellers, and innovative inclusive toys travel with the book vans to schools, cultural and educational centers, Level C community long-term care stations, special service institutions, and other venues throughout Kaohsiung to promote co-reading, co-learning and co-playing.

Since 2017, the Lee Ko-Yung Memorial Library located in Central Park in Kaohsiung city is the first library to provide inclusive toy lending services. Since 2021, with the support of the Ministry of Education and National Central Library, we have expanded inclusive toy stations from north to south, west to east. "Children's Toy Theme Halls" have been established at the Gushan, Daliao and Linyuan branches. KPL also renovated the 4th floor and created the inclusive space for the visually impaired and elderly. The Nanzikeng branch and Fengshan Tsaogong branch library started new service stations. The number of libraries in the city with inclusive toys has increased to 7. Each library organizes a wide variety of inclusive toy activities based on community needs and characteristics of its collection to increase parent-child, grandparent-grandchildren and reading interactions between readers with different disabilities in a friendly environment for co-reading, co-playing and co-learning.

As the inclusive toy services mark their sixth anniversary, the Nanzikeng and Tsaogong branches are set to introduce an extensive collection of hundreds of toys available for lending this year." KPL not only focuses on improving and enriching hardware, but also regularly organizes training courses to strengthen librarians' understanding and knowledge of inclusive toys and the meaning behind each toy, so that professional librarians can offer their extensive services.

Chairperson of the founding board of the Play Association of ROC, Lin Jyun-Ying, specially introduced toys suitable for different disabilities. For example, toys that focus on tactile sensory experience are recommended for the visually impaired, toys with sound and light effects are suitable for the hearing impaired, toys that enhance life skills are suggested for autism patients, and puzzles and balance toys are provided to seniors. Libraries, as the most widespread and accessible public resources, not only cultivate the reading habits of all citizens, but also serve more groups with inclusive toys. It is hoped that reading cultural equity can be achieved.

 

 

 

 


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Updated2024-04-03 AM 11:07:23
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