What comes to your mind when planning an outing to Ueno with the kids? The Ueno Zoo? A bugs and insects exhibition or a dinosaur exhibition at the National Museum of Nature and Science sound like fun. Actually, there is another perfect spot just a short walk away — the library. The beautiful western-style building is called The National Diet Library’s International Library of Children’s Literature (ILCL). It’s a special library that is dedicated to children’s books. But the library is open to everyone, children and adults alike. We talked to the library’s director general, Kenichi Terakura about ILCL and asked what makes it so special.
Kenichi Terakura, Director General, International Library of Children’s Literature (ILCL)
Coming from JR Ueno Station, take a right past the Tokyo National Museum and you will find a grand, western-style architecture. This is the International Library of Children’s Literature (ILCL). As we stood admiring the library, a couple, maybe visitors from abroad, slipped into the library, as if drawn in by the building’s historic atmosphere.
The Brick Building is an adaptive reuse of the former Imperial Library. Eye-catching features include the brick façade and magnificent stone relief sculptures between the large windows. *The serene courtyard is a place where even time seems to slow down. The Arch Building on the left-hand side was completed in 2015. It houses seminar rooms and researchers’ reading rooms, adding more functions to the national library.
“The ILCL is a library dedicated to children’s literature. People might think that a special library caters to researchers and registered members only. Actually, our doors are open to everyone”. The library’s director general Terakura added with a smile, that he wants to see casual drop-ins from children, adults, visitors from Japan and overseas.
“We have people who initially walk inside, curious about the architecture; they seem surprised when they find out ‘it’s a library’. The building was first built in the 39th year of the Meiji era (1906). So, it has a history of over 100 years”.
There is a stairwell just inside the entrance. The stairs feature a delicate design and continue up to the third floor. The space is filled with an atmosphere of times long gone, extremely photogenic, perfect for the age of social media. But there are no noisy crowds here. It is a library, after all. Visitors seem to be enjoying the silence and serenity of this historic building.
The grand staircase inside the entrance. The delicate, graceful chandelier hanging from the ceiling has been in use since the building’s initial opening, back in 1906.
When the ILCL building
was first constructed, it was the “Imperial Library”; after World War II it functioned
as a branch of the National Diet Library, before reopening as the national center
for children’s literature in 2000. The library collects and houses a wide range
of children’s books and reference material from Japan and worldwide, alongside academic
research.
“We have a collection of children’s books from about 160 countries and regions around the world. Compared to books targeting adult audiences, books for children manage to overcome cultural and national boundaries more easily. Furthermore, we want our children to get in touch with different cultures other than their own, while they develop a global awareness in a natural way. That is what prompted us to launch this library which is dedicated to children’s literature”.
The ILCL is not only for children who live in the neighborhood. It is a place where researchers and librarians working for public libraries and school libraries, can rely on. As a national library, the ILCL strives to support the reading habits of children all over the nation by assisting libraries and schools nationwide.
“In Japan, there is a growing number of children who have roots abroad. Let’s say a public library wants to expand their children’s literature collection by adding more foreign books, especially for those children; but find difficulties in choosing the right books. That’s where we come in. I hope our collection could be utilized to support the librarians in making selections”.
There is a “Teens’ Research Room” located on the second floor of the Brick Building. It is a reference room equipped with a collection of books and reference material suitable for junior high and high school children. This is a national library, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the reference room turned out to be a humongous hall, but the room is snug and comfortable, just right for young junior high and high school students who are not used to conducting full-scale research. Apparently, the reference material that line the shelves have been carefully curated with a professional eye—this not a place for dust-covered, musty old dictionaries.
On display at the “Gallery of Children’s Literature” are Japanese children’s books from the Meiji era (1868 – 1912) to the present day. The books can be taken down from the shelves for actual reading. Terakura said, “When it comes to children’s books, there is nothing better than looking at the real thing. I really want our visitors to pick up a copy and handle it”. *The “Teens’ Research Room” is open to group visits organized by schools, as well as personal use, any time. There is no need to make reservations or registration. The room can be used by both children and adults. *“Meet the World” room is filled with some 2,000 children’s books, including foreign books. This is where children can learn about different countries and regions around the world. Also, on display are Japanese picture books that were translated and published overseas. *Each “School library lending set” consists of about 40 books that have been carefully selected along specific themes, which are lent out to school libraries. The sets have traditionally focused on “Global understanding”, but starting fiscal year 2019, the library added “Science” themed lending sets. *
“Nowadays you might feel
that there is nothing that cannot be found on the internet. But everyone knows
that the web is full of errata and bogged down with knowledge new and old. It
takes a lot of time and effort before you succeed in obtaining a reliable
answer. But if you try looking up something in the library, you may be
surprised how quickly you reach your solution. Here in this room, we conduct a hands-on
program aimed at teaching junior high and high school students “the joy of research”.
We want reading to be fun, but we also want to promote “information literacy” among
children. I believe that the reference book collection in this room serves as a
model reference collection which can be emulated by school libraries
nationwide”.
On the first floor of
the Brick Building, there is a Children’s Library for young children up to
elementary school age. Children and parents are perched on tiny chairs, reading
picture books. The library is extremely user-friendly — another feature that
makes the place so attractive. If you are with children, or on your own, the
library is a very good place to take a break while you stroll around Ueno.
“We have a café and a courtyard. There’s a museum for children’s books. We have a collection of Japanese children’s books dating back from the Meiji era up to present times. You don’t have to be accompanied by children — I think it is a great place for adults, too. I am sure you will find that book you loved as a child”.
This is a library where you can discover the charm of children’s literature while enjoying the historic western-style architecture. The library is a quiet retreat from the bustle of Ueno, inviting all visitors with open arms.
Text: Eri Eguchi Photos: Fumitaka Miyoshi Photos courtesy of the International Library of Children’s Literature (ILCL) (marked *)
The International Library of Children’s Literature (ILCL)
Address: 12-49, Ueno Park, Taito-Ku, Tokyo Hours: 9:30 to 17:00 Closed: Mondays, every third Wednesday (closed for filing), National holidays (except Children’s Day on May 5th), year end and New Year’s holidays URL：https://www.kodomo.go.jp
*The article is based on information provided as of February 2020
