The purpose of this study is to focus on library service for children in a hospital, which in turn is seen in relation to a traditional children s library. Four aspects of library work were investigated. These aspects were working methods, partners of co-operation for the libraries, media policy (acquisition, use of the collection and circulation procedures), as well as programme activities for children.
The research method was qualitative and comparative in nature, consisting of case studies of two libraries : (1) the library in a children s hospital, known as Bokskogen at Astrid Lindgren s children s hospital in Stockholm and (2) a traditional children s library, the children s department at Eslövs city library. In each library interviews were conducted. The investigation shows that the librarians in the hospital library must be more outreaching and active in order to stimulate children to use library materials. Many children and their parents don t even know that there is a library in the hospital. This means, on the other hand, that the members of the library staff often seek personal information about the children from some of the partners with whom they have established co-operation to be able to assist the children in their choice of library materials. This network of co-operation with different partners is in itself a distinguished characteristic of the library in the hospital environment. The investigation has shown that there is a significant difference as to the kind of books and other library materials that are borrowed from each of the two libraries. Children staying in hospital tend to borrow books and library material that are easier to read and/or understand compared to children going to traditional libraries. One possible explanation is that children become somewhat retarded when ill and when they are being institutionalised. When so much is new around them, they probably seek comfort in that which is »familiar« or at least not unknown. As to the other parameters of comparison, both libraries have a liberal po...
