BEACON: public library and NGO go cultural andigital with added value for learners and Ostend

Speaker: Martine Vandermaes, chief librarian, public library Ostend (Belgium)

Town hall - docks

Ostend (Belgium)

• coastal town

• fishing – tourism – renewable energy

• 70.000 inhabitants

• 1 out of 4 is 65+

• 1 out of 4 lives under the poverty line

• 10 % without a job

• 81 % households without children

Bibliotheek Kris Lambert – Oostende - België

public library

• 1 central + 4 branch libraries

• collection: 240.000

• members: 19.000 – 31.000 incl. gr.

• loans: 850.000

• use of internet: 21.000 hours/year

• team: 27,2 FTE

• free of charge – membership & loans

digital literacy

• started in 2002

• awareness

– role of the public library

– expertise outside of the library

• take time to learn and grow

• content is more important than competences

• look through the eyes of the customer

• not every mentor is a ‘believer’

what makes a difference?

• professional support

• insist on quality

• link with the life of learners

• network within the community & partners

• take small steps

• ‘warm experts’

• library logic does not sound logic for everyone

tailor-made project

• tender for a partner for projects on digital

literacy (50.000,00 €/year )

• what do we want?

• content – link to actions and projects in the actionplan

of the direction of cultural affairs and the city

(eg. coastal security plan)

• work with mixed groups

• work with various formulas

• agreements

project BEACON

mixed

• creative ateliers with artists

• lessons/workshops

• drop in and ask your

question

• soirées - debates

the city - partners

create – participate - learn

public library

creative ateliers with artists

• 10 weeks

• artist in charge

• look – listen - expression

• explore the city

• central theme

• “beautiful gift”

exploring Ostend

Moments before the flood

by Carl De Keyzer

content & community

“de zee is een schilderij dat iedere minuut van de dag verandert”

“ ik wil hier nooit meer weg”

lessons/workshops

• made to measure

– rythm of the group

– completely different basic knowledge of learners is a huge

challenge

• “content” is important

– add

– share

– verify/compare

– critical attitude

• “the acquired competences are put into practice outside of the

classroom”

drop in and ask your question

• low threshold, open to all

• observe before you join the group

• hop on, hop off

• learn from someone in the same position as

yourself

• empowerment of the ‘old guys’

• community

• warm experts

Ostend main library – hop on hop off on Thursday morning

http://peter.bakenoostende.be/cursusgeluidok

t2012

http://marlu.bakenoostende.be/Overstroming

1953

soirées - debates

• information

• meeting

• dialogue

• low threshold

– art and science

– Carl De Keyzer / Arne Quinze / Raoul Servais / …

• “lovely evening, I missed dinner, but I’m so glad I was here, I

wouldn’t have missed it for the world”

extra

• feel at home in the public library

• 1st class ambassadors of the public library

• empowerment

• new partnerships

• participation increases

• the story of a city and its citizens is captured,

told and shared

From 1865 till now

challenges for the city

• invest in coastal defence

• new dike

–Flemish Community

–the city

• goal: protect against flooding + public space for the citizens of Ostend (and visitors)

http://www.oostende.be/bibliotheek

www.bakenoostende.beMOTIE/EMOTIE

martine.vandermaes@biboostende.be