ChildPress reporters interview Helene Voldner, Kristin Flo, and Susanne Kaluza at the ChildPress media hub in Arendal Library.
Helene Voldner, the chair of the Norwegian Library Association, discusses the importance of making libraries safe and welcoming spaces for children, ensuring that they feel seen and included. She highlights challenges such as accessibility in rural areas and suggests solutions like book buses to reach more children.
Kristin Flo, the director of the Arendal Library, agrees with Voldner’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of school libraries for children who cannot easily access city libraries.
Susanne Kaluza, the CEO of the House of Literature Foundation, elaborates on the role of libraries and literature in promoting reading and freedom of speech. She expresses concerns about the negative impact of addictive social media on children’s reading habits and concentration. Kaluza also discusses the importance of libraries as safe spaces that offer reliable information, contrasting them with the unfiltered content found online. She emphasizes the need for government support to ensure libraries can continue to serve as crucial educational and safe spaces, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.