Written by／Hsin Yi Tu
Photo by International Picture Book Center of Kaohsiung Main Public Library、Lin Yuan branch library provided
Over the past decade, the Kaohsiung Public Library has devoted itself to the promotion of picture books. Not only did it set up the International Picture Book Center in its main public library, but also its branch libraries have been promoting picture books in different ways according to local needs, and one of the branch libraries, the Lin Yuan branch library, has broken the framework by taking the elderly as the target group, so that the elderly can also become picture book creators!
Through the language of images, open the door to explore different countries and the world of books! In 2014, the Kaohsiung Public Library （KSML） established the first International Picture Book Center in Taiwan at its main public library with the goal of internationalization. Through various international projects, the KSML aims to further enhance the promotion of Taiwan's original graphic arts and, through the cultivation of human resources, graphic arts activities for all ages, and cross-domain services, it expects to make the public see the international world from Kaohsiung, and to let the world see Taiwan's creative power through the image and words. It is hoped that through the soft power of images and words, the public will be able to see the international world from Kaohsiung, and the international world will be able to see the creative power of Taiwan's picture books.
From Kaohsiung to the world with picture books
Many scholars at home and abroad have suggested that the advantages of reading picture books not only enhance reading and writing skills, but also stimulate the imagination, inspire creativity, expand the horizons of life, and are one of the best conduits for emotional recognition and expression.
Yu Ting Tsai, director of the International Picture Book Center, recalled that 10 years ago, when the new main public library of the Kaohsiung Public Library was established, she began to think about what else could be done in addition to providing children with their own reading space and books. “At that time, we thought that Kaohsiung was a harbor city and the Main Library was located in the more internationalized Bay Area, so we considered whether we could use picture books as the main axis and collect picture books from all over the world, so that Kaohsiung could become the center of picture book exchanges in Southern Taiwan and also communicate with the international community through picture books.”
The International Picture Book Center was born, bringing together classic picture books and popular children's books from all over the world. From 15 languages, 28 countries, and nearly 120,000 picture books when it opened in 2014, the library grew to 34 languages, 51 countries, and a collection of 160,000 picture books, making it the richest picture book library in all of Taiwan.
The International Picture Book Center for the Illustrated Book has five exhibition areas, where various themed book exhibitions are held every year, along with themed lectures, workshops, and storytelling activities, to attract readers to get close to and learn about illustrated books in a variety of ways. The featured exhibition areas include a themed display area, a caterpillar desk area, and a special “Taiwan Original Picture Book Area.” Yu Ting Tsai further explains that this area not only displays award-winning works by Taiwanese authors and shares with readers classic original stories from the region, but also has a separate Kaohsiung area that showcases Kaohsiung authors or Kaohsiung-related works.
Providing nutrients and fostering local talents in picture book creation
In addition to its rich collection, The International Picture Book Center is also committed to the promotion of reading in various aspects, such as lectures, seminars and workshops, as well as activities such as picture book readings, interactive drama, cross-disciplinary workshops, and AR picture book experiences that are developed in conjunction with picture book stories. The International Picture Book Center also organizes a large-scale forum, the “Picture Book Salon,” once every two years, to continue to enhance the penetration of reading.
In 2018, the International Picture Book Center held its first “Picture Book Salon,” inviting French publishers to share their experience in the multinational market for picture books and copyright agents to share their experience in foreign translation, and it was then that the idea of fostering talent in picture books was born in KSML.
“At that time, the lecturers mentioned that Taiwan's picture books are actually quite competitive in overseas markets, such as Kaohsiung's local picture book author Chih Yuan Chen, whose picture books have been translated into more than 20 languages.” Yu Ting Tsai said with feeling that in the process of the team's contact with local writers, they understood that the environment and conditions for the creation and publication of picture books in Taiwan still needed to be constructed, so the International Picture Book Center started the gears of a new project, expecting to do its part for the creation of local picture books in Taiwan.
The “Good Drawing Buds - Drawing Book Creative Talent Fostering Program” will take shape in 2019, with three series of “Drawing Book Creative Classes”, “Drawing Book Creative Scholarships”, and “Drawing Book Co-Construction Program”, combining teaching, solicitation, media publishing, supplementary purchase, promotional activities, and resource connection through the drawing book creative classes and the Good Drawing Buds Award's call for entries, the program combines teaching, publishing, purchasing, promotional activities, and resources to support and cultivate talents in picture book creation.
Among them, the annual “Picture Book Creation Class” is a very solid course, which not only has more than 50 hours of lessons, but also invites two picture book experts to join the class as instructors to teach the creation of picture books in a gradual manner, teaching the forms of picture book expression, style setting, framing, and drawing color drafts. During the class, many picture book creators, editors, and experts in picture books will be invited to be guest lecturers to provide more diversified perspectives and broaden students' observation and learning of picture books.
“The International Picture Book Center believes that through local picture books, children can get closer to their hometowns and feel the stories of the land through reading from childhood.” As to whether the development of Taiwanese picture books will be able to break new ground and welcome the world in the future, Yuting Tsai is confident that “the International Center for Picture Books will continue to improve the support mechanism for Taiwanese picture book writers, so that they can maintain more creative passion in their lives and more little seeds of picture books can germinate and thrive in Taiwan”.
Elderly people have the right to read regardless of their age
KSML has not only established the International Picture Books Center, but also encourages each branch library to create its own picture book core. Lin Yuan Branch Library has been carrying out a series of age-appropriate reading promotion programs with a focus on age-approved books since 2013 - and the power to do so comes from a place of love.
“Former Director Wen Juan Li, a daughter-in-law of Lin Yuan, invited her in-laws to visit the library after she was transferred to serve here in 2012, but they said they could not read or write and did not dare to come to the library at all,” said Ying Zhu Chen, Director of the Lin Yuan Branch. Ying Zhu Chen, director of the Lin Yuan Branch Library, said that after Wen Juan Li 's repeated refusals, she began to think about how to bring illiterate elders into the library to read, “because to her, not only people who know how to read have the right to go to the library to read.”
Driven by love, Wen Juan Li first identified three outstanding Evergreen Schools, including Wen Xian, Ting Cuo, and Tan Tou, and after visiting them, Wen Juan Li's determination to bring the elderly into the libraries was further strengthened.
At that time, when the elderly heard of her invitation to enter the library, they reacted in the same way as her in-laws, saying, “I can't read, and I'm heavier than a hoe with a pen, so what kind of books do I need to read? And if I don't know how to read, I can't even enter the library!
These words struck Wen Juan Li deeply, and she made a secret wish: “We must let our elders know the benefits of going to the library, and could go to the library, and we must make them proud to say by word of mouth, 'I went to the library today!
Step by step, from memory to memory
After discussing with the chairpersons of the community councils, Ms. Lee started to plan a project for the elderly to draw their own community picture books. “It is not a small task to publish a community picture book, and nearly half of the elderly trainees in the community are illiterate, which makes it even more difficult, but Wen Juan Li did not let this deter her,” she said. Ying Zhu Chen laughs that Wen Juan Li not only convinced Jin Zhi Xu, a skilled artist, to be the classroom teacher, but also wrote a plan to ask for funding from CPC Corporation, Taiwan to sponsor the program.
Thanks to Wen Juan Li's efforts, since 2013, the Lin Yuan Branch Library has launched a series of age-appropriate reading promotion programs, taking the initiative to visit the community's Evergreen School to promote reading, starting with storytelling to the elderly, with storytelling mothers speaking in Taiwanese and increasing interaction with the elderly through the content of the books. When introducing Ru qing Li's wordless picture book “Because I Love You”, the elders thought back to the difficult life of raising their children when they were young; in the Ding Cuo community by the sea, they chose the picture book “King of the Swordfish”, which is close to the lives of the elders; and when they went to the Wen Xian and Tan Tou communities, which are full of farmland and where farming was the main source of income in the early days, they shared with them the book “The Taste of Sugar Cane”.
The close-to-life contents of the picture books not only aroused the elderly's memories of the past, but also made them no longer fearful of picture books. Gradually, at the end of the class, some of the elderly began to hold the picture books carefully and look down at the books in their hands, and when they were interested in reading them, they would share them with their friends next to them: “That's it, that's what I used to be like, but it used to be hard, but it was so much fun!
From drawing to speaking, encouraging seniors to live life to the fullest
Starting from listening to stories, under the efforts of the Lin Yuan Branch Library, the seniors not only began to be willing to get close to books, but also began to draw under the leadership of teachers. After 2 years of efforts, the seniors of Wen Xian Community joined forces to publish “Spring in the Chives Garden”, while the Ding Cuo Community had the birth of “A Hundred Years of Young Peach Trees” illustrated book.
At the end of 2016, the seniors in the community successfully published a book and opened a painting exhibition. From the photos at that time, we can see that the seniors were happy to hold their picture books and pose in front of their work, with confident smiles on their faces.
The publication of the picture book does not mean the end of the Ages Reading Promotion Program. On the contrary, the Lin Yuan Branch is once again encouraging the confidence of the seniors by asking them to go into the schools with their picture books and tell the children the stories they have drawn.
Upon hearing about the invitation, the old timidity came back to the forefront of their minds, and the elders shook their heads and refused Wen Juan Li’s offer, “Don't be ridiculous! I'm not good with words, how dare I go to school and tell stories to the children?” and” Director, Ruan doesn't know how to read. I can't tell stories to the children because I can't read or write. “Director, I can't tell stories to the children because I can't read.”
“Don't be afraid! You drew the pictures yourself; storytelling is very simple. I will ask the teachers to help me teach you, and you can practice more on your own, you will have no problem at all! Encouraged by Wen Juan Li, the elderly half-heartedly walked into the school campus to tell stories about their own community. Storytelling mothers took turns demonstrating twice, and then taught the elderly two groups of people to practice with each other boldly, and after the second practice session, they finally had the courage to walk into the school campus to share their picture books with the children.
Since then, the creative footsteps have continued to mark the Lin Yuan Branch Library, not only publishing the picture book “Upside-down Jellyfish Little Fei Looking for Friends” in 2019, but also leading 15 trainees aged 60 on average to participate in the community reading activities in the forest, and creating a hometown ecological picture book “V, where are you?” The “Cotton Candy Story Mothers” team in the museum even rehearsed two picture books into plays and performed them in various elementary schools.
Even though Wen Juan Li has retired, Ying Zhu Chen, who has taken over the position of director, continues to be passionate about the promotion of reading to the elderly, “The Lin Yuan Branch has taken the initiative to visit the Evergreen Schools in various communities in Lin Yuan to organize various arts and reading promotional activities, and these efforts will not be interrupted. It has become our mission to lead seniors to know about the library's rich learning resources, and to stimulate the learning style of the local seniors.
