New Guidelines Aim to Integrate Children's Rights into Swedish Libraries
Regionbibliotek Stockholm's new publication guides Swedish libraries in upholding children's rights.
Key Points
- • New publication from Regionbibliotek Stockholm focuses on the Convention on the Rights of the Child in libraries.
- • Publication includes workshop activities for library staff to facilitate discussions.
- • The Convention has been Swedish law since 2020, applicable to all library workers.
- • Library directors are tasked with integrating the Convention into library practices.
A recent publication from Regionbibliotek Stockholm emphasizes the integration of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child within Swedish public libraries. Released on June 2, 2025, this document is aimed at helping library personnel understand their responsibilities under the Convention, which has been law in Sweden since 2020. The publication encourages discussions among library staff about how to effectively implement the Convention’s principles in their daily interactions with children and young people.
The guidelines include a dedicated workshop section designed to facilitate conversations and reflections among library teams, allowing them to share experiences and best practices in upholding children's rights. Library directors are specifically noted as being accountable for ensuring the Convention's principles are infused into library operations, highlighting the collective responsibility libraries have towards promoting children's rights in their environments.
This initiative underscores a growing commitment among Swedish public libraries to not only provide access to information and resources but also to actively engage children in library services, ensuring they have a voice in the activities and decisions that affect them.