Media Partners: Libraries and Schools - Reading and Information Skills in NRW

The Öffentliche Bibliothek und Schule - neue Formen der Partnerschaft (Public Libraries and Schools - New Forms of Partnership) project conducted from 1995 to 2000 developed and tested methods for promoting reading and information skills. They are now well established within a network spanning 38 communities in North Rhine-Westphalia. At the same time, the project developed new forms of systematic cooperation between libraries and schools. Public libraries supported schools through professional information management as well as with media offerings and services.
The first project phase began in June 2002 with 25 communities throughout the state. The second phase with 13 additional communities ended in December 2004. Kooperation macht stärker (Cooperation Makes Us Stronger), the project publication, is available under Downloads.

The initiative's momentum will be carried forward in the Bildungspartner NRW -Bibliothek und Schule (Education Partners NRW - Libraries and Schools) initiative (see http://www.bildungspartner.nrw.de/).

The following methods for cooperation were developed and implemented during the project:

• media boxes
• classes in the library
• media presentations in class
• campaign programs
• field trips to the library for hands-on tours
• student centers in the library
• multimedia class tours
• teaching modules on information skills
• inclusion of parents in efforts to promote reading.