New Resource: International Children’s Digital Library

Posted by on April 1, 2005

[posted from Public Education Network newsblast]

INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S DIGITAL LIBRARY
Literature is one of society’s means for exposing young hearts and minds to new and foreign ideas. Engaging stories help children grow intellectually and emotionally, understand who they are, and inspire them to explore the world around them. At a time when the quality of public education varies considerably across our country and the globe, the benefits of a well-stocked local library are obvious. Yet, not all children have access to an endowed library. Due to financial constraints not all libraries are created equal. The International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL) is a five-year project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to create a digital library of international children’s books. The
materials included in the collection reflect similarities and differences in cultures, societies, interests, lifestyles, and priorities of peoples around the world. The collection’s focus is on identifying materials that help children to understand the world around them and the global society in which they live. It is hoped that through a greater understanding of one another that tolerance and acceptance can be achieved. The collection has two primary audiences. The first audience is children ages 3-13, as well as librarians, teachers, parents, and caregivers, who work with children of these ages. The second audience is international scholars and researchers in the area of children’s literature.
http://www.icdlbooks.org/