“La parola ai bambini”: voci d’infanzia dall’archivio storico dell’Internationale Jugendbibliothek

Translated title of the contribution: [Autom. eng. transl.] “The word to children”: childhood voices from the historical archive of the Internationale Jugendbibliothek

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

[Autom. eng. transl.] Within the recent and very complex challenge of analyzing and investigating the infantile thought in its historical articulation, the studies conducted on the "scriptures little girls” have also found a space for affirmation in historical research on children's literature. If on the one hand there are magazines for kids brought to the attention of critical reflection as possible sources for tracing the lively voice of the young reader also on issues relating to books and reading, on the other hand, another new area of ​​research can be offered by the material archive preserved by children's libraries. In particular, in the second post-war the birth of public libraries as ideal places for construction of a cultural fabric based around rediscovered democratic values, outlined new profiles of child readers: they were active users of books made available in spaces suited to them and were participants in the life of the library, reworking and suggesting what came in written and oral form offered to them, with a view to mutual exchange. Reading education initiatives are placed on this cultural side promoted by the writer and journalist Jella Lepman (1891-1970) over the years Fifty inside the Internationale Jugendbibliothek, the first library European library for children and teenagers with an international bibliographic heritage. Caution in choosing the works to include in the library catalogue took two fundamental aspects into consideration: the literary quality of texts, which had to reflect the educational project of the library, but also the literary tastes of young readers, who were left room for thought and judgement. Starting from this assumption, the idea of ​​having reviews written was born to the readers themselves, giving publishers and authors the opportunity to listen to them opinions of their audience and to possibly recalibrate the editorial proposal. This attention to youthful thinking emerged in an even more decisive way 186 The historical-educational heritage as a source for the Public History of Education with the creation of discussion groups on books. Guided children from 9 to 18 years old by the presence of an adult as mediator, and in some cases even with the participation of the author, structured a critical debate on the works read. This research work intends to bring some of these testimonies to light children's writings, preserved in the historical archive of the library Munich. With due caution in analyzing these sources, it is believed that they allow us to broaden the axis of attention from an adult critical evaluation around literary production for children to an valorization of thought existing youth critic and the training processes of critical reflection. Furthermore, the dialogue that these sources could establish with the Public History of Education represents an elective opportunity to propose a narrative of practices education of the past century to the educational community of today in the field children's librarian or school librarian and to enhance more effectively the infantile traces of time, bringing to light the identity, interests and the reading tastes of young readers of the second half of the twentieth century and observing them today possible development itineraries.
Translated title of the contribution[Autom. eng. transl.] “The word to children”: childhood voices from the historical archive of the Internationale Jugendbibliothek
Original languageItalian
Title of host publicationIl patrimonio storico-educativo come fonte per la Public History of Education. Tra buone pratiche e nuove prospettive. Historical-educational heritage as a source of Public History of Education. Between good practices and new perspectives
Pages185-186
Number of pages2
Publication statusPublished - 2023
EventIII Congresso della Società Italiana per lo Studio del Patrimonio Storico-Educativo - Milano - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Duration: 14 Dec 202315 Dec 2023

Conference

ConferenceIII Congresso della Società Italiana per lo Studio del Patrimonio Storico-Educativo
CityMilano - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Period14/12/2315/12/23

Keywords

  • Letteratura per l'infanzia
  • Scritture bambine
  • Novecento
  • Biblioteche
  • Germania
  • Jella Lepman

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