During the 1970s, the public library service began to respond to the needs of the
many multicultural groups which comprise British society. Again, this was prompted by
a corresponding increase in the availability of children’s books in languages other than
English, and dual-language material, and children’s library collections began to reflect
the rich diversity of publications. While these collections support the needs of multi-
ethnic communities, they also create an awareness of multi-culturalism among children
in general. Specialist posts have also been established in some of the library authorities
serving large multi-ethnic populations. These librarians possess the requisite language
competencies to select material and promote services usually in close collaboration with
local community leaders.
Until the 1970s children with special needs were also neglected by many librarians.
The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act of 1970 required public libraries to
provide services for individuals with special needs. Later, the development of
‘mainstreaming’ (the integration of children with certain physical, mental or behavioural
disabilities in state schools), gave impetus to a wider publishing base of material for and
about children with special needs. Children’s libraries sought to respond, by providing
easier physical access, and relevant materials. Their efforts were stimulated by the
sterling work and publications of Margaret Marshall (Marshall 1991), the establishment
of the National Library for the Handicapped Child (Spiers 1994), and the Toy Library
Association which, since 1972, has promoted the development of toy libraries for
families of children with special needs throughout the country (Head and Phillipa 1987).
Alongside these developments has been a growing recognition of the value of
bibliotherapy for young children and the role which children’s librarians can play in the
process (Matthews and Lonsdale 1992). Since the nineteenth century children’s libraries
have acknowledged the importance of supporting young people in hospital, and yet
today this remains the Cinderella of the service—neglected by many public libraries and
dependent largely upon the contribution of individuals within the health service
(Matthews and Lonsdale 1991). The problems of dyslexic children are at last beginning
to be addressed by the profession.
Throughout the history of British children’s librarianship, one group of user has
commanded particular attention: teenagers or young adults. The concepts of childhood
and adolescence are not new and pervade the history of childhood and libraries. Debate
about the need for specially tailored services was common from the 1920s onwards, and
there were isolated examples of separate provision. Postwar concern about adolescence
and youth culture, the growth of a market economy centred on the teenager, and the
emergence of a discernible young adult literature during the 1960s and 1970s served to
revitalise the debate surrounding the nature of provision in libraries. Today, however,
provision remains uncoordinated, and authorities reflect different ideologies, with
collections, separate sections and examples of separate libraries dedicated to young
adults. The Xchange in Bradford and the Johnstone Information and Leisure Library in
Renfrew, Scotland, are services which exemplify some of the most progressive thinking
with accommodation, furnishing, collections, services, activities and staffing tailored to
contemporary youth culture.
During the past two decades there has been particular concern for the information
needs of teenagers. Dublin libraries in the Republic of Eire were among the first in
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