ABOUT US

Invitation

The library is located in Chuo-ku, the central area of Sapporo city. It is a children’s public library which offers various library services not only to children with a physical handicap but also to long-stay patients. Our main purpose is to connect children with books. In order to encourage the love of reading, Llibrary holds many picture cloth-books, books printed by large-sized type, and large picture books.

Library services has been carrying out by many volunteers. As the facilities are barrier-free designed, the wheel-chair children can easily gain access from the entrance to the reading room. The library is constructed by wood which was produced in Hokkaido.

Would you come and visit the library with full of wooden smell? We assure that children are relieved to stay inside the library. Next to the reading room, there is a multi-purpose meeting room. We provide several programs such as the story-telling hours, the exhibit of cloth-books, the song and piano concert and wooden toys for playing with. Our motto is “Of the delight which is a book for all the children.”


The beginning of the cloth book

When Mrs. Sizue Kobayashi was involved in lending books to children at the Pediatrics of Otaru Municipal Hospital, she met a mother of a child with multiple disabilities.
A mother asked her “Are there any books suitable for my child?” Our hearts are moved through her asking our help. We have been trying to find a suitable book for her child.

However, it was not successful. We were lost in thought. Then we thought we might make something by ourselves. This is the reason why we started to establish “A group for children with disability and a book” During our regular meeting, we happened to find “A Busy Book” made by an American housewife which was just introduced to Japan.
We have made various improvements until we reached the present cloth book.

Cloth book attracts children for its softness, tenderness and warmth. Handicapped children are able to use cloth book as a functional training tool easily by themselves. It brings them dreams, hopes and heart-warming experience.

創設者小林静江のメッセージ

人間は成長し発達し続けるものです。どんなに重い障がいの子どもにも発達があり、文化を享受する権利があります。外遊びの楽しみも閉ざされ、身体的にも教育・文化面でも不利な条件にある病弱児や障がいをもつ子どもに、本の喜びを知ってほしい、図書館は進んで利用の道を開いてほしい、病院には患者用図書室を設けることを制度化してほしいと願って、私たちふきのとう文庫グループは活動しております。
＜児童憲章第９条＞には、”すべての児童は、よい遊び場と文化財が用意され、悪い環境から守られる”とうたわれ、＜心身障がい者対策法第２５条＞には、”国及び地方公共団体は、心身障がい者の文化的意欲を満たし、若しくは心身障がい者が自主的かつ積極的にレクリエーションの活動をし、若しくはスポーツを行うことができるようにするため、施設、設備その他の諸条件の整備、文化、スポーツ等に関する活動の助成その他必要な施策を講じなければならない”とあります。
私たちは、国の施策の掲げる理念と理想が、一日も早く障がいをもつ子どもに及ぶことを願いながら、今後も力の限り、恵まれない子どもに喜びを運ぶ仕事の一部分に自主性と創意を傾け、励んでいこうと思います。多くの方の御支援と、活動の輪に御参加くださることを心から願っております。


Message from Ms. Sizue Kobayashi, the founder of the Fukinotou Bunko Library

People comes into the world and makes a progress. Handicapped children grow up and continue living on as well. We consider they should have a right to enjoy abundance of our culture. Sick and handicapped children cannot go out to play. They are still left in physically and educationally underprivileged condition. We really hope that they could use a library in order to encounter joy of reading. We have been trying every means possible to support those children. We also consider that something has to be done for establishing a patient’s library in every hospital. Books are wonderful avenue for patients to be distracted from the pain and stress of hospitalization. We would like to call your attention to the following charter and law regarding children and culture.

The Children’s Charter, Article 9 （児童憲章第9条） “Every children are supposed to be given a playground as well as cultural assets and they will be protected from adverse environments.”
Basic Act for Persons with Disabilities : Development of Cultural Condition, Article 25（心身障がい者対策法第25条） “The national government and local entities must develop facilities, equipment and other conditions, subsidize activities relating to culture, art and sports, and make other necessary measure so that persons with disabilities are able to engage in cultural and artistic activities and sports or recreation.”

Finally we really hope that our government measures for handicapped children could be accomplished at the earliest possible. Until then we will work hard at bringing joy of reading books for underprivileged children.
We appreciate very much if you could patronize for us and make a commitment to our activity.

Appeal for financial help

Fukinotou Bunko is a non-profit organization and our activity has been supported by everyone’s good will since 1970. We depend on financial support such as a grant-in-aid, the support membership fee and a small profit from our publication. Support membership fee costs 3000 yen a year. We always welcome for your financial support that you can afford. Your contribution is a deductible item on next year’s income tax.

We mainly accept payment by postal transfer without remittance charge. When you get in touch with us, we will promptly send a payment form via mail. We reply the phone call on open hours Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. For the other days of the week, you can leave a message on phone-answering machine or communicate to us by fax or e-mail.

Fukinotou Bunko Library
Address : No. 8, Kita 6 Jo Nishi 12 Chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0006, Hokkaido Japan
Phone : 011-222-4839
Fax : 011-222-4800
E-mail Address : fukinotoubunko@ceres.oc.ne.jp

ふきのとう文庫の歩み