The making of Bibblix – a library e-book app for children

Abstract

When the use of e-books got popular at Swedish libraries, we felt that our way of displaying them in our regular web catalogue wasn’t suitable for all our users. While working satisfactory with adult users it was badly customized for young users. We thought of various possible solutions to this problem and after consulting children we eventually decided to construct a customized e-book app for them. The app was first launched in 2016, with continuous improvements during the years following.

The app works on tablets and mobile phones and is exclusively for children 6-12 years. It’s NOT for their parents or teachers or other adults. It’s intended to feel like a friend for the child who uses it, and not be a tool for adults to select or control what the child is reading. Books are classified into categories like Fantasy, Mysteries, Friendship, Animals and Sports. Both categories and their symbols have been selected together with children, to avoid adult perspective taking over. A special target group we have had in mind is children who have ended up after in the literacy process. When browsing the app they can find the books that their friends who are more advanced readers are reading, and get recommendations of books on the same topic that are “easier”.

By launching the Bibblix app we now have a unique and customized tool for children to use to find and read e-books. Also, the lending of e-books for children has increased significantly!