Public library: a third place for children in Zaria Metropolises

Abstract

This study focused on public library as a third place for children in Zaria metropolises Three research objectives were used in the study. These are, to find out the alternative third place used by children in Zaria metropolis, to find out how often and for what purpose children use the third place, to find out how public libraries can be improved to suit the children’s needs as a third place. A qualitative research was adopted for the study. Data was collected through semi-structured interview and focus group discussion. Purposive sampling technique was used to select twenty participants in the four focus group used for the study. The findings of the study revealed that there are influences that affects the selection of alternative third place for children these are majorly sociological interaction, leisure activities, parental influences and the proximity of the third place freedom of access to churches, mosque, playground football field, most children rarely visit the library and the majorly use it for reading and home work but needs more gaming services that will attract them to use the public library, it was also discover that children will be willing to select the library as a third place if there are more fun activities were their friends and family would go there just as it happens in places of worship. The study concluded that public libraries are not considered as a third place for children and that services that will attract the children to use the library as a third place are lacking It was recommended among other that Librarians should device a means of creating more fun activities and services that will attract and make children use the library as a third place