Literature Dissemination

At the branch libraries in Aarhus, we constantly focus on developing literature dissemination. Our goal is to create encounters between people and literature that encourage increased use of literature, but also challenge and inspire.

A particular focus is the literature that takes place outside the book. This is for instance performance literature, book-objects, literary installations and digital literature Apps and SMS literature. For us, it is not important whether the literature takes place inside or outside the book but that we convey relevant literature of good quality. And since literature outside of the book is growing and is in many ways a new area for libraries, much of our development is naturally centered here.

Experience shows that the inclusion of literature outside of the book makes it possible for us to reach new audiences, filling the library space with experiences and involving existing literature users in new ways.

At the same time, based on our experience, our work with literature outside of the book has an innovative effect on our dissemination of the traditional book. Our reading groups are now offered video introductions to some of the books, events are developed on the basis of experience with performance literature and we have become better at meeting new and existing groups on the platforms where they already are - whether it's Facebook, mobile phones, cafés or on the way home from work.

At the heart of our literary communication is also a close and rewarding collaboration with a diverse cross-section of the city's literary actors - be it literature, students, publishers, organisers of literary festivals and other literary events, writers and committed literature users.