Şener ŞENTÜRK & Seher BAYAT
In this survey, it is aimed to determine parents’ thoughts of children using a toys library opened within a public library. The concept of a “Toys Library”, which is growing in popularity, combines the perceptions of toys and library, based on the principle of lending toys out to disadvantaged children. This study is a qualitative phenomenological research in which parents’ thoughts and knowledge gathered from the literature are examined. The study group is composed of 306 children, 134 from pre-schools and 172 from primary schools, and their parents. In this research, which is based on proper sampling method, statistical data were obtained from the software prepared for the toys library and qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews over a 12 month period. As a result of content analysis of 48 parents interviews recorded via video, it has been concluded that the project contributed to the functioning of the public libraries, has fully met the children’s toys needs, and has positively affected the children’s character and social development. As a result of this project, it is hoped that the survey will be seen as a reference point for toy libraries planned to be opened elsewhere.
