Library and Information Science

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to illustrate and define Yoshiko Kogouchi’s career and activities, as well as to research and analyze the changes that occurred in library services to children and the activities of children’s librarians during her time.

Methods: For the purpose of this research, Kogouchi’s career was divided into four periods. Various related documents from each period were closely examined and evaluated. In addition, interviews were conducted with people who were acquainted with her activities.

Results: Kogouchi’s career showed that she had a fortunate career as a children’s librarian. Her activities were conducted based on this position which then influenced the movement of library services to children. Her most distinguished contributions were: (1) the approach to conducting systematic activities and creating a network system, and (2) the approach to establishing children’s librarianship as a field and developing specialists in that field. In the 1970s, Kogouchi’s emphasis on quality was criticized during a time when quantitative expansion of public libraries was the mainstream. Research showed that this was the result of a difference in opinion on how to provide library services to children.