Jyväskylä city library now offers Bengali literature

Jyväskylä city library has begun lending Bengali-language literature following customer requests, reports Yle.

A collection of 30 books was added in June after several patrons expressed interest. The titles are on loan from Helsinki’s Multilingual Library, which provides literature in less commonly spoken languages across Finland.

Katri Siltanen, an information specialist at Jyväskylä city library, said such requests are rare despite long-standing cooperation with the Multilingual Library. She suspects many are unaware the service exists.

“We’d be happy to fulfill more requests,” Siltanen said.

The Multilingual Library, established in 1995 and funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, also lends books directly from its Pasila branch. Demand for its traveling collections has grown in recent years, particularly for Ukrainian material, according to information specialist Zainab Abdulkarim.

Abdulkarim noted that reading in one’s native language supports well-being, creativity, and identity, especially for children. Research shows it aids broader learning and emotional expression.

“For many, the Multilingual Library is their first encounter with literature in their own language in Finland,” she said.

Previously, Jyväskylä offered Vietnamese-language books, which were often fully borrowed. Siltanen said sometimes traveling collections go unnoticed, possibly due to a lack of awareness.

Both the Multilingual Library and Jyväskylä city library promote the service on social media and through partnerships, such as with the multicultural center Gloria.