FORMATION OF THE SOCIAL CAPITAL AND ITS FACTORS FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE OPENING PROCESS OF PRIVATE LIBRARY

Abstract

This study, targeting private library, has made clear the role of the social capital which help establish the activities of the private library. Private library aims to increase the communication and gradually contributes to regional vitalization by turning vacant stores and space into libraries. Spreads of the activity is seen originally from the city of Funabashi, based on the support of the local residents and volunteers. This study focuses on the current conditions of the private library and the details of motivations since its early establishment stage, followed by the examinations of possible social capital that leads to the expansion of the private library. This research covers the outlines of 29 private libraries, including the year in which the library was opened, the function and the address. It also looks into the motivation and the process of how the private library was opened as well as the media who have had acknowledge of private library. The research is then followed by an analysis on the characteristics of each library and the relationship between each other chronologically. As a result, (1)private library has expanded gradually with the support of those who have sympathy to the activity. (2)Moreover, in terms of the motivations, some private library is opened because of the physical circumstances such as increasing demands for a place to stalk endless books as well as for the solutions to hazards coming along with the vacant stores. While in other private library such as some complex that accommodates both library and store inside, the motivation is seen to have responded to the community revitalization, the latency time for little kids while their parents are having a long conversation and the increasing number of the visiting guests. It can thus be assumed that those motivations are closely related to the function of the annex facilities. (3)On the other hand, in terms of the media which have acknowledge of the private libraries, the contents of it has been shifted from newspapers and lectures to introductions and hearsays via neighboring acquaintance and other real time experience. Thus Through the expansion of the sympathy and the spontaneous involvement, private library has become a center that forms the social capital as well as that contributes to the community revitalization