The representation of libraries in animated childrens’ television series: the case of my little pony: friendship is magic

Abstract

Animated series are a tool for encouraging reading, especially in the case of those aimed at a children's audience, as they are sometimes the first contact for children. The representation of books, reading, libraries and information environments in these series should be positive in order to encourage the public to become familiar with these spaces. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is one of the most successful series of the 2010s, with an audience ranging from children to adults. The aim of this work is to identify the libraries and librarians that appear in this series, and to find out whether they comply with the stereotypes set by traditional cinema, through a viewing of the series. The results highlight the appearance of 7 libraries and one archive. They are mostly public centers, except for one library that belongs to a private school (although it is open to all kinds of creatures), and two private, inside a castle. They are structured in a similar way (a sign with a book symbol and shelves with stairs, mainly), although the architectural styles are very different. The librarians are all women, and the stereotype of the librarian with glasses and short hair or hair tied up in a bun is fulfilled. Of the services, the most common is the search for information among the collections, carried out autonomously by the users. The book is, in many episodes, the key to solving a problem or to defeating a villain.