PUBLIC LIBRARY IN KOKORO LIBRARY ANIMATED SERIES BY TAKAGI NOBUYUKI

This paper elaborate the representation of public libraries in Kokoro Library animated series by Takagi Nobuyuki. The purpose of this research is to understand the representation of public library in the culture of Japanese society as in Kokoro Library animated series. This study is using semiotic method with Roland Barthes' syntagmatic-paradigmatic analysis. The result of this study is that public library is described as a very valuable part of the life of families in Japan. This is supported by the roles of the three main characters as librarians running their libraries located on the mountain, communicating with users, keeping valuable collections, promoting and finding ways to protect the library from being closed down. Not only the three main characters, but urban society also supports the existence of the library.