edwardndlovulibrary

In the comments from last week you can read about Bodils proposal to the donkey library chart. I don’t really think it is realistic in many places. Donkeys are good working companions in the rural areas, but is it realistic to have this library chart today? I don’t know it would be interesting with some more opinions. I have been looking for Mr. Moyo but haven’t got any answers yet.

But what standard is realistic for today? What can we do to support rural schools with library books? Can they be developed into integrated local branch libraries for adults as well? I know we discussed central located libraries around in Gwanda District.

A well equipped library as a centre for 6 or 7 rural villages with a school library connected to a school of course. Then they could change their book boxes at the central library and when all schools in that area had had the book boxes they could get others from an other centre.

But then came the cries with no gas for the cars, money- and work problems in Zimbabwe and many other problems as followed. The schools today are provided by the central library in Gwanda.

I am still thinking of the idea to build up a model library in a rural area with local people who are interested in such a project. This model library would be a branch to the more and bigger central library that Edward Ndlovu Memorial Library in Gwanda has become.

In such a central information point, donkey driven charts  could fit in in some areas, where the locals are interested, there could be an internet access point (if it could be provided with telephone access of course) photocopier possibilities and lots of books, newspapers and magazines.  And also study circles who could take down all good oral told stories from that area and this could be made into books.

 As I write this, I see, that this is what is done and what they still work with in Edward Ndlovu Memorial Library in Gwanda. This good job, they do there, must go on. I do think they are on the right way, but still all over the world there are rural villages that we could build up a model library to show how it could be done.  

With love from me, Kersti, to you all out there, who also are burning for good information access and to read a god story or to be told a good story by a good Storyteller!

I have a wall at home where I change my pictures now and then (I can’t have all pictures in front of me all the time, they would fade by the sunshine and we would drown in pictures)

Anyhow, I suddenly come to think of this wonderful picture and of the important of libraries.

In the 1990thies when I first came to Zimbabwe, I met a wonderful man, named Obadiha Moyo. He started with “Donkey Drawn Libraries”. I am actually not sure that it was his idea from start, but I saw the chart and donkeys at a Book Fair in Harare, and thought what a wonderful idea to reach out in the rural areas. But also what a lot of man craft is needed, besides lots of different books and newspapers.

Donkeys are strong and willing to work and can live on the grass on the side of the road. Please, correct me if I am wrong. Besides the investment costs you need a librarian, or anybody who wants a good job, and money to that person’s salary. I wonder what the cost would be. Anyone who can help me to count on it? I think I have to send this letter to Mr. Moyo, if I can find him today and if he is still going strong.

What an adventure! I can see, like I think Mr Moyo once did, lots of charts filled with books coming out to people in the rural areas who can’t be reached by “normal” library service.

Anybody out there who knows more about donkey charts as library service out in the world?

Here are some addresses I found when I “googled” with donkey library as search words.

I am sure you can find a lot more about this subject, and I will go on “googling”.

 Love from me to all of you! Kersti

http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-07/2008-07-30-voa13.cfm?CFID=286974242&CFTOKEN=24107117&jsessionid=8430d1500a26bf78d2d14637707b42267b65

 http://archive.ifla.org/V/press/pr0225-02.htm

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Reading the paper

This is one of my favorite pictures! And it is the same all over the world, where ever there is a library with a newspaper collection. To be able to read a newspaper, you really need to be able to read and to see what all the syllables mean. And this is universal! You need books, teachers, librarians, parents, friends and community and so on to reinforce you reading abilities. To know how to read means you can get information about everything; you also learn a new good story, or an old bad one :) And you can also find out things about your self! Your fantasy is trigged and old good or bad stories will stay alive long after the teller is gone. I think the story telling and the access to information is so essential for humans, and I can’t see how the the book, or newspaper or oral story telling is threatened. Read! - it doesn't matter in which form; in paper form (book or newspaper) or on a computer screen or listen to an MP3 file or listen to a good storyteller  - it has all the same purpose, to give us information and help our fantasy. The fantasy is especially important to give expression and to process the information you will get in a newspaper.

Now you regular visitor say, you wrote about that item a few "posts" ago. Oh yes I did, but this is a library blog and I find the topic so important so I want to write about it again! The main aim of a library is to provide information to everybody without asking for the purpose - isn't it great to go to the library and find a place to read a book or a paper? Maybe we take the access to a good library for given in the West, but how do you use your library??

When I see this picture I really long to go there and take part! What a wonderful idea to have study circles connected to a library! I get so many ideas to work with, but where are the money and the time? Both in Sweden and in Zimbabwe there is no money to develop ideas. And also they talk on the television here in Sweden how culture heals people. Why will the authorities not provide money to heal people with culture? In Zimbabwe we are in a hurry to take care of a great oral culture that will disappear like it has done in Sweden if we don’t do anything just now! I know that you are trying to do what you can do with your money and time. There are some small books with small stories from the area that has been printed and given out, they are just great, but we need more money to develop this before the stories are forgotten! Please give comments and give us ideas how to develop this both in Sweden and all over the world!

This time the blog was my words and ideas, maybe people at the library don’t agree with me but we will wait for comments

Love to you all from Kersti