Rural information centres
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!
