Three smiling six year olds

Hello. What a lovely Friday afternoon I am having. Can I tell you why?

I went to the Mount Pleasant Branch to go meet my lovely group of reading volunteers that I am so lucky to know. Better friends you could not come across. Today Deborah, Justine, Chipo and Lindiwe met with myself, Thuthani and Tinashe (who is now working at the branch and is an Information Studies Student). Cool. 

We talked about spending regular time sorting out the books, labelling and sorting as well as agreeing Friday afternoons that we are free to read. We are also brainstorming 1000 book titles by children's authors (ages 7 years to 16 years). So it looks like we will be able to go through the shelves, get the reading corner decorated and spend time reading to children who live nearby. Fabulous. 

 That's not all. As our brief meeting came to an end there were several children hanging around waiting to be collected from school. So, I asked if they wanted a story read and gosh! did they grin from ear to ear.

I pulled out the story box, we looked through it and picked 2 stories. The first was an adaption of a Grimm Fairy Tale: The Magic Porridge Pot.  Mudsi, Malvin and Wanasi (all 6 years old) loved the idea of sweet porridge on demand and thought is fabulous that at the end the villagers had to eat their way home after the pot spilled and spilled and spilled the porridge out. We were barely done with the Monster Stories (Daisy and the Dragon) when the children were collected. 

Normally we read 2pm to 3pm so we only got started after 3pm because of our meeting. A good start to the third term never the less. I am sure these youngsters will help spread the word :-) 

Weeding

Yes weeding! That is the word librarians use when they go through the books on the shelf. I love learning new things.

In this case we were weeding for damaged, dated, inappropriate and just plane 'not wanted' books in the junior school categories (under 13 years) at HCL Mount Pleasant Library. We started at 9am today and there were 6 of us. This expanded to 8 over the course of the morning with some coming and going. We cleared 5 shelves and used a simple colour coding system for 6 and under (orange), 7 to 9 years (green) and 10 to 13 years (blue). We separated the fiction and non fiction (an extra silver sticker on top of the age categories).

Tina, our intern/student at the branch came to help and hopefully will be able to continue with the system during her working hours. You see we have no fully qualified librarians in the system due to very limited financial resources. There are a couple of certificate level but experienced individuals at the main building only. Even then, the whole system needs a senior librarian with an understanding of modern library systems and new roles in the community. As an ex-VSO volunteers myself, I am hoping that VSO will be able to help. Let's see.

Chipo and Deborah helping us pack up

Some of the shelf space being cleared and reloaded

Anyways, it was exhausting and backbreaking stuff but we were supervised by Roger, a trained librarian on the committee. The biggest challenge I felt was categorising the very old stock we have.

In the 60s and 70s children read differently.  Much more serious tomes, dense wording, small print. Nowadays we are so layout and language concious that it is easy to see what age groups read what (often they are labelled so). Sadly we have to keep then until we can get new modern readers :-(


Anyways, we will not have got it all correct. Now, if you visit the four shelves we started on you will be able to see the books (way hay) they are better displayed and have colour dots...so putting them back will be easier.

To manage a library I have learned, you have GOT to read books :-)

Happy World Literacy Day

Did you know September 8 was proclaimed International Literacy Day by UNESCO on November 17, 1965. It was first celebrated in 1966. Its aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. On International Literacy Day each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. All UN member states are ment to observe it. 

The theme of the 2011-2012 celebrations is “Literacy and Peace”.

Not sure if Zimbabwe or Harare have marked the day in any way. But we are. Harare City Library are hoping to run a small book campaign for the children's section at Mount Pleasant Branch. The committee will bea approaching schools and other local organisations for a 'bring a book' day at schools and offices. 

To help take a positive step towards supporting literacy we are organising 'book weeding' of the children's section at Mount Pleasant Library on Tuesday 11th September. We met today to plan it. There is just not enough staff capacity in the library (no revenue and no grant-in-aid from Government to pay for qualified staff) to handle this or to deploy available resources adequately to provide regular shelf support across the library. The Management Committee is stepping in to lend a helping hand. It takes experience, logic and a really good understanding of the children's books to be able to categorise them. If you don't read them it is going to be a challenge. I can't wait and have taken a day away from work to help do this with some friends and fellow volunteers. 

  Education brings sustainability to all the development goals, and literacy is the foundation of all learning. It provides individuals with the skills to understand the world and shape it, to participate in democratic processes and have a voice, and also to strengthen their cultural identity.    

Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General

1000 hits

WooWoo this little blog has surpassed 1000 hits. I am sure this is no great shakes in the ever competitive world of bloggers but it seems a number worth celebrating.

• $1000 a month could pay for a much librarian (HCL has only 2 polytechnic trained staff in the whole HCL system because we are not getting any government grant in aid to pay for a senior Librarian).
• 1000 new members could bring in $20,000 dollars in membership fees- WOW!
• If 1000 new members borrowed 2 books every month then we could get $5000 to $10000 every quarter from subscription fees. 

• 1000 children's books would make a big difference to a branch library and could encourage new members :-) 
• 1000 words is the length of a good short story to read to children.
• 1000 prayers might help. 

Thank you for helping me reach such a lovely number. 

You are AMAZING!    

                                                                                      

Yes YOU :-) 

Help from Ireland

Not content with helping the Children's Reading Tent at the ZIBF, Trocaire Zimbabwe and their head office in Maynooth, Ireland have gone and rallied their staff and sent 50 lovely children's books plus two wee book sets for the library. Smashing.

A huge and special thank you to Donny at the Zimbabwe office for fitting this small but heavy suitcase of books in his travel luggage. Not only kind but generous as when we travel out of Zimbabwe not only do we take a lot out with us to friend and family but we tend to come back with all the things we miss or can't afford here.

Another story box for a branch (Greendale maybe if we get enough volunteers?) is definately filling up. And the rest will be going towards Mount Pleasant Branch shelves as a flagship storytelling venue for HCL. We are making progress in revamping the children's section there. Artists have gathered for the reading corner, and volunteer library study students are being rallied to blitz the shelves. This will mean some empty looking shelves for a while BUT I know they will be quickly filled again with Gods Grace and the kind hearts of good people. I will keep you all updated.

Reading should commence next school term (we can only manage reading during the school terms at the moment of which we have three a year - Mid January to Early April/ May to August/ September to early December).

The timetable of reading will be organised the week of 9th September and hopefully we will be reading again from the 21st.

Tell A Story Day is October 28th

This is a date to look out for..wonder what we can do? Must make a plan. Watch this space.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Tell-a-Story-Day-2012.html?soid=1102422031395&aid=R3lv95Vwh1Q

The role of libraries in the fight against HIV/AIDS: Are you all in?

I could not find a blogger link on this interesting Beyond Access article so I am cutting and pasting it below (taken from http://www.beyondaccess.net/2012/08/06/the-role-of-libraries-in-the-fight-against-hivaids-are-you-all-in/).

At the end of the article on the Beyond Access website they ask for the readers thoughts. I definately think our libraries can house critical information on HIV for different ages and sectors and can also be a community based venue for discussion as needed. If an HIV and AIDS shelf had age sensitive materials in the children's section, that would be a good start.

******

I am ALL In

That was the resounding commitment from participants of last month’s AIDS 2012 conferencein Washington, D.C. It even inspired the popular #imALLin hashtag on Twitter.

Big names like Bill Gates, Secretary Clinton and, yes, even singer Elton John came together to assess the current state of the epidemic, evaluate medical developments and chart a course that will lead to the fulfillment of the UN’s sixth Millenium Development Goal (MDG) of combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

We all know that the disease is far from over. More than 34 million people are now living with HIV worldwide, including 2.5 million new infections last year alone, according to some estimates. Despite these statistics, it was refreshing to see so much hope and unity in the quest for a cure. Among the key conference themes was the need for strong partnerships and community engagement. That’s where libraries come in.

Beyond Access member libraries around the world are showcasing innovative approaches to building HIV/AIDS awareness that lead to prevention.

What exactly do libraries have to do with disease prevention? A lot actually. Here are a couple examples:

• ·       Libraries are trusted institutions on the front lines: In 2011, the Kitengesa Community Library along with three other libraries in the Uganda Community Libraries Association launched a project to run health reading camps for teenagers to discuss books about HIV/AIDS. In safe, trusted environments young people in transitioning countries can have open, informative discussions about HIV/AIDS and other challenges that face their communities.
• ·       Libraries are ideal partners to expand outreach: When HIV/AIDS infections were on the rise in a small Nepalese village, local NGOs established a partnership with the Laxmi Narayan Community Library and Resource Center to provide counseling to more than 1,200 community members. HIV-positive individuals were previously forced to travel hours for treatment, but the new partnership enabled them to obtain their anti-retroviral drugs at the nearby library.

As we continue to work toward an ultimate end to this terrible disease, it’s essential for citizens in developing countries to have access to information that will help them prevent HIV/AIDS transmission and seek information for effective treatment. 

Libraries are an effective community partner in this fight.

 

Inflatable Bag Monsters from useless hot air!

Great article this. How imaginative. We have so MUCH hot air in Zim....pity we couldn't harness it for happiness rather than propaganda!!!

KarmaTube: Joshua Allen Harris' Inflatable Bag Monsters

Through the kind efforts and leadership of Chipo Nzonzo and the creative skills and spare time of three busy local artists Tatenda, Tich and Tami we should have an exciting and inspirational reading tree in the story telling corner at Mount Pleasant Branch library in the not too distant future.

Watch this space. When we are not reading, we are doing. Nice :-)

From street kids to suburban lighties

Saturday at the book fair started busily and we had a room full of youngsters at 11am. Today I really noted the diversity of the kids attending. We had a core group of street children (little tiny Grace for example, in the same clothes since Thursday and carrying around the prize she won on Friday in her hand). When we realised the situation we swapped the Irish fridge magnet she had gotten for winning a drawing competition for a shiny rubber ball. She loved it. A plastic bag went a long way to help her carry her stuff around.

Grace was very quiet but very determined. I have no idea what her life is like but for the 3 days of the book fair she was a child having fun with other children. Her comrades on the street were there, children of the book fair stall holders were there, children from the flats across the road were there, children from all across Harare, black, brown and white, were there. The book fair is important on a level we sometimes forget. It is a vital social tool.

Whilst the fair began to wind down round midday, the flyers Deirdre and I gave out over lunch saw the tent fill to the brim by 2pm for the last story telling session of the day. Today Wee Jimmy  visited his granny again to find the little red house with no windows and a star inside...he also visited Loch Ness and had an adventure with a new friend...albeit a strange one!!! And the story of the giants causeway was beautifully told by Deirdre to a rapt and curious tent of children, parents and visitors from the Irish Mashonaland Society.

The day could not have gone smoothly with just Deirdre and myself telling stories. Thanks to Lindiwe and Memory from our library volunteer group for coming along, brining sweets and treats and organising the kids, keeping things in order and giving out the prizes at the end. I love our volunteers, people who give of their precious time always have a special place in my heart.

Here are some pictures captured on my phone.

Deirdre telling her Irish tales

A full house and a view of the Irish bunting

The parents came in full force as well as some folks from the Irish Mashonaland Society at the back there

Me and Wee Jimmy telling our tale. 

Getting the children involved

Wee Jimmy was moving around the room as the monster swam with him in the Loch

Drawing and poetry displayed around the tent

Wee Jimmy

At the book fair

Thursday opened with a bang. Classes from 7 schools, all in uniform, passed through the tent. Library staff and our reading volunteers were in attendance. Here are some pictures from Chipo Nzonzo.

Levina under the HCL main banner in the Children's reading tent

Takwana HCL staff in charge of the tent and volunteer reader Melissa Chaora beside a display

Thuthani Moyo in between telling stories of Africa

The children read quietly in between story and discussion sessions

I made it across today around 1pm. The break for lunch and some activities at the publishers stands gave myself, Deirdre and volunteer reader Deborah Makoni time to put up the Irish bunting, rearrange the chairs and get my Scottish flag hanging up.

When the children returned we competed with the live literature people, cleverly located back to back just so as to drown out the reading to the children (sigh) to tell several Celtic stories. The Star Apple and What a Haggis Looks like from me (and wee Jimmy) and an Irish tale of a wicked step mother who turned her step children into swans. Here are some of my pictures. Others with better camera work will follow and I will gallery them in another blog. In the meantime enjoy these and I am off to bed as we are up and reading again from 10am tomorrow.

Deborah reading to a full house of youngsters

Talking about the stories told

Children telling their own stories

Children re telling the Celtic tales..there is the St Andrews cross , borrowed from my sons bedroom door 

A shy young lady telling her version of the Irish tale

After What does a Haggis look like the children get busy drawing 

Deborah sorting through the picture competition of the Haggis where the children short list the best ones