For now, we are planning a class to teach adults about how to cultivate tomatoes. Many people want to learn about this topic. The teacher agreed to come to teach this class so that people can learn, but he was very busy, so it took a long time for him to come to agree to volunteer to teach the class. We are waiting from suggestions from people in the community about how the library can change to be more useful to people. So far, only two sections have given us their suggestions. These suggestions will help us to see how we can change the program in the library, if possible.
The suggestions that we have already, we have read. Many people said that they were too busy to come here, but that they are interested to read at home. They asked us to give them books from the library that they can read at home and return after some days. Concerning this suggestion, I think that it could be good to allow people to take novels home, because that will not interfere with other people’s reading. We should keep the dictionaries at the library so that everyone can use them and will be able to find them here. But it would be possible for people to take novels home.
The one problem is just that, as people are going on repatriation, they might not bring the books back. Many people also told us that the big problem with the library is that it does not have interesting books, because they have been stolen. When women were borrowing books, sometimes they did not bring them back. We don’t want to lose even more books. One idea that we have is to ask people to keep their ration cards at the library when they borrow a book, so that they will be sure to bring books back. But for this idea, we will have to ask UNHCR to see if they can agree.
Concerning children, I have found that they can be forgetful. At the beginning of the month I went to the schools to tell children about the program, and so many children came! But since that time, the number becomes smaller and smaller. It seems that they need to be reminded every time about these activities so that they will remember to come.
I talked with one of the preschool teachers about what I can do with children under 5. It can be difficult to have them come here together with other children who are older; it is difficult to teach them because I am only one person. Young children can need a lot of help and assistance. So the preschool teacher comes here on Mondays to borrow a big book that we have. She uses the book at the preschool to teach the children and to do some activities with them.
I feel sometimes that I am working blind. I keep trying to think of ways to bring people to come to read. I try one way, and it fails, so then I try another. I keep trying but sometimes I am becoming tired.
By Sango N.Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
Activities at the library proceeded as usual this month. Children’s activities were held on Saturdays and were well-received by the children who attended. The library was open for reading according to its normal schedule until the end of the month.
On 29 November, the library was closed down. All books were sorted. English books were packed in bags for transport to Meheba. The COC took these bags with him when he left Mwange. French and Swahili books were put in bags, labeled and left in the library so UNHCR can collect them for donation to Moba.
Indicators or Statistics:
Included in the indicators spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
To get an answer one way or the other from UNHCR about the future of the French and Swahili books.
Substantial Problems or issues:
None.
Wishes and Requests:
None
Budget Status:
Expense monitor to follow.
By Nick ReeseSummary of Project Status and Achievements:
Activities at the library proceeded as usual this month. Children’s activities were held on Saturdays and were well-received by the children who attended. The library was open for reading according to its normal schedule, except for a slight deviation caused by an adult learning class held every afternoon from 12 October to 23 October on the topic of cultivating tomatoes. The teacher, who volunteered his time to come to instruct interested participants about tomato knowledge, had a wealth of information on the topic. Participants were interested in this program, especially during the first few days, but attendance dropped toward its end as the material became increasingly specific and perhaps a bit repetitive. Still, it was a good program that benefitted participants with a wealth of knowledge, and the librarian took copious notes to make available in the library for anyone interested to come to learn about tomato cultivation.
Employees working at the education office in the camp came to FORGE with a list of books borrowed from their library at Mwange A earlier this year. The librarian and the education office are planning to work together to ensure that these 30 or so books are returned to Mwange A.
Indicators or Statistics:
Included in the indicators spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
The librarian will work together with Nick to arrange for the successful transport of the books in the Mwange library.
Substantial Problems or issues:
No new problems to report.
Wishes and Requests:
No new requests to add to those expressed previously.
Budget Status:
Included in the expense monitor.
By Laura MessengerSummary of Project Status and Achievements:
During September, the library was open for reading according to its normal schedule. The resumption of school in the camp contributed to a small increase in library patronage. In July, the secondary school office in the camp burned down, and all of the office contents, including many of the secondary school’s books, were destroyed. As a result, now that school has begun, students and teachers have been coming to the library to do research for school.
The librarian also contacted the head teachers of the four Mwange primary schools to inform them about the children’s activities the library holds each Monday and Saturday. This led to increased attendance at these activities, which continue to be popular with children.
Finally, the librarian recruited students for a lecture program on business skills this month. He had hoped to offer additional lecture programs, but all of the community members that he approached as guest experts on various topics were busy this month and failed to follow through on initial commitments to come to teach. One man who he had approached about teaching how to grow tomatoes agreed to come to conduct that program in October.
The librarian received some feedback from the community about how he could increase the library’s usefulness to people during its remaining months. A great deal of the feedback remarked that the books in the library are old and are not particularly useful, and that many of the “interesting books” had been stolen. However, more useful feedback came from some people who said that they the library would be more useful to them if they were allowed to take books home for reading. These people do not feel that they have the time to read books at the library, but would be interested to read them at home. The librarian and the PM discussed this idea and are going to look into the logistics of it, as allowing people to take books home poses additional risks for book damage and loss.
Indicators or Statistics:
Included in the indicators spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
The PM and the librarian will work together to see if they can come up with a plan for securely allowing people to borrow and return certain books.
Substantial Problems or issues:
No new problems to report. Library patronage continues to be low
Wishes and Requests:
No new requests to add to those expressed previously.
Budget Status:
Included in the expense monitor.
By Laura MessengerSummary of Project Status and Achievements:
During August, the library continued to operate along the schedule established in July. The librarian continued to hold structured children’s activities weekly. He also held one class on animal breeding. A proposed class on business skills was canceled due to lack of interest.
The librarian also organized a quiz program at the library this month, with prizes for successful participants. He advertised the program in the community, and 19 people participated, with two receiving prizes upon the completion of the program. The librarian felt that the program was a success but was disappointed by the level of participation, which he felt was small in proportion to the amount of time and effort that he put into organizing and advertising the program.
Indicators or Statistics:
Included in the indicators spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
The PM and the librarian will work together to see if there are any new steps that can be taken to increase the library’s usefulness to the community.
Substantial Problems or issues:
No new problems to report. Library patronage continues to be low
Wishes and Requests:
No new requests to add to those expressed previously.
Budget Status:
Included in the expense monitor.
By Laura MessengerSummary of Project Status and Achievements:
During July, the PM and the new librarian worked together extensively to understand and improve ongoing the programs and systems in the library, as well as to brainstorm ideas for improvements that could be made to the library.
One major improvement that was made was to the organization of the library. The new librarian cleaned and organized the book room in preparation for an inventory of the contents of the book room, which is currently ongoing.
CV and letter writing classes were discontinued, as it was clear to the committee that these activities were considered to be part of repatriation activities and thus would not continue if the repatriation program was discontinued. The new librarian decided to continue to hold classes at the library, but to vary the topics. During July, he found experts from the community to come to teach classes on animal husbandry and on business skills. These classes, particularly the class on animal husbandry, were well-attended and well received. The librarian plans to hold more classes on these and other topics in the future.
Another change that was made to the library was to limit the number of reading hours for children. Many children did attend these hours previously, but they mostly spent time talking to each other, taking out books only to flip through them, put them aside and take other books, and generally causing mess and disturbance. Children’s hours have now been reduced so that they are supervised and so that education activities are conducted during these hours. This has also improved conditions in the library, as the librarian no longer has enormous piles of discarded books and magazines to take care of, and the book room is no longer in disorder. The children also seem to enjoy the activities. Attendance fell initially, as those children who only came to the library to misbehave stopped attending, but it has begun to rise as children who are interested in the programming have begun to attend these hours.
Indicators or Statistics:
Included in the indicators spreadsheet.
Future Goals:
There is a library programming survey created by former COC Alyssa Pyke that has never been conducted in Mwange. The PM would like to look at this survey together with the current librarian to assess its usefulness and make changes as appropriate and then to conduct the survey to assess the library.
Substantial Problems or issues:
As the librarian has begun to work on an inventory of the library’s stock, it has become clear that a substantial number of books were stolen from the library during the previous librarian’s tenure. In fact, some individuals have reported that it is possible that the former librarian, and probable that many of the former volunteers, were involved in the book theft. It seems that many library visitors were visiting the library largely in hopes of stealing books. The new librarian seems to have stopped or at least greatly reduced book theft through new security measures. For example, if he observes that a book is missing, he tries to determine who has taken the book. The next time that he sees that child or individual, he keeps their shoes and articles of clothing at the library until they have gone home and returned with the missing item. This has been positive for the library inventory. However, it has led to a significant decrease in library patronage. The library is a pleasant place at the moment, and patrons are calm and productive, but they are also few in number.
Wishes and Requests:
No new requests to add to those expressed previously.
Budget Status:
Included in the expense monitor.
By Laura Messenger
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