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.
