Recently in Libraries Category

This article in The Economist is cool for several reasons, one of which being that it features Marie Stopes International in Ouagadougou, the host organization of a fellow third year Peace Corps volunteer. The clinic recently performed the first-ever vasectomy in Burkina Faso. The article explores the relationship between fertility rates and economic prosperity, the argument being that if countries in Africa can dramatically reduce their fertility rates, they will receive an economic boost as their population ages. The author explores the various reasons that the fertility rates in African countries have been slow to fall, even as access to contraception increases. One of the important points, which is very relevant to our work here at FAVL, was the following :

Last, female education in Africa, like contraceptive use, has lagged behind the rest of the world, and there is a close connection between educating girls and having fewer children.

Access to education has so much impact on the development of a country. And education not only includes formal schooling, but also access to books and other learning materials at libraries.

Read the rest of the article here.

From Filip KABEYA, Responsable du projet Bibafrica.org

Bibafrica.org est un rêve devenu réalité depuis 2005, il part d'un constat qui fait que nous voyons très peu de site professionnel parler de ce qui se passe au sein de la communauté « Bibliothèque » en Afrique. On risque même de croire que les Bibliothèques n'y existent pas.

Donc, « Tant que les lions n'auront pas leurs propres griots, les histoires de chasse raconteront toujours les prouesses des chasseurs », ainsi nous nous sommes fixés la mission et le devoir d'informer sur ce qui se passe autant d'un point de vue professionnel que du coté des lecteurs (consommateur du livre)

Il y a des acteurs importants qui agissent pour aider la bibliothèque africaine, mais qui sont méconnu, Bibafrica.org se veux de le faire savoir.

Les professionnels de Bibliothèque n'ont pas un site de référence pour s'informer sur ce qui les concerne, colloques, séminaire et autre formations. Nous désirons aussi offrir aux lecteurs, l'annuaire des Bibliothèques africaines en plus de les informations sur les acquisitions nouvelles de leurs bibliothèques respectives.
Nous sommes pour une Bibliothèque Africaine pour tous et partout.

Krystle Austin writes:

I'm sorry but with gold prices going crazy high, I just don't understand why the Treasury doesn't sell off maybe $1 billion to fund like 100,000 community libraries in Africa for 5 years... If we all agreed to do that if gold went up to $1900, we'd be exactly the same well-being as we are today, but there would be 500 readers in 100,000 communities ... 50 million people!  Better off... by all standards of being better off.*  Heck, 50 million readers in Africa would make us better off than 500,000 oz of gold, no?  That's 100 people per measly ounce.  (The U.S. holds like more than 150 million oz.)

*All religions and creeds and moral codes say reading 50 books is better than zero, even if Danielle Steele.

KOURA Donkoui was recently in Ghana to see how the summer reading camps were going in Sumbrungu, Sherigu and Kunkua. He writes:

Au nord du Ghana, les élèves de ces localités ci dessus citées ne sont pas en reste des activités de vacances organisés par FAVL. Qui nie l'importance de la lecture dans toute éducation ? La réponse est non ! Ils sont tenus par les enseignants très expérimentés qui ne savent pas perdre du temps. De la lecture aux jeux en passant par le dessin, les enfants aiment bien ce qu'ils appellent « reading camp ». Tout cela a été rendu possible par les sponsors de FAVL et toutes les communautés des trois bibliothèques. Chers donateurs, vos efforts sont appréciés à travers le monde. N'hésitez pas un instant à penser a ces milliers d'enfants qui ont soif d'apprendre.
A Sherigu : Une attention particulière pour les enfants !
Les enseignants de Sherigu sont particulièrement attentifs aux préoccupations des enfants. Ils prennent le temps après la lecture individuelle pour comprendre si les enfants ont compris, suivi d'explication des mots difficiles. Quelle belle initiative ! Tous les enfants n'apprennent pas a la même vitesse ni de la même manière. Vous pouvez voir certains enfants coucher sur des nattes. Par contre d'autre sur des chaises, banc...très bon travail !
Kunkua : Les stratégies de la compréhension
Beaucoup d'enfants lisent sans une attention particulière. Pour le faire, les enseignants leur donnent des rudiments sur les stratégies de compréhension du conte. Ils consistent à faire un schéma mettant au centre le personnage principal et en énumérant les principales actions par les verbes sentir, faire, dire, agir etc. Cela résume le conte en quelques minutes. Apres la lecture de chaque livre, les enfants sont invites a présenter le conte ou l'histoire sous ce schéma. Quelle culture de l'attention !

Illiteracy is the "malaria" of the mind - Kosi Kedem

Mr Kosi Kedem, Chairman of Ghana Library Board, on Tuesday [21 June]  bemoaned the country's fallen illiteracy standards and noted that it had persisted and become the 'malaria' of the mind.

He said because "Efforts made were half-heartedly and haphazardly implemented, illiteracy, just like malaria has stubbornly refused to be eliminated."

Mr Kedem said these at the launch of the 10th Book Fair in Accra on the theme: "Enhancing Literacy Through Libraries, a Reading Nation is a Winning Nation".

He said in the nation's anxiety to design appropriate educational system coupled with the many reforms "We have abandoned what used to be regarded as the well-tested basic fundamentals of education of reading, writing and arithmetic and the three Hs- Head, Heart and Hand."

The fair will showcase Ghana's and India's cultural heritage, especially in the literacy sphere and in addition provide an opportunity for the book industry to display their new editions and marketplace for trading of rights among stakeholders.

A platform would also be created for dialogue with policy makers to find solutions to enhance the reading culture especially among school-going children, address issues that relate to books and their impact on national development.

Mr Kedem said some cynics strongly held the view that African Governments had neglected the UN Education for all Programme because of the fear that a literate and enlightened population would have the capacity and ability to hold them to account.

He regretted that about 50 per cent of primary school graduates could barely read or write and only 10 per cent of them had access to university education, which had compelled the universities to institute remedial classes in English for their first year undergraduates.

"A disciplined society is that which can record, read and implement its laws more correctly. A nation that cannot read or write is seriously handicapped. Such a nation will not only lack development but will be dominated and exploited by a nation which can read and, therefore have access to current, relevant and accurate information," he said.

The Ghana Library Board Chairman said libraries played a supportive and complementary role as well as a support tool in the formal acquisition of reading skills.




However, he noted that the unique role of the libraries, especially public libraries were to increase reading proliferation and add value to reading by serving as a free and open access to information and knowledge without discrimination and also internalise and cultivate the habit of voluntary and independent reading.

Mr Kedem suggested that public, static and mobile libraries be funded and strengthened to provide good and readily available materials to their clientele in a conducive and friendly atmosphere.

He said book writers, publishers, printers and distributors should be supported by the State through the Book Development Council to produce cheap and affordable but qualitative reading materials.

Mr Asare Yamoah, President of Ghana Book and Publishers Association, said this year's launch scheduled for November 1-6 would focus on India due to the success of the book industry adding that the relationship with India dates back to the 1970's.

He said the next phase of the partnership would be to encourage the transfer of technology and information through project partnerships, and setting up of satellite print sites in Ghana and parts of Africa, and called on the Book Development Council to reposition itself at the centre of the project to ensure direct governmental involvement.

Mr Mahama Ayariga, Deputy Minister of Education, in a speech read on his behalf, said it was the desire of government to see the industry grow adding that government would provide the needed support to make the citizenry an enlightened one.

He commended organisers of the fair for their conscious efforts at increasing literacy rates despite the numerous challenges in the sector.

Mr Ramesh Guatam, Second Secretary, India High Commission in Ghana, said India was delighted to be part of the fair to share ideas on how their industry had succeeded.

He said more than 50 stakeholders from the Indian Book Industry would participate in the fair and gave the assurance that the High Commission would give all the needed support for the success of the fair.

Professor Atukwei Okai, a renowned writer and poet, suggested that the Ghana Library Board should make an effort to buy at least 2,000 copies of all published books in the country, to stock libraries and help improve the learning skills of Ghanaians.

The Ghana International Book Fair promised to offer a unique opportunity for stakeholders in the book industry and other related sectors of the economy to network and trade.

This is expected to attract publishers, writers, printers, booksellers, librarians, students, educationists and literary agents.

Source:  GNA

Ce soir 9 juillet 2011 nous avons eu le privilège d'effectuer une visite guidée sur la médiathèque municipale de la commune de  Ouagadougou.

C'est un grand bâtiment composé de :
-  une salle de lecture pour enfants dénommée « espace jeunes » comportant divers documents (bandes dessinées, romans ...) ;
- une salle de lecture pour adultes composée de divers documents ;
- un magasin de rangement des documents ;
- une vidéothèque où seront classés les casettes, les CDROM... ;
- une salle d'informatique avec plusieurs ordinateurs ;
- une salle de formation ;
- des bureaux pour les agents de l'administration
- une cafétéria.
Pour ce qui concerne son fonctionnement, la médiathèque est au stade de rangement. Le matériel et les différents documents sont amenés de l'ancien bâtiment par lots. Mais les autorités veillent sur ces travaux  pour rendre ce joyau fonctionnel le plus rapidement possible. Pour preuve le maire de la commune passe régulièrement pour suivre l'avancement des travaux. Il a déjà autorisé une consultation sur place pour les usagers.
Une permanence est assurée tous les jours ouvrables de 8heures à 17heures. Cependant les conditions d'accès et de diffusion sont en étude à la mairie centrale.  Notons pour terminer que c'est Mme OUATTARA qui est la directrice générale de la médiathèque municipale de Ouagadougou.

Pour FAVL

Pr SISSAO Alain Joseph, Maitre de Recherche (Directeur Adjoint Chargé des Programmes INSS/CNRST, spécialiste des recherches sur les bibliothèques et des recherches sur la lecture. alainsis@gmail.com

MAY/JUNE 2011 REPORT
INTRODUCTION
This month has also ended in atmosphere which was very conducive for almost every individual and it is time for our second quarter report. Everything went on well.

ACTIVITIES
There are so many activities that went on during the month and these activities were as follows, Watching pictures from the picture book, reading stories like Ananse's stories, Henry penny and the English text books from primary one to five. They were they very people that come to the library. Picture books had always been used almost every day in the week. Almost story telling had been done by the librarians. On Fridays they always play games since Fridays has been choosing as games day. The games are skipping of rope ludo game, cards and almost all the puzzles. Two weeks of effective training of librarians has also taken place in the library by Lucas Aligire, Northern Ghana library coordinator (FAVL) and Mad Marilyn Deer. They thought them how to handle library materials, reports writing and statistics. Keeping of accounts, assessment, maintenance of books, etc Pro library activities such as general cleaning, re - pasting of posters on the wall and Ghana map has also been done by Mad. Deer, Rose and Cynthia.

PATRONAGE
The patronage of the library was okay as compared with some months in the past but children were the most users of the library. The number of adults that comes to the library is very low because of farming activities. Meanwhile, the library was meant for both adults and children as it was indicated in the statistics.

FINANCE
After checking every step of librarian's petty cash, it was obvious that Elisabeth Dzansi owned the library the sum of GHC1.90.

DONATIONS
i Jonas Dumelor donated two bee keeping books to the library ii Charlotte Defevre, French volunteer in Jordan-Nu donated two books entitled Lies  enfants de l'hiver and Environmental science. iii Marilyn Deer the sponsor also brought new story books, reading glasses, puzzle games and a doormat to the library. iv Herbicide was bought by the committee at the cost of GHC6.50 and this has been used by Ernest to spray the yard.  v. Two electrical bulbs have also been bought by the community at GHC 8.00 to replace the worn-out ones in the library.  v It was detected that insects are destroying the shelves and a liter of dusband was bought at the cost of GHC14.00 by Marilyn Deer to spray the wood.

VISITORS
The library had only one visitor in the month. He is Mr. Lucas Aligire from Sumbrungu northern library coordinator (FAVL). He was invited by Marilyn Deer to come and train the new admitted librarians. He worked at Jordan-Nu for two weeks.

PROBLEMS
Adults are not visiting the library regularly due farming activities and teachers are also not allowing pupils from primary six to JHS because of the distance from the school to the library. Some of the RME text books were missing. They books were learned to teachers by Elisabeth Dzansi.

RECOMMENDATION
We suggest that teachers should allow students to come to the library and make good use of the materials. The library committee members should do something about the books learn by Elisabeth to teachers.

RENOVATION
One of the front view windows was replaced by Komla Yerenkyi the carpenter and John ofori. John Offei the painter also repainted the entire building both inside and outside. He filled some spaces between the ceiling and the walls in other to avoid dropping of bat feces.  A blackboard has been design by Komla Yerenkyi and was painted by Mr. C.K. Kwami. Wilson Ametefe from Nyagbo repaired the stiffen chairs whilst Patience Atsu Afi   repaired the woven stool. All this repaired work has been sponsored by Marilyn Deer except Patience Atsu who did a voluntary work. OTHERS The library board always meets to talk about what to do to develop the library for the benefit of individuals. The first meeting was the Guest House to welcome Marilyn Deer. Their regular meeting with Marilyn Deer was to discuss the annual report, interviewed the newly appointed librarians and to read Elisabeth Dzansi's terminating letter to the house by Marilyn Deer. In fact this was not an easy decision.

The first librarians to be interviewed were Edward Kpor from Ho and Cynthia of Jordan-Nu. Edward reported on the 1st of June but unfortunately his health does not permit him to work in the library and we felt that you will you forgive us with his inappropriate behavior. He was replaced by Ernest Dogbe an energetic young man from Saviefe on the 6th of June by the management of the library in consultation with the High Priest W.K. Kudior. i The board meets again with Marilyn and Lucas and our discussions include letting the treasure of the committee knows her duties of entering all records in her cash book but not Jonas as it shown in the past.

ii Change of closing hours from 6:00pm to 5:00pm.
iii The sign post for the library was also approved at the cost GHC120.00.
iv Librarians allowance review
v Inviting Mrs. Otoo to meet Mad Deer .
vi Reviewed on librarians role and job descriptions., etc.
On the 26th June, the board met finally with Mad Deer at the library to bid her goodbye and to welcome Cynthia Dika and Ernest Dogbe to the their first committee meetings. They have now taken the positions of Elisabeth Dzansi and Rose Mensah. Cynthia read their monthly report and applications letter to the house and had been paid for June services. On that day, the committee decides that, hand washing" education is not in good favor with people washing water in the same bowl rather it should be done under running water. A container with a stop cork/tap is therefore needed for the library and this idea was welcome by Mad Deer. Mad. Deer organized a send off party for Rose Mensah the outgoing librarian with a bottle of Malta guineas each and biscuits. We were overwhelms with the party you gave us last Sunday. Mr. C.K. Kwami the committee secretary read Rose's appreciations letter to the committee written by Marilyn Deer and signed by each member of committee. Mad Deer .presented a special thank you card to the committee for making her visit comfortable and giving her encouragement as she try to help the community.

CONCLUSION
Members leant with surprise and regret that after taken inventor a lot of materials include games were missing in the library and Elisabeth Dzansi allowed some library books to taken by teachers and failed to gather them back and even could not keep proper records of books. Rose should therefore get to Elisabeth to try to get the books back. The board really appreciated the entire information Lucas shared with them. Lucas has many years of experience and has been recognized on several occasions for his innovative training skills. It is therefore expected that once the training activity takes place, there should be a change in the knowledge base of the librarians and hope that the librarians will change their behavior by putting the training into use. The librarian's expresses their gratitude to the vetting committee presided over by Mr. C.K Kwami for giving them the nod to work in the library. Our appreciations also go to Madam Marilyn Deer for her great love and concern for children, your glowing reports about your ability to inspire and motivate the community. We hope that this momentum carries all the way to the end. We will be delighted to join our team soon. Thank you.

Recently there's been construction of a large building near the neighborhood where I live. I didn't think much about it until I noticed the sign "Mediathèque Municipale."
This morning Elisée and I stopped by to check out this new library media center. The building itself is very large and dominant, the interior nice and modern, with an atrium and staircase decorating the building's center. While the building is ready, the majority of materials (books, furniture, computers, etc.) are still on their way. Unfortunately for us, the media center is not scheduled to open officially until October.
 
Nonetheless, several librarians were there organizing some newly arrived books and an incredibly friendly librarian gave us a tour of the dozen or so empty rooms. The media center will include rooms for youth, adults, periodicals, computers and media, video and music, conferences, offices and more. 
Everyone seems really excited about the opening and for good reason. While there are several small libraries in Ouaga, I think it's fair to say that this is Ouaga's first real public media center. Despite not yet being open, there were already a couple university students using the few tables and chairs available to read and study.
 
Once the "Mediathèque Municipale" is officially open, I have no doubt that it will be an incredibly popular place. Hopefully FAVL will be able to attend the opening ceremony and I think it would be a fabulous place to bring the FAVL librarians and staff the next time they are all in Ouaga.

Demokratek Interview One from next library on Vimeo.