Marilyn Deer has been the key supporter of this beautiful community library in eastern Ghana. Here is her report from a recent visit. She truly exemplifies the spirit of international giving and concern to enable everyone to have the opportunity to read quality books. (Also, this is a great example of a well-written trip report- a model for anyone visiting a library!)
August/September 2009 Jordan Nu Community Library Visit by Marilyn Deer
After collecting for two years, 120 boxes of books, games and puzzles for the library and ocean-shipping them to Ghana, I arrived in the capitol two days after the shipment was delivered to Jordan Nu. The books were purchased by me from various thrift stores and library sales, and I spent two years weekly sorting through boxes of books at Half Price Books, Lynnwood, for appropriate reading and reference material for the community. The books from Half Price were donated. I received assistance from the Bainbridge Island Rotary Club for some of the shipping expenses.
En-route to Jordan Nu I visited and thanked Joanna Felih of the Osu Children's Library for her training of the current Jordan Nu librarian, Elizabeth Dzansi. From OCLF I purchased some more wooden puzzles and Kathy Knowles' newest book publications for children.
Over eleven days with the librarian and other volunteers, we accessed and stamped 5544 books bringing the library collection to 6544 books. During the hot and tedious task of accessing the books, I hired a carpenter, Yolson, to build shelving for them, removing two of the four existing display-like pyramid shelves from the reading room and donating them to the new primary school in Jordan Nu. The carpenter also built two reading/study tables and four benches and two shelves in the hallway for the storage of posters and newspapers, and a shelf for puzzles and games.
Once the varnish on the shelves dried, we were able to place the books on them and also to organize the books by fiction and non-fiction categories. There is a large African writer's collection and several books about and by Barack Obama. I believe there is a book of interest to everyone in the community available. The children's collection is large, and the pleasure and excitement of the choices of books was palpable as the children began to investigate them. I purchased cloth for each shelf to prevent dust/dirt soiling of the books and those were hung. The three pallets on which the boxes of books were shipped were given to the primary school for use in prevention of water damage to any stored materials in that building.
Before building shelves for books and one for games and puzzles in what was the storeroom, a painter was hired to paint those walls white which made reading in that room easier since there are no windows with natural light. John also touched up the main reading room walls and removed the traces of the blue gum adhesive used previously to hold posters on the walls. The carpenter also put battens on the storeroom ceiling and sealed them which will now prevent any further bat guano leaking down the walls. The committee will obtain a bid for the cost of mesh and installation to seal the external roof access spaces so that ongoing extermination of the bats by chemicals will be unnecessary. John also painted the entire exterior body and trim of the building which freshened and improved its appearance.
Shelving was built in the office which now holds religious books and Bibles and school teaching materials and resources for teachers. The desk and chairs in that room make a quiet place of study and reading for the use of those materials. I also brought from the USA dome magnifying lenses and bookmark and full-page magnifying sheets for those who do not have reading glasses and need visual aids to assist their reading capability.
In addition to the ongoing activities of board games, story-telling and reading, Friday skip-rope time, letter writing and drawing, we hosted an enthusiastic spelling bee of students from Primary 1 through Junior and Senior High. The words were given and each participant wrote the word on a slate and held it up. Prizes were awarded, toffees and small books for the primary children and reference books for the JSS and SS winners. They are hoping to have more bees in the future.
I am paying the travel expenses from Peki of a choirmaster, Maxwell Adzadi, to have a weekly choir instruction/practice and they plan to perform in the weekly Sunday services of the White Cross Mission Church, and for the high priest and local events. Hopefully, some drama can be incorporated into those performances. The choirmaster is responsible to Mr. Kwami for his time and a report of choir pieces and performance will be included in Elizabeth's monthly report.
The new school term began on September 15th and teachers were encouraged to utilize the resources of the library. All library children will need frequent reminders by the librarian and teachers of library rules and how to turn the pages of the books without tearing or bending them. The library committee secretary, Mr. Kwami, will speak to the district education superintendant regarding a half hour weekly library period for each class. Mr. Kaka, the Vakpo officer, was in attendance at the school opening ceremonies and we hope he can continue to try to see that Elizabeth can be hired by the Youth Employment program. Youth Employment pays 70 GHc monthly and I have increased the allowance of the librarian from 30GHc to 70GHc. She will increase her hours from 12am-6pm to 10am-6pm. Elizabeth was pleased with the allowance increase, and if Youth Employment pays her allowance, that will permit the 70GHc to be used for other library needs, one of which is a second librarian to assist her. With the increase in the collection volume there is more library upkeep necessary and vital. The committee has said they will continue to assist her until a second librarian is found.
I left funds for two uniforms for Elizabeth, choice of cloth and design will be her choice and the dresses will be sewn by her sister, God's Way. I have given to Joanna Felih contact phone numbers for Elizabeth so that when workshops occur through OCLF in Accra, she can attend.
The price of the Daily Graphic and Junior Graphic has increased but I will continue to subscribe to them. I also subscribe to the BBC Africa Now magazine.
A review of the library accounts was done and there continues to be three accounts, the Ghana Commercial bank account, the treasurer's account and the librarian's petty cash account. The treasurer is responsible for the bank and treasurer's records and Elizabeth will do the bookkeeping for the petty cash record. 2000Ghc was added to the existing 325GHc of the Ghana Commercial account and 400GHc to the treasurer's account. 50GHc was given to the librarian's petty cash account. Jonas Dumelor, vice-chairman, will assist with the banking and record keeping, and Jonas will continue to train and assist Elizabeth as she learns to use the computer to email the monthly reports from the internet café in Kpando. She has no keyboarding skills currently.
The high priest has removed Senyo Dzansi from the library committee for exclusive use in the community management capacity.. We will miss his knowledge and wisdom and organizational abilities on the committee.
Jonas mentioned to me that the electrical wiring from the guest house to the library may need work and/or replacement due to, in his opinion, poor workmanship of the existing cables/poles and connections. He will continue to observe for any problems due to the necessity of fans for the dry conditions needed for keeping the books from being spoiled. I had thought it might be useful to have a 2-seater KVIP for the library but decided to wait on building it until further evaluation of the need. No other library in Ghana in which I have been has this facility available.
An excess of dictionaries, thesauruses, and Bibles were offered first to the committee members and then the rest will be donated to the church or used for prizes for reading competitions or spelling bees or rewards for assistance in the library by students or community members. There are several boxes of duplicates of books which will, for now, be stored in sealed boxes in the library storeroom. The key to the trunk of office supplies was given to Elizabeth. I suggested a notice be posted that there be no cell phones in the library due to their disturbance of concentration of readers. I also suggested that if the library will be closed for any reason that a notice be posted at least a week in advance. The librarian will take two weeks annual holiday and that absence from the library should also be posted for the community. If another librarian is found there will be no need to close at all.
The month in Jordan Nu was busy and I believe a lot was accomplished. Both the community and I are pleased with the library and its current offerings. I hope the use of it will increase and that the community will see the benefits.
The phrase, "if you build it, they will come" feels really appropriate when I think of this library; all the books that are
read, the stories that are told, the songs that are sung, and the pictures that
are drawn, were all possible with this library. I was particularly impressed with
one of Bereba's librarians, Dounko, whose charisma brought in so many people. With
his songs and stories, he made reading fun and educational, two qualities that
should always be associated with learning.
His contribution to the library reminded me that organizations are only
as good as the people who work for them, and Dounko is a true advocate for
reading, a teacher, and a friend.
The phrase, "if you build it, they will come" feels really appropriate when I think of this library; all the books that are
read, the stories that are told, the songs that are sung, and the pictures that
are drawn, were all possible with this library. I was particularly impressed with
one of Bereba's librarians, Dounko, whose charisma brought in so many people. With
his songs and stories, he made reading fun and educational, two qualities that
should always be associated with learning.
His contribution to the library reminded me that organizations are only
as good as the people who work for them, and Dounko is a true advocate for
reading, a teacher, and a friend.
