Bandla I realise there are some running or helping out local village libraries ekhaya. I propose that we start to think(plan or investigate) of possibilities of running these as a network of Mthwakazi Community Libraries. The main benefits being:
Cost: Share of costs of more expensive books such as encyclopedia, Subject books, and subscribtions to major libraries, shipment of donated books from the diaspora and more importantly qualified library personnell and story tellers
Security: Expensive or rare material can be stored centrally and loaned out on short-term only or be reference only material
Archives: Facilitate an ordered archive of material which is of historical value.
Community communication: these Libraries can be a point of sharing information e.g. books, weather data, internet portals, population data, which would be in contrast with the current trend of a growth point being centred around a community bottle store
I am sure umphakathi will have more suggestions and ideas on this issue. I hope at least we must consider having a blue-print or even a register of these efforts. .
The motive behind this is that a small project run by a friend collapsed when he left home at a critical point. Someone who had no knowledge of the benefits to the community literally used the books for wrapping vegetables at his stall and I suspect maybe esambuzini!
Ngingazi kumbe ngiyalahleka or ngikhuluma ngemva kwendaba
I agree with you kaMjaji on the importance of libraries in general and community libaries in partcular.Mina i'm currently studying towards a Bsc degree in library and information science/records management and if such a project is implemented i will be prepared to offer my services
Kanti umqali we sahluko lesi sewabona bani wamlandela?
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Ask not what Mthwakazi can do for you. Ask what you can do for Mthwakazi. It is not my responsibility to finish the work, but I have to start it!
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