Starting a Community Library

Author - Surya Prakash Rai

Here are some pointers that can be thought of before we start a community library and when we run it. Running a community library is possible with low resources. Quality must be ensured and thinking about the following points may be helpful.

Purpose

Brainstorm on the vision of this library and also your reasons to start one in this particular community. Does your library aim to enable chuildren access diverse books? Is it for fostering the joy of reading? Does it aim to connect to literacy? Or is your goal a mix of all of these or any other purpose based on your experience and context? Know your children and context first and then define the purpose.

People in the library

Who would be running the library? A library educator takes up shaping the library as a part of meeting its vision. Finding local youth for this role and nurturing them should be thought of.

Consent

Consent of the community is a must to start a library. You may engage children, parents, members of local self-governance institutions, retired teachers, and village elders, etc., and include their feedback.

Location

Explore for the location from the community itself. Engage children – they will help find the space for the library.

Building a diverse collection

Diverse children’s literature has to be included for different age groups of children. You may start with a small number of books, say 50-100. But these have to ‘good books.’ And then regularly keep on building the collection, as the children’s reading evolves. Ensure that there is diversity in terms of themes, genres, age-groups, etc. in the collection.

Engagement Activities

Children need to be engaged through activities to open up the collection and to enable them to read and understand. More focused engagement in vulnerable communities is required. Activities can include browsing games, read alouds, storytelling, book talks, paired readings, book discussions, book displays, etc. Lending of books to children should be definitely included as a part of the library’s activities.

Interactions

The library must be an interactive space. There is a need to work on enabling children and the community to interact with the library’s collection and space. Interactions within the library space and also from outside their context, like sessions by educators from different libraries, can be thought of.

Library Calendar

Design a calendar for the library and prepare a session plan. A yearly calendar is always helpful. And you must plan for the library sessions.

Care

Care for the children, the library space and the books is very important. Children should always feel welcome in the space. For space, try to make it as vibrant and open as possible. Books should be cared for. Cover all the books, maintain their records, and set-up a ‘book hospital’ for their repair.

Involve

Encourage active involvement from the community, and incorporate their art, songs, folklore and other cultural elements into the library’s work.