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The Value of a Community Library
By PDG Gerry Roberts – Rotary eClub One
According to
a research study, undertaken by the Library Council of New South
Wales, Australia, library programs and services contribute to social
wellbeing within community groups.
Examples
include:
a)
Contributing
to positive community relationships and community harmony through
multicultural outreach
b)
Supporting
Book Clubs and Reading Groups, thereby creating social interaction
among people with common interests who may never otherwise meet.
c)
Assisting
non-English speaking members of the community to develop language
skills through English Literacy programs.
d)
Encouraging
parents to commit to early literacy development for their children
e)
Meeting the
needs of aged and members with a disability, who are unable to visit
the library, through Home Library or Housebound programs.
Ways in
which community libraries contribute to cultural wellbeing include:
a)
Library
staff playing an active role in local cultural coordinating
committees
b)
Writers in
residence programs and participating in literary events such as
poetry festivals, writing workshops and competitions and visiting
author programs, all of which contribute to a deeper understanding
of the writing process.
c)
Celebrating
cultural diversity through events and festivals held at significant
times and involving performances by musicians, dancers, poets and
actors.
d)
Working with
local theatres to promote their events
e)
Utilising
library space to exhibit work by local artists and travelling
exhibitions.
f)
Working
closely with other cultural institutions to explore the scope for
cooperation and joint projects
Rotary eClub
One is deeply committed to literacy programs and library services
for small communities. The club is the largest single contributor to
the Ranfurly Library Book Aid Service that has delivered over 2
million pre-owned books to libraries serving needy communities in
small Pacific island countries. Also, we support literacy programs
in the United States.
Recently,
Rotary eClub One contributed US$500.00 to the local library in the
small community of Thayne in Lincoln County, Wyoming. Previously,
Rotary eClub One had donated a computer workstation to this library.
The
US$500.00 will actually become US$1,500.00 when the State of Wyoming
matches this donation with a 2:1 grant.
In this
photograph, PDG Gerry Roberts (Rotary eClub One) presents the check
to the head Librarian of the Thayne Branch Library, Holly Parker,
for the Lincoln County
Library Endowment Fund.
Mrs.
Parker is pictured on the right, with the Children's Librarian
Sherry Skinner, on the left. Sherry’s husband is Past President
Darryl Skinner of the Star Valley Rotary Club.
These
two women are inspirational. Sherry has six children ranging in age
from a college freshman to a kindergartner, and yet she finds the
time and energy to conduct many weekly children's reading hours and
several other worthy library projects.
Holly
has four children and is starting on her Master's Degree in Library
Sciences; a 6 semester project both online and in person.
The
Thayne Branch Library is a valuable resource in the sparsely settled
valley, providing reading material in the form of books, magazines,
and newspapers plus a vigorous online computer network for those
that do not have their own computers.
Right
around the globe, from New South Wales to Wyoming, and from South
Africa to Mexico, local community libraries are contributing to
literacy and cultural wellbeing. I recommend that Rotary clubs
everywhere consider supporting small community libraries as part of
their commitment to literacy development. |
