Challenges:-
- mishandling and mis-shelving of stock by users
- Members not being able to use the catalogue cards properly
- Lack of enough space due to the large number of children using the library - particularly during class visits by schools.
- Loss of some books
-Members are asking for internet access, which we do not have
- Lack of reading space
- stock gaps- for example African materials
- Power shortages
- Insufficient water supply
- Sewerage blockage in the office
Achievements:
Increase in number of users
Increase in Muslim members- both children and adults
Positive impact on the community from community members, head teachers and parents
Trained over 200 children in computer skills to date.
Visitors- November 2007
We had visitors from Norway, Germany and at the same time Czech Republic as well as Canada and USA, they all gave positive remarks concerning the initiative and some gave some books to the library.
Library Clubs and activities
-Reading Club:-UPDATED!
The creative writing kids have been meeting on Saturdays and have been involving themselves in storytelling and at the same time creative writing. They have also been trained on basic computer skills and are all able to use the computers type and save their work without difficulties.
They will be working on writing of poems and coral verses as from next month.
Story telling sessions appear to interest many children coming to the library as they enjoy listening and telling of stories. This month we encouraged the kids to tell stories in Kiswahili which was so interesting.
UPDATED! -Bookending Programme: - This month, the number of users borrowing books has increased as students introduce their friends to the library.
The lending services will continue until the mid of November when the students will be closing their schools.
We have not yet been facing challenges on book getting lost though large number of books needs to be repaired.
Lending to Schools UPDATED!
This month, we did not have a chance to lend books to schools due to the increase in number of users lending books.
Drama group
The drama group and music groups are currently not running as we are training up the book- reading club in acting and singing.
Art club UPDATED!
· The art club kids are doing fine and that they are getting lots of support from the seniors and have been engaging themselves actively on painting and drawing mostly on Saturdays. Most of them have joined the haba Na haba art club and will be working with the other kids to nurture their talents.
Computer club.UPDATED!
This month (October), we have seen many children getting skills on computer usage, they enjoy using the computers. This month over 100 children were trained on basic computer skills by other club leaders.
-The library staff visits local schools to tell about the library and tell stories.
We have also recently followed Mathare North and started subject categorisation of the adult’s fiction. We now have a romance collection which is VERY popular! 'Thrillers' section was introduced in July, and is proving popular!! Horror, fantasy sections will follow we hope if we can find category labels.
School class visits
This month, we have managed to work with six schools all primary schools. They have been visiting the library on the weekdays and have benefited a lot form the free resources and services rendered to them. The students upon coming to the library are shown on how to handle the books, open the pages, pick the books from the shelves and also returning them to their respective shelves and also the basic computer skills. With less supervision, the students enjoy every single moment in the library.
