Mobile Library Plans

Introduction:

In  2007 Bookworm ( a community Children’s library) initiated a program called THE BOOK TREASURY – to put books in classrooms. The project began from a felt need expressed by teachers in a remote school about the unavailability of library books for beginner readers. The project now supports close to 24 schools in Goa and the need grows every week.

Book Treasury Objectives:

1.      To place books in the classroom that match the reading level, interest and curriculum goals of the grade while also providing easy access to books for both children and teachers.

  1. To ensure that children of all backgrounds particularly those from literacy poor environments have access to good quality appropriate reading material
  2. To empower teachers to see the benefit of a print and literacy rich classroom and its connection to learning and reading
  3. To widen children’s awareness of cultures, communities and knowledge as they grow in reading.

Organisation:

Bookworm is an organisation that supports reading and language learning. Based in Panaji Goa . Bookworm was started by two educators in 2006 and is the only children’s library in the State. Besides a community library, Bookworm publishes a bi monthly magazine, conducts teacher training workshops and initiated creative learning activities to help children connect with books and reading.

Present Need:

We have recently purchased a van (Maruti Ecco ) to help us deliver and transport books to schools. We recognise that a previous practice of us choosing books versus a more participatory practice of teachers and children themselves choosing books will benefit engagement with the books.

It is towards this endeavour that a mobile library van is now on the roads

We need support to pay a teacher/driver and to pay for the book service that is offered free of cost to all Government and aided schools as well as community centres and orphanages in the State. We recognise that we need a resource person who can manage the van and its deliveries, liaise with schools and teachers and work with small groups of children for story and reading help on site.

The mobile library will enable the program to extend its outreach, serving more schools in a systematic manner. In addition it is hoped that the service could be extended to reach the Village Panchayat Libraries already existing in the State and support their children’s section with a wide range of reading materials.  Bookworm is committed to extend the program to make reading enjoyable and available to all children irrespective of class or community.

Please write to us at <bookworm_goa@yahoo.com> if you can help us out in any way with our present need.

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