Written by Ricardo Peres-da-Silva, Bookworm Intern
I entered Bookworm Library on May 3, 2023, the first month of my two month Bookworm internship, as a complete outsider from library spaces. I really like to read books and work with children, but that’s about it. I didn’t know how to lead a session, or what a library session is, and most importantly I didn’t understand most of the intricacies that are woven into this field.
Throughout the month of May, I was given the opportunity to observe and photograph many sessions, and come to understand the scope of Bookworm’s work as well as the practices specific to them as an organization. This was a very fruitful, dynamic and interesting time.
Enriched with this information, I spent the greater part of June in Dharamshala, Choglamsar and Delhi visiting libraries impacted by LEC, LMS and other Bookworm programs, and reporting on how library practices travel from Bookworm’s library and beyond, as someone with a still very objective perspective when it comes to libraries.
I began my journey in Dharamshala, as an intern for Manjushri library. Throughout the course of the week, I led four sessions, interviewed the head librarian Tsering Dolma, went on many treks, and saw the Dalai Lama. Manjushri is a Tibetan-run library that also publishes children’s literature in Tibetan and runs early childhood development sessions for parents throughout Tibetan settlements in India. They have a very close-knit team, and it was lovely to watch the children interact with the team. I got quite close to the children, and through these sessions learned to pay attention to everyone, and really acknowledge what they were saying, making all of the children feel comfortable and welcomed into the library space.
From there I went to Ladakh from June 11-16, where I was warmly welcomed by the Shatsa library team. Shasta library is similarly a Tibetan library, and besides for a library space, they do many sessions at the neighbouring TCV Choglamsar, as well as operate a mobile library similar to Bookworm’s TL, and bring the library to nomadic communities in rural Ladakh. I had a shorter but similarly lovely time both observing Shatsa sessions with younger children, and leading sessions at TCV for older children. Here, I learned that, especially with the younger children, language isn’t always a barrier to communication. Through smiles, dancing, music and playing, I was able to connect with all of the children very well.
Finally, I went to Delhi for more than a few hours, and visited Aagaaz Library in Nizamuddin and Shaheed Bhagat Pustakalaya near Nangloi. Both libraries, while very new, are vibrant spaces filled with excited energy from the children. What I learned from my time here is that the foundation of children’s libraries is children themselves. As long as the children are there, everything must come naturally.
This journey not only taught me a lot about libraries but also a lot about myself. I learned that I love being around and working with children, taking photographs, and working at mission-driven organizations, specifically NGO’s. I learned how to better manage my time, be proactive and learn from my mistakes.
My last few weeks in Goa were filled with lots of filming for a larger MOP video, and many sad goodbyes. May and June 2023 will forever go down as transformative, exciting and inspiring moments in my life.
