Filling the Gap – Online Professional Development Library Module

INTRODUCTION

What is ‘Filling the Gap: Facing Caste – Engaging with the privileged’ project about? 

Facing Caste—Engaging with the Privileged was a year-long research project supported by TESF, India, undertaken by Sujata Noronha and Beena Choksi. The research explored how to prepare for discussions on caste with children in the library through a participatory process with other library educators in the country. 

A revelation to all of us in the project, irrespective of caste locations, was the void in our knowledge of anti-caste activists, beyond very few and gaps in knowing significant events in the subaltern space of anti-caste movements. 

“As centers of learning, schools are as much about what they don’t formally teach, as what they do.”*

Historical narratives foreground dominant voices and push into the background or altogether bury the voices and actions of people, who challenged the status quo. The politics of memory comes into play; we learn to remember and celebrate what we are taught to remember and celebrate. 

For instance, most school- going children associate the word satyagraha with the country’s fight for freedom from foreign oppression and almost exclusively with Gandhi; Ambedkar’s Mahad satyagraha for freedom from homegrown caste- oppression is likely to be met with a lukewarm response, if not a blank look.

We made a decision to honour this gap and chose to work with Siddhesh Gautam, an Ambedkerite artist, designer & scholar to design and present a ubiquitous (timeless) calendar as a learning resource for sharing across library communities and educational spaces. 

Our intention is to make visible what our curriculum, text books, and ‘mainstream’ literature do not. The purpose is to put the spotlight on indigenous figures and landmark events for memory keeping and to give recognition to the lives and path-breaking work of anti-caste activists. 

* Naraharisetty, R. (2021). Casteism still thrives in elite schools in India. What would anti-caste education look like? The Swaddle.

We have designed a year-long online professional development module, which is open to library educators / organisations that are comfortable with the idea of radical library practice. We invite you to apply, and join us on this journey.

How is the module structured?  

• One online session every month for discussion, planning, debriefing and solidarity
• One monthly optional reading circle
• One core text – the anti-caste calendar
• Multiple books, poems, articles, media links, resources, and more, shared monthly
• Calendar-linked ideas and plans shared every quarter
• Annual or quarterly sign ups

We are also open to quarterly sign-ups, if you are unsure whether this module is right for you.

Eligibility

Participation is open to library educators / organisations that are comfortable with the idea of radical library practice.

Context

“Radical”, is from a Latin word that means “going to the origin”. A radical standpoint/ analysis is one that goes to the root, that looks below the surface. Intellectually, everyone should strive to be radical, no matter what political positions we take. We should always be trying to understand systems—how underlying ideologies and institutional structures shape our world. For more, read Angela Davies.

As a radical standpoint, perspective, position, “the politics of location” necessarily calls those of us who would participate in the formation of counter-hegemonic cultural practice to identify the spaces where we begin the process of revision… Spaces can be real and imagined. Spaces can tell stories and unfold histories. Spaces can be interrupted, appropriated and transformed through artistic and literary practice. — bell hooks

What Does Participation Include  

• Becoming a Bookworm partner in filling the gap through library work and join our alumni community
• Receive the Anti Caste Calendar as a core text 
• Receive quarterly calendar linked ideas and plans to open out the core text
• Receive books – poems – articles – media links- resources for continuing strengthening work
• Engage in monthly synchronous sessions for planning, debriefing and solidarity 
• Participate in an optional monthly reading circle 
• Exit option on a quarterly basis 
• Gift your professional selves deeper purpose and challenge

Programme details

Program opens :

April 2026

Register by March 30th, 2026

To join, please fill in the form here.

Fees*: 

INR 15,000 for the whole year (4 quarters)

INR 5000 for one quarter 

* Please apply irrespective of ability to pay. This is just a commitment fee and can be waived if intention and commitment are present. You can reach out to us at prod@bookwormgoa.in to avail of fee concessions. 

Course Outline 

Title: Filling the Gap (FtG) – Facing Caste: Engaging with the privileged

• Delivery mode: Blended 
• Contact hours 
• Synchronous: Group 1.5 hours / month
• Group reading circle ( optional): 1.5 hours / month
• Reading: 3- 4 hours / month
• Responding: 2- 3 hours / month 
• Prerequisites or Corequisites 
  • Open to radical library practice
  • Ability to engage with children in library spaces 
  • Access to books / collection as required

Payment details

Sign up

Fill in the application form to confirm your participation. Course fees once paid will not be refunded. 

NEFT Details

HDFC Bank Account: 50100298353962

Account Name: BOOKWORM

IFSC Code: HDFC0002368

Branch: Taleigao, Goa, 403003

UPI / QR Code

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