From Paul Ayutoliya, FAVL/CESRUD library coordinator:
This is a brief report on happenings in the three community libraries. Attendance at the three libraries has been good. Major activities that characterized this month include individual reading of story books, group reading, riddles and games with story time. Effective daily patronages to the libraries are usually recorded in the Sumbrungu and Sherigu libraries, this is mainly due to the fact that these libraries are been surrounded by basic schools unlike the Gowrie-that has it’s basic schools distant from the library, so many a times it is the night sessions that patrons do come in their good numbers. At the Sumbrungu Library, patrons read story books in groups with the librarians and also had good riddle time with coordinator, during the night a good number of patrons come to study their notes taking from school, some copy notes from others whiles other also do their assignment work. Other also come to read story books individually. The patronage is increasing every day and we are doing all we need to do to make reading and learning continue to be very good.
The story is also the same at the Sherigu Library save that the night sessions attendance there is not as many as Sumbrungu. Over the week I paid a visit to the the library, it was Wednesday the 26th of September, the pupils of St. Peter and Paul Academy were in the library in their good numbers. With the assistance of the librarian and one teacher who came from class with some pupils, we divided the pupils in three different groups. One group read the story of Peter’s Wish with me. Another group read with the teacher Chidi likes only Blue and the last or third group read Diana, the hairdresser learns to read, one of the Literacy Changed my Life series with the librarian. We spend good time in our group readings answering and asking questions at the end of the reading. At the close of day everyone were happy.
The Gowrie library also have almost the same story of the library usage save that their attendance is mostly during the evening sessions. We today visited the library during the daily session and caught up with Mr. Akolgo Anaba who’s nicknamed ‘Americana’ Americana who is an adult told me he wants to read some of the story books with me in the library. So in the library I read with him the Crocodile Bread and The lucky one story books. It was a very very interesting encounter I have with this man. Americana once in a while as I read with him will talk about how he knows Accra especially when I mentioned Nima Mamoobi in the story of the Lucky One he exclaimed is in Accra! In the story of the Crocodile bread, Americana tried explaining to me with his broken English good and bad bread. To him bread with a lot sugar is not good especially when you taking it with tea that sugar is added reason being it can you sickness and so he prefer a bread without sugar. This and other fun discussion made our day. To conclude the community libraries are performing great and we are hopeful for more good performances.