This is what FAVL staff in Burkina Faso do, every day. Telephone communications with librarians. Negotiating, cajoling, partnering, problem-solving, reassuring.
- In Pobé-Mengao, Konfé Amidou is doing well. With the closing of high schools due to terrorist threats, students are rare in the library. Some come to take books for home reading. He avoids regrouping given the insecurity in the area.
- In Tikaré, the the librarian’s work contract has ended since September 2018. The contract has not been renewed. The mayor told the librarian that he would like to negotiate with their French “twin city” partner so that he can take charge of the librarian. For the moment, the librarian does what he can while waiting for the mayor’s feedback.
- In Guibaré, the council has planned a budget line until the end of September 2019. The council intends to negotiate with the primary inspectorate so that it can manage the library. Discouraged, the librarian does the minimum. I encouraged him to do his best so that the council could recognize these abilities. To take a salary that he does not deserve would be to harm the commune.
- In Ziga, the budget line has been retained for the librarian salary. The mayor has promised to engage the librarian in time as a communal agent, but it is only a promise. As for the library, the librarian receives nearly 40 visits by and about 10 books are checked out each day.
- In Béréba, Alidou is planning to meet the mayor of Bereba to see what has happened with their efforts to re-open the Bereba and Dimikuy libraries. The mayor has been dragging his feet, and despite promises of other local government officials, nothing is done, despite the “Friends of Bereba” group in Ouagadougou saying they would pay part of the librarian salary.
