Masiphumelele Offers a Broad Selection of Titles
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OUTREACH MARIANNE ELLIOTT Masiphumelele offers a broad selection of titles. Regional Librarian, South The library operates as a satellite LIBRARY ofFish Hoek Library.The staff asiphumelele (previously are at present all on contract. known as Site Five) is an Thando Melamane works atthe M informal settlement situ- library every day andis assisted ated betweenthe communities of BLjSSjMS by Fish Hoekcontract staff. Fish Hoek and OceanView that Additional opening hours are came into existence in1992. funds from the OceanView LibraryTrust funded by Masiphumelele In1994 JeanWilliams, formerlibrarian of coveredsomeoftheexpenses;shelvingwas Corporation. OceanView and now director ofBiblionef, contributedby Hangberg Library; the small The library hasgone from strengthto started taking donated books to stoep was enclosed and a bench and other strength offering story-telling, school visits Masiphumelele on Thursday afternoons, items were donated. and a venue for outreach activities. Five offering passers-by the books fromthe The Western Cape Provincial Library nursery schools visit the library every bootofhercar. Service provided suitable book material. Thursday morning (more than100 Asinterestgrewandrequestsweremade Soon afterwards an official opening of the children). They exchange their books and for specific subjects, she investigated sev- Masiphumelele Community Library was listento stories. The staff attended the chil- erallocations for a more permanent venue. arranged and attended bylocal councillors. dren'sgraduation ceremonies atthe end of For sometime, she used a cornerofthe The keynote speaker wasVirginia Kasana, the year to witness the success ofthe pro- clinic in the mornings. She was now in con- the chieflibrarian from Langa Library. gramme. tact with a different section of the commu- Afterahousingdisputeon22August Lap Reading nity fromthose she had servedinthe 1999, the building was destroyed by fire. afternoons and thus felt she was neglecting Aunique programme,Lap Reading was Continued efforts to start a library failed started at Masiphumelele Library. Lap her original contacts. From there she used due to lack of funding. In 2002 funding was an area atthelocalschoolbuthadtoferryall Readingis a concept usedinthe United approved for the library plus an additional States. Two teachers are required to pre- the books, a table and chair to the venue amountdonated by Masiphumelele Cor- every week. Jeancontinuedher searchfor a sent the project: one to do the literacy poration run by John and Carol Thompson, trainingandoneto occupy the children. The more suitable location. An unused con- benefactors fromthe United States of tainerlookedpromising but after she had Masiphumelele Corporation sponsors the America (USA). When the council money projectandMilliFirth,(FishHoek)and emptied, cleanedit and made it presen- was withdrawn theThompsons decided to table, the school authorities decidedit Emma Booi (Masiphumelele) currently run take on the project alone with the assur- the programme. Mothers can bring their could serve as a classroom. Eventually she ance thatthe Fish Hoek Library would run was offered a roomthatthe schoolused as a toddlers to the library and while theylearn and oversee the operation ofthe library. the basics ofliteracy the childrenlistento storeroom. Although the situation was not The library was built at the beginning of always convenient and the room very stories and enjoy a formal pre-school 2003 and opened on15 September 2003. programme. Mothers then use their new- cramped,Jean persisted and started The book supply waslimited but withlocal teaching the children the concept ofa found skills to read to theirchildren. Some and overseas donations plus the Provincial comments fromthe studentsinclude: library, that is, borrowing and returning the Library Service bookstock, thelibrarynow library material. `the Lap Reading programme is a ray of Ateacher'sreportthatthe school hope for mothers and children to help recordedless absentees onlibrary day them bond throughreadingand books' appearedto Jeanconfirmation ofa measure . `books help childrento opentheir imagi- ofsuccess. It was at about this stage ofthe nation and be able to explore a world projectthat Sue Alexander (librarian) from unknown to them' Fish Hoek Library started to contribute . `the mothers are encouraged to read in time and resources, sharing responsibility English and are taught how to go about with OceanView Library for maintaining their daily lives communicating in English' the service. The library was at that time . `the programme has been a blessing and accessible to scholars only. has helped to develop children from Masiphumelele intellectually, physically From squatter camp to informal and socially' settlement . `Dear friends,I'mhealthy,I amwell, In1996,Jean discovered thatthe munici- hoping you guys the same. I still thinking palityowned an old farmhouse near the ofyouall,missingmyclasstoo.Thanksto mainroad atthe entrance ofthe settlement. have library Masiphumelele because I got Partly occupied by the Housing Depart- friends and sister now Ilove. Thanks for ment, the house had three empty unused books. I did read things Ilearn, word I rooms. On Jean'srequest Fish Hoek Muni- listento pronounce. Lots to sayguys, cipality authorised the use ofthose rooms wishing all wonderful Christmas. I will be as a community library. in King William'sTown for three week. Be Milli Firth from Fish Hoekgetting down to Once again Jean,Sue andtheir volunteers work with Cynthia, one ofthe learners at work10 January. Love you all. From cleaned and spruced up the new venue; your friend, Lorraine.Bye.' Cape Libr., Jan/Feb 2005 40 OUTREACH Readers are Leaders Above: The Lap Reading group The Readers are Leaders programme, provided by the Provincial Library Service, Above right: Emma Booi and Thando assists studentsin developing their reading Melamane choose a story for the chil- dren for the Lap Reading session skills. The course is presented at different levels, from beginners to tertiary level. Right: Athandile playing while his mother Three languages are available: Afrikaans, is learning to read Xhosa and English. Other activities which will provide a quiet study area. The A group ofmothers from Fish Hoek and firstfloor willbe used forlibrary extension Masiphumelele bring their children activities. As John said,`This programme together one afternoon a week to read, play has so many ofthe elements ofwhat we and socialise. On a daily basis, volunteers stand for in MasiCorp: we built a library from Fish Hoek read to the children, help thatthe communitylacked;Fish Hoek with homework and teach chess. They Library took responsibility for the success involve the children in a variety ofactivities ofthe operation;Masiphumelele people to stimulate interestin reading. were trained andjobs created for them; Local schools have also shared projects children are the beneficiaries; and the pro- with the children at the library. gramme is expanded by the Fish Hoek During the year Masiphumelele Library community, using their skills to benefitthe was fortunate enough to host a morning of children.' stories and traditional music from The project continues to grow and pro- Mmadosini, the well-known Xhosa musi- vides a much-needed service to the people cian and story-teller. She thrilled adults and ofMasiphumelele, enriching both the local children with her haunting music andlively community and those in Fish Hoek who stories. participate so enthusiastically. Computershavealsobeendonatedto Circulation statistics for the library. Educational programmes have Statistics January to December 2004 beenloaded onto the computer and staff Book stock (Western Cape Library Service) and children are being taught how to use Afrikaans Fiction 0 English Fiction 23 them. Afrikaans Fiction 20 Xhosa Fiction 30 False Bay College students also make use Afrikaans Junior Fiction 100 Non-fiction 9 ofthe library to supplementtheir studies. Xhosa Fiction 147 Afrikaans Junior Fiction 0 Afew sets of board games have been Xhosa Junior Fiction 550 English Junior Fiction 40 donated for use by the children and during English Fiction 594 Xhosa Junior Fiction 59 the holidays Fish Hoek Library presented English Junior Fiction 624 Junior Non-fiction 22 Non-fiction 651 some video shows provided by the Western Periodicals 8 Junior Non-fiction 548 To t a l 191 Cape Provincial Library. Study Collection 199 John and Carol Thompson have raised Junior Reference 69 funds to add a double story to the library Adult Reference 92 Kaapse Bibl.,Jan/Feb 2005 41.