Libraries as a platform for community learning


Libraries have an important role in the community. In fact they should act as platforms for community learning and innovation.

Communities should look at them as platforms. A platform provides resources that let other people build things.

Accordingly libraries should provide services (preservation, access, publication) as a gateway to knowledge.

They should not draw distinctions between physical and virtual spaces.

Library and information services and collections should allow the community to dream and achieve its aspirations.

Therefore, libraries should open up operations and ideas to the community. To open up operations, investment is crucial.

Government and relevant stakeholders need to invest in libraries to maintain places for people to meet, share and learn together since a community library is like a beach, where we all have a right to be there and make use of it.

Also, librarians need to know their local community intimately - not just their library.

They need to be able to point people in the right direction over a variety of personal and community needs.

Many different opportunities should be identified, including reading groups, writing groups, language classes, cultural activities such as drama, and health activities such as well-being classes, information seminars about local volunteering or other opportunities and outreach activities into more remote communities. 

The aim should be to see libraries working with disadvantaged groups, existing users and non-users, voluntary and community groups and other community service providers.

Since libraries are platforms for community learning and innovation, the community through the help of government also needs to help transform them.

The test of that transformation is not in a building, collection or service; it is in the achievements of the community.

Access to information is a fundamental right and libraries should be used to promote and protect this basic human right - Lazarus Sauti.

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