Easier Together

These past two weeks have been the busiest weeks for the beneficiaries of library development program, collaborating with Rainbow Reading Gardens. How is it not? Bookshelves are distributed to schools, together with hundreds to a thousand of books and some equipment for the libraries.

The bookshelves, assembled in Labuan Bajo, were distributed to schools across West Manggarai Regency. These shelves are quite a lot, and their weight is so heavy that the arms may get stiff. Fortunately, the four shelves distributed to each school are not at all problems as many people take part in transporting them to the library.

The teachers, even the students enthusiastically help transport these colorful bookshelves to the library building, which has been renovated and painted beautifully prior to that moment.

These weeks are also the times to distribute hundreds to thousands of books to schools. Following the distribution is another special treatment to the books. These new books should be categorized based on their levels, stickers should also be placed on the books before they are displayed on the shelves.

It has been our concern since the very beginning of the program that this is not the job of the librarian alone. Everyone at school should participate as the library belongs to all of them. Therefore, once the books arrived at the school, teachers and a number of students spare their time after school to organize the books, such as when putting on stickers. It was a pleasure to see the library being the area for them to collaborate, before it is even opened.

Another thing to look at is during setting up library layout. I once visited a school and caught confused expression on the faces of teachers, principal, and the community leader when setting up the shelves in the library. I was about to smile brightly, but I decided not to. At one side, I felt sorry for them as I am aware it is hard to manage numerous ideas from everyone for the layout. However, I was grateful that they gave their all in order to get a perfect layout, based on the indicators they have held onto.

I cannot imagine if the collaboration were not there. If the librarian worked by themselbes. If teachers were not willing to spare thie times to help put on stickers. Ah, I can’t even imagine. Thank you, everyone! I believe that the hard work pays off! 🙂

Mahrita