Library Management Workshop Ende : Creating a child friendly library

In addition to providing physical renovation of the building and giving high quality children books, library development programs conducted by Taman Bacaan Pelangi also target human resources related to libraries, namely school principals, teachers, and librarians. Therefore, in late October, principals, teachers’ representatives, and librarians from 18 schools from Ende, in collaboration with Taman Bacaan Pelangi, participated in the Library Management Workshop held at Hotel Flores Mandiri, Ende.

Participants from the district North and South Ende took pictures with Head of Library & Archives Department Ende and Secretary of Education & Culture Office of Ende Regency.

Principal from Kec. North and South Ende took pictures with Head of Library & Archives Department Ende and Secretary of Education & Culture Office of Kab. Ende

Participants of this workshop were divided into two phase, the first workshop with participants from 9 schools in North Ende and South Ende District was held from 25-27 October 2017, while nine other schools from Central Ende and East Ende District attended the second workhsop on October 30 to November 1 in the same place. In addition to representatives from partner schools, the training was also attended by representatives of the UPT Department of Education and Culture from four districts (North Ende, South Ende, Central Ende, East Ende), as well as representatives from the Education and Culture Office (DoE) and the Library and Archives (DoL) of the Ende regency.

The workshop was opened with a speech from the Head of the Department of Library and Archives and Secretary of the Education and Culture Office.

Principal from the district central Ende and east Ende take a picture with Secretary of Education & Culture Office of Ende Regency.

Participants from the district central Ende and east Ende take a picture with Secretary of Education & Culture Office

In the first day of the training, participants learn the primary purpose of the child-friendly library, which is to nurture reading habits in children. In addition, participants identify the roles and responsibilities of different parties in the school. It turns out, not only librarians have roles and responsibilities in the library, but also principals, teachers, and even students.

Participants Identify Role & Responsibilities of Principals

Participants Identify Librarians’ Role & Responsibilities

Entering the last session on the first day, the participants started arranging the place of furniture in the library. There are many ideas that arise in this session, because participants are given the freedom to be creative in accordance with their respective considerations.

Participants Drawing a Library Room Plan

Participants Explaining Library Furniture Arrangement

Book leveling became the main learning material of second day workshop. The books that are in the library will be held on the basis of the difficulty of the text in it. It is often emphasized that this book level is not the same as the student grade/class, because in one level the child’s ability to read may vary, so it can not be standardized as grade.

Participants identify book levels.

Participants practices the process of the Book Loan

On the second day, participants also learned how to take care of the book. What attracts a lot of attention is the way to turn pages.

Participants practice turn the page of a book

At the last session of the second day, participants were also invited to identify rich-reading materials that would later be displayed in the library.

Participants identify print-rich material

Participants identify print-rich materials

On the last day of workshop, workshop focuses on the concept of child friendly libraries that emphasize positive adult behavior. What it means is the complete physical means and the best quality of books, if the adult behavior in the library is not child-friendly (adult negative behaviour).

Through this workshop, Taman Bacaan Pelangi with principals, librarians, and teachers agreed to create child-friendly libraries in 18 selected schools in Ende District. It is a pessimistic expression of the small number of participants about the child-friendly concept at their school, but all participants finally agreed to equally trying their best in providing a child-friendly environment.

Interactive games during workshop

Games during workshop

This workshop is a place to learn together. There are so many things that can be learned for six days with principals, teachers, librarians, and government officials. This training is not just about teaching, but openness and two-way communication are able to open up big discussions and make us all learn.

Participant discussed

Facilitators directs the participants to stay focus on the workshop

Facilitator explain learning material

The purpose of Taman Bacaan Pelangi with schools and government officials in Kab. This Ende is the same, to provide the best education for the future of the nation in the center of this Flores Island.