Post on 13-Jan-2015
description
Librarians Without Borders: International Service Learning in GuatemalaRobyn Maler
Carolyn Doi
Librarians Without Borders (LWB)Non-profit organization Strives to improve access to information resources regardless of
language, geography, or religion, by forming partnerships with community organizations in developing regions.
LWB is made up of:
• Student committees at five
universities in Canada
• Volunteer Executive Team
• Board of Directors
• General members
Miguel Angel Asturias Academy
• Private, non-profit Pre K-12 school in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala,
• Founded in 1994 to eliminate education disparities through subsidized tuition
• Aim to create informed, critically-thinking, socially conscious citizens through its curriculum.
LWB – Asturias Project Beginnings
• Student-led initiative: LWB McGill Student Committee
• Dialogue began in Fall 2009• LWB trip to Guatemala, Spring 2010• 11 LWB McGill students• 10 days cultural visits and volunteer
work• Learn more about the community• Develop library manual of
recommendations in collaboration with Asturias staff
Asturias Academy Library
2009 – 2010 under construction
Jan 2011 official launch Located within the schoolCurrent users: Asturias
students & staffFuture plans:
Open up the library to the community
Ongoing collection development
Library Collection• Level 1 – under 7 years (542)• Level 2 – 8 to 12 years (1022)• Level 3 – 13 and up (147)• Total collection (~2000)
Asturias Library April 2010
Asturias Library January 2011
Partnership OutcomesAsturias Academy Librarians Without BordersImproved relationship
with LWB and international community
Increase awarenessAsturias staff/students
benefit fromSupport for the Library
KnowledgeResourcesGuidelines
Improved relationship with Asturias and library community in Guatemala
Increase awarenessOpportunity for LWB to
grow as a non-profit org.LWB students benefit from
service learning modelExperiential learningPresented opportunities for
professional growth
What’s happening now?
2010 – 2011 Asturias Library Project
Cross-committee participation
2010-2011 LWB Umbrella Project
Collection Development Projects
Service Learning Trip, April 2011
LWB Cross-Committee Participation2011 Guatemala Trip and Collection Development Projects
2011 Guatemala Trip Goal
To support the transition of the school library into a public libraryLWB McGill’s April 2010 trip to the Academy was a
relationship-building experienceWe can now build on the foundations laid over the
last year to extend services to the wider Xela community
Each student committee brings its own unique strengths and experience
Putting the „Public“ in Public Library
Who is the public? Who are the community members?
Of Spanish, Mayan, or other descentNative speakers of Spanish, K‘iche‘, or other Mayan
languagesDifferent educational socio-cultural backgroundsFamily members of Academy studentsLikely have no experience with public libraries or
reading for pleasureHow does this user group differ from the library‘s
present user group?
Challenges
Language barrierSpanish and K’iche’ speakers
Paucity of resources in K’iche’
Socio-cultural differences
Lack of a tradition of public librariesExisting libraries are underfunded and underutilized
Itinerary
April 22-24: Retalhuleu
April 25-29: Asturias Academy, Xela
April 30-May 3: Rio Dulce & Livingston
Activities at AsturiasLead by different participants and subgroups
Programming
Development and field-testing
Identifying gaps in the collection
Balancing the collection
K'iche' audio-book project Development of K‘iche‘-language audio book resources
Librarian training
Activities at AsturiasUser needs assessments
To determine users‘ information needs
We will assess demographic information, socio-cultural
and educational background, languages spoken and
written, literacy levels, personal priorities, work and
leisure activities
Activities at AsturiasCommunity outreach and engagement
Based on information gathered from user needs
assessment and knowledge of community
Strategies to target and engage women, the
impoverished, indigenous people, and other
marginalized groups in the community
Development of special outreach programs for these
groups
Activities at AsturiasLibrary marketing strategies
Based on information gathered from user needs
assessment and knowledge of community
Marketing strategies outline ways to inform different
community groups, especially adult women, K‘iche‘
speakers, and indigenous people, about the library and
its activities
Activities at AsturiasBlog
The blog will provide timely and concise updates on
the project’s goals and objectives
Allows people around the world to follow the project
Three blogging coordinators will be responsible for
mobilizing blogging efforts during the trip
Every team member will contribute to the blog
Trip document
Recommendations Action plan
Activities at Asturias
•Programming•Collection development•Staffing•Training•Marketing•Outreach•Lending policy•Technology
Future PlansOpportunity for students to share their experiences
from the trip with each other and the professional library community.
Continued collaboration with Asturias As their priorities change, so will our relationship with
them:another tripcontinued fundraisingExpansion of the library
ConclusionsOur commitment to Asturias has evolved as our
relationship has strengthened and their needs have changed.
Both Asturias and LWB have things to gain from this partnership
Thank you! Go to http://lwb-online.org/ for more information on this project.Find us May 27th – LWB at CLA Conference in Halifax