Community Library cum resource Centre

An Initiative by

Vivekananda Sevakendra -O- Sishu Uddyan

Supported By READ Global & READ India

The Oceanic Library

The Oceanic LibraryCommunity Library cum Resource Centre

The Oceanic Library was the first project developed in India by Rural Education and

Development (READ) Global and READ India

VSSU’s Arena of Activities

VSSU Microfinance For Economic Development

Savings, Credit, Insurance

The Oceanic Libraryfor Livelihood promotion

Training & Skill Development

Ashok NilayFor Community Development

Health, Education, Environment

VSSU at inception, 1983Mission:

Poverty Alleviation and human development through

microfinance.

Vision: Community Dev. through Community Resources

2002 2011 2007

Destitute children Home

Residential Training Campus

Background Situated in a poorest part of the country near to

Sundarban Island Where 40% of villager’s are living Below Poverty

Level Where 30% people are still illiterate Where no public Library was situated with in 30

km radius. 80% of the School going students didn’t have

access to reference book even to their text books.

No shelter , no scopes inter community discussion for dev. among rural women.

36% of children are wasting their childhood in brickfield or being a child labuor

Objectives To set up a Self sustainable Community

Library To set up a resource Centre for

underprivileged. Spread & initiate an Idea “Education for

All” A community Library with a diversified

Scopes A skill development cum Vocational

training centre for youth & women's. An nonprofit business initiative for

community development

Inception & Milestones READ’s first visit to India and

meeting with Villagers (2007) Proposed Library Building model

approved Dec ‘’07 Lying of Foundation Stone to set up

The oceanic Library (December, 2007) by Senator Omer L rains

The library operations training programme will be conducted in March

2008. VSSU recruited its 1st Feb 2008.

Purchase of books started by end Jan 2008.

Cataloguing of the books started by Feb 2008.

Mile stones… Part of the library building construction

(up to ground floor)work by end June 2008 Library’s Children & Women section

started at mid of 2009. 2010 , Jan : Vivekananda Shakti Kendra

started to use renewable energy sources in collaboration with Onergy.

2010, Dec: Wild honey processing centre inaugurated in collaboration with World bank.

2011, Jan Library’s member reached up to 500

2011 Jan : The Oceanic library construction Completed.

2012 Proposed site for Nivedita College of education (B.Ed College)

A library with multiple possibilities

A community library for all A renewable energy centre for demonstration ,

selling & distribution of Solar energy product in joint collaboration with Onergy

Wild Honey Processing Unit with help of World bank through ICAR.

Fish cultivation & demonstration centre at library occupied water bodies.

Training , Seminar , Conference Hall at Library campus.

Handicraft training to women group of Library Children reading & amusement section. Free Community Health checkup Centre Tailoring Training among rural women.

Challenges

• To make a habit of reading among community

• Creation of a Women /mother's committee and take them out of Social barriers in vast scale.

• Assure 100% recovery of dispatched book for in house reader.

• Updating stock of text books along with frequently changing syllabus

• Lack of electricity & Computer , in rural scenario, is creating a barrier to connect between The oceanic library & world.

Sustainability Strategy Involvement of Local youths , women , children & aged

people

A spirit of team work among readers supporters &

organizers

Well & updated stock of reader demanded books ,

journals ..

Sustainability approach through business development

initiatives by using different resources

Ideas beyond book…with multiple skill dev training ,

vocational course & orientation programmes

Sustainability Strategy

Cordial supports from stakeholders.

Experience sharing and advice of neighbor

librarian , and practice of the same.

Hospitality and Service of Library staffs , group

members

Enough resources & proper planning to utilize the

same

Strong & devoted leadership of CEO

Continuous Support by READ Global & India team

Case Study: A walking Library

Mr. Kalishankar Roy, aged 47 serving people by delivering different types of books since 1972 ignoring all kinds of natural obstacles among different villages of of Sunderban Island by walking .

With the help of 40-45 pass books that belongs to the different members, he withdraws many books from local “Baneswar Library” , “Paritosh Public Library”, “The Oceanic Library” and The “Library of Nipith Ramkrishna Mission. He begins his journey taking two bags full of books on both shoulders, to make a habit of reading among community people of distant villages .

The objective is not to gain money, but it has become a hobby to him today. Kalisankar babu informs that every morning after having bath, he starts his journey at 09:00am and continue up to 5:00p.m. and walks almost 15 K.m. per day in the village path. According to him few years back he used to walk from Jaynagar to DiamondHarbour (32 km) for this purpose. At present the members of his Library are 150. According to him, “I am grateful to the all the Library particularly The Oceanic Library.”& to all my readers…

Our future Plan

To reach up to 2000 subscribers by 2012

To make stock of 15000 books Start up a Computer Literacy Centre

for students Initiate a English Speaking Course

for community People Establish a vocational training Center

for unemployed youth , women Start up a B.ED college at Library

campus by 2012 A community Hospital & nursing

Training School

By providing knowledge & expertise

By providing books , materials & equipment

By investing in our initiatives

For more info visit: www.oceaniclibrary.com

www.vssu.in

Join hands with us…..

We are always feeling …

“All the wealth of the world can not help one little Indian village if the people are not taught to help themselves” - Swami Vivekananda