Book Box Libraries in action!

ZLS visited those schools with new book box libraries last week to see how they were getting on with using these libraries with their students and teachers. All 5 schools have made great progress - all the books have been processed properly to make it easier for students to find and borrow the books they need, many have been running regular storytelling sessions, teachers have been borrowing the book box to use for class reading lessons, and at Chumbuni Primary School, the teacher-librarians have promoted the book box library so well that their book box is nearly empty as most of the books are out on loan.

The students are loving having Swahili story books to read and all the teacher-librarians are already asking for more books for their book box libraries...

New book box libraries for 5 primary schools!

As part of our World Book Day 2007 celebrations (funded by the British High Commission in Tanzania), ZLS invited primary school within the Urban and West Districts on Unguja that don't have libraries to apply to receive one of five new book box libraries.

As most schools do not have any spare rooms to house a permanent library, book box libraries can be a good solution as they are lockable and compact, so that it is easy to store and move them around. Each book box opens up to reveal two shelves filled with 225 primarily locally produced Swahili and English stories and information books for new and developing readers.

The book box libraries also come with two large mats to provide students with somewhere comfortable to sit and read during library and storytelling sessions held outdoors.

Ten teachers from the five winning schools participated in a 3-day training programme in basic library skills and reading promotion techniques in May 2007 to help to prepare them to manage and promote their new book box libraries to their school communities. Once training had been completed, ZLS staff delivered a book box library to each school on 1 June 2007.

We look forward to visiting these primary schools in a few months' time to find out how these new libraries are being used by their students and teachers. If feedback is positive, ZLS is very keen to put more book box libraries in primary schools in other areas in Zanzibar.