Village libraries

About the program

While doing the school library progrmme, we realized that having a vibrant library in the school is not enough, but the village, community, parents need to read which may have positive influence on the children’s reading. There is no print-rich environment in the tribal villages. even basic material like leaflets, newspapers and magazines that encourage literacy were amiss in the geography. Reading supplies were in dearth, and opportunities to read the written word is absent. They are completely unaware about the library concept. So the primary purpose of starting the Village Library was to create a reading environment in the tribal villages so as to encourage children to be readers. We started the village library programme , in the period of corona lockdown i.e. in 2021 June in one tribal village on a pilot basis, which grew further and now it is running in in 4 tribal villages from Akot Tehsil of Akola district of maharashtra, India.

Aims and objectives

We aim to create a culture of reading and thinking in the tribal villages and schools through village libraries and school libraries, thereby encouraging people to understand and engage with the world around and beyond them and develop critical thinking, which will empower them to transform their lives. The reading culture in villages and schools ultimately plays a positive and constructive role in children’s education.
We also aim to give dignity to the Korku tribal language by creating books in it.

Strategy for implementation

Reaching every house in all the 4 tribal villages with books, bring the population of almost all age groups into reading.

Activities

  • Door to door visits for lending of books two to three times a week
  • Reading story on a loudspeaker for all in two villages once a week
  • Audio recording of the local stories from the villagers
  • Write the stories situated in local living

Story of Change

  • By regular reading of books on various subjects, a total of 26 parents from three villages (Januna, Khirkund Kh. and Khirkund Bk. of Akola district, Maharashtra state, India) have started participating in their children's education and studies. These parents are now asking their children about what they learned in school daily and what difficulties they face in their studies.
  • Children from all villages have started approaching the village book fairy (Gavmitra) to request books and are reading books regularly.
    In Koha village, 6 children aged 3 to 6 years have increased their participation in borrowing books. Children particularly enjoy taking books with more pictures.
  • A loudspeaker library (Bhonga Vachanalay) was started for illiterate people so that they also enjoy the library in audio format. Now, along with the loudspeaker library, these people have also started requesting books and have their family members read the books while they listen.
  • Two women from Khirkund Bk. village and 1 woman from Januna village learned from art books and created decorative items for their homes. This has been useful in home decoration and has also inspired other women.
  • The Anganwadi teacher from Khirkund Bk. takes stories and song books from the village library and uses them with the children in her Anganwadi centre. The children are really enjoying this.
  • Prashant Gavte from Khirkund Bk. village read the book on Right to Education Act and is spreading awareness about the provisions of the law among the villagers while also enhancing his own understanding of the law.
  • The reading level of people from all villages has now increased. Earlier, these people mostly borrowed storybooks, but now they are requesting and reading informative books that are useful in their daily lives, including books on health, laws, financial education, etc.
  • Women from Khirkund Bk. village and Januna village are taking information from health-related books and applying that knowledge in their daily lives.