In response to a situation involving a child (age 12) who is struggling to read. More so, a response to a parent and family unable to create a reading environment for their child. The need for reading/study spaces seems urgent in Belmont. And similar to the Jumbie Bin project, it involves community in a real way.
"The only books I've read are the bible and my text books from school." The small gesture of putting a shelf up on the gate outside with books, is subtle but suggests something alternative — that people read here.
This week, I begin a 6 month workshop about building small community libraries. This seems to be a recurring theme — books and community. The workshop is called Parallel Library Services.
It sees libraries as not just places to keep books and files, but as sites where important social practices are performed: annotating, community-building, reading together, supporting, organising, structuring and many more.
I'm a bit nervous about it and how it might tie back into the Belmont Library project. Earlier today, the lady who sells pies stopped me to find out more about the Library. She tutors and was keen on sharing the project with her students and parents. I'd love to create a series of alphabet murals in the lane where she lives.
