Contribution of Traditional libraries in Social Development: A Discussion

Author Topic: Contribution of Traditional libraries in Social Development: A Discussion  (Read 1579 times)

Offline mubassir

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Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha
Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha, a nongovernmental organization in Bangladesh, for its pioneering approach to bridging the digital divide and its commitment to providing free public access to computers and the Internet. Through the use of indigenous boats converted into mobile libraries, schools, and the Mobile Internet Educational Units on Boats program, Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha provides educational services, access to technology, and computer training to poor communities in a Northern Bangladesh watershed.
Community Development Library (CDL)
The establishment of the Community Development Library (CDL) in 1980 whose role is to cater to the information needs of development agencies and social workers, through an institution which would provide development workers with resource materials and up-to-date information on a variety of issues is discussed. The organization of the CDL is described, and additional services are noted: press clippings; current-awareness services; a reading circle; action research and publication; audio-visual programme; and development resource promotion. The CDL also maintains 30 regional, district, and local Rural Information Resource Centres (RIRCS).


Room to Read
Room to Read is a non-profit organization for improving literacy and gender equality in education in the developing world. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and founded on the belief that "World Change Starts With Educated Children," the organization focuses on working in collaboration with local communities, partner organization,ns and governments. Room to Read develops literacy skills and the habit of reading among primary school children, and supports girls in completing secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond. Its operations included School Libraries, Girls’ Education and Book Publishing in the Bengali language. In 2011 our team also introduced Reading & Writing Instruction and School Construction. Our key NGO partners in the country include SHARP and EC Bangladesh.
Northern Regional Library
Creating a support network for young women in Ukraine. Librarians in the small town of Zaporizhia launch a program to provide girls with technology training, career advice, and an overall support network.  As a result of the program, girls in the community now spend more time at the library using computers and the Internet than they do getting in trouble on the streets.
Agricultural Research Institutes (RARIs)
Information and Knowledge generated by research centers for the rural community are helping to develop agricultural development in Ethiopia’s remote areas. Supplying improved agricultural technologies; popularization of improved technologies; coordinating of the national agricultural Researches and capacity building of Researchers are the main purpose of RARI in Ethiopia.
Shah Krishi Tathya Pathagar
In short SAIL is the first ever agricultural library started its journey at a remote corner of Bangladesh at village named Kaligram of Naogaon district under Rajshahi Division. One of the major purposes of this agricultural library is to deliver the knowledge in several disciplines of agricultural education so that the farmers can stand on their feet for the purpose of food security and environment. Their main services are Agricultural education for the preparing to engage in production agriculture and Advancement in an agricultural farming through a program of continuing education.
Agyauli Community Library
Agyauli Community Library located in Nepal. The initial community impetus to establish the library was to address social issues to do with unemployed youth and old aged people, whose chief pastimes were gambling and playing cards. The vision in establishing the library was to help improve education levels within the community, and with this in mind the library conducted literacy classes, child education programs and other activities for youth, children and senior citizens. They provided library services for children, youth and senior citizens so that they can pass their time in library reading books than gambling.
Jhuwani Community Library
Jhuwani Community Library located in Nepal. The library now maintains a variety of programs in areas such as; educational development, health awareness and HIV/AIDs awareness programs, and women’s empowerment and livelihood opportunities. It conducts non-formal education and reference services for school students and helps to support the establishment of local school libraries. In addition, there are computer programs for local youth, special programs for women.
Summary of the Discussion
As per the discussion above we got some interesting scenario where libraries working as a social component to develop the society, in short underdeveloped community of the society. Following are the shortlist of social sectors where libraries engaged most:
1.   Remote people’s social and educational development
2.   Women’s Development
3.   Women Empowerment
4.   Social Crime Control Over Women
5.   Early School Development
6.   Information Literacy
7.   Agricultural Development
8.   Arts and Cultural activities
9.   Over –aged Development
10.   Youth Employment