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Developing Best Practice in Reading Tents in East Africa Robert Sarjant, Head of Operations, Book Aid International, UK World Library and Information Congress, Oslo 2005

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Background <ul><li>3 countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania </li></ul><ul><li>Only 10% of schools have libraries </li></ul><ul><li>Publishing is weak </li></ul><ul><li>Literacy rates are low </li></ul><ul><li>Lack of reading culture </li></ul><ul><li>Growth of Primary Education </li></ul>

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Background <ul><li>East African Book Development Association (EABDA) formed in 2001 </li></ul><ul><li>Runs reading tents </li></ul><ul><li>And trains teacher-librarians </li></ul><ul><li>Formed partnership with Book Aid International (BAI) in 2003 </li></ul>

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Book Aid International <ul><li>established 1954 </li></ul><ul><li>works with partners to create reading and learning opportunities for people to realise their potential and alleviate poverty </li></ul><ul><li>provides books and training to libraries and the book chain in 18 countries </li></ul>

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EABDA’s Mission <ul><li>To enhance a reading culture in Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania, through developing the book chain (authorship, publishing, distribution, readership) & to encourage cross border trade in books. </li></ul>

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EABDA aims to: <ul><li>develop projects that ensure creation and supply of appropriate reading materials </li></ul><ul><li>support development of school & community libraries, & training of teachers in reading and library development </li></ul><ul><li>initiate/support projects & campaigns to build a book-reading culture </li></ul>

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Why reading tents? <ul><li>Breaks association between reading and textbooks </li></ul><ul><li>Makes reading for fun </li></ul><ul><li>‘ an outreach tool used to promote reading, stimulate a desire and love for reading, develop reading skills and a reading culture.’ </li></ul>

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Reading Tent Activities <ul><li>Storytelling and drama </li></ul><ul><li>Face painting </li></ul><ul><li>Puppet shows </li></ul><ul><li>Art (draw your favourite character) </li></ul><ul><li>Quizzes </li></ul><ul><li>Puzzles and games </li></ul>

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Working in partnership to: <ul><li>Promote reading as a basis for education and lifelong learning </li></ul><ul><li>Increase access to info. through libraries </li></ul><ul><li>Strengthen capacity within the book chain </li></ul><ul><li>Develop effective advocacy </li></ul><ul><li>Support professional skills development </li></ul><ul><li>Improve assessment of the outcomes </li></ul>

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Who is our audience? <ul><li>Children </li></ul><ul><li>Teachers – many are not readers </li></ul><ul><li>Parents </li></ul><ul><li>Wider community </li></ul><ul><li>Local leaders and business </li></ul>

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Planning and Partners <ul><li>Involve stakeholders & identify a lead </li></ul><ul><li>Mobilise the community </li></ul><ul><li>‘ the occasion created a sense of ownership & appreciation of the library by the local community & laid the ground for future participation of the local community, including the business people’ </li></ul>

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What materials? <ul><li>Relevant to target group/local situation </li></ul><ul><li>Appropriate language and style </li></ul><ul><li>Variety/diversity of titles </li></ul><ul><li>Good physical quality </li></ul><ul><li>Origin – local titles to promote local book industry </li></ul>

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Books from BAI

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How do we promote the project? <ul><li>Sensitisation </li></ul><ul><li>Posters & Announcements </li></ul><ul><li>Radio, TV and newspapers </li></ul><ul><li>Invitations to local dignitaries </li></ul><ul><li>Participation in book fairs </li></ul><ul><li>But more advocacy needed </li></ul>

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How do we train? <ul><li>Participatory approach </li></ul><ul><li>Sharing learning and best practice </li></ul><ul><li>Training the trainer </li></ul><ul><li>Focus on practical outcomes </li></ul>

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How do we keep going? <ul><li>Reduce reliance on donors </li></ul><ul><li>Keep sowing seeds – training, reading clubs, book weeks, library sessions </li></ul><ul><li>Build up best practice & evidence </li></ul><ul><li>Lobby governments for support </li></ul><ul><li>Collaborate with stakeholders </li></ul>

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No room in the tent!

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Conclusions <ul><li>Literacy guidelines useful for planning and looking back at projects </li></ul><ul><li>Reading tents project needs more work on latter stages of cycle </li></ul><ul><li>Given right opportunities, children all over the world will enjoy reading </li></ul>

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Book Aid International <ul><li>For further information: </li></ul><ul><li>Email: [email_address] </li></ul><ul><li>Or see www.bookaid.org </li></ul><ul><li>Full paper available from: </li></ul><ul><li>http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla71/papers/137e-Sarjant.pdf </li></ul>