Now all of you should have known there was no way I'd ever neglect to show all my people back home how the mobile library thing is done in West Kalimantan. This was especially true after the welcome I received at Pontianak's perpustakaan (library in Indonesian). Not only did Ibu (a polite prefix that translates as "miss" in Southern English) Nurlaila agree to stop what she was doing and talk with me, a former library outreach worker from America, but she also agreed to let me ride around in the bookmobile as it made the first part of its route one morning. Here in this photo, the mobile library is providing the opportunity to check out books from the library, located a long distance from their campus, to several students at a technical secondary school (SMK) that trains workers for the tourist industry.Our visit took place on the day after the Muslim holiday Idul Adha, or Feast of the Sacrifice. For some reason, I have been unable to escape the slaughter of cattle on holy days since coming to Indonesia, and this was indeed taking place right in the parking lot in back of the library as we left on our journey around Pontianak. As usual, Satria assisted me with Bahasa Indonesia and transportation. He has had many questions about bookmobiles and their role in public libraries in the USA since I first showed him pictures of the vehicle I used to drive as an outreach worker for the Tuscaloosa Public Library.
Ibu Nurlaila concluded our visit when the mobile library pulled into a store along the side of the road, and it was time for Satria to take me back to campus. I couldn't quite make out the reason for her stopping there at first, but soon gleaned that it had something to do with book donations. In other words, the library in Pontianak, Indonesia, has a deposit collection! And, it seems to work by a method remarkably similar to what we use in Tuscaloosa.
As for the vehicle itself, I think that in Tuscaloosa, we could use about four of these small vans with fold-down sides. Many of the stops we service could be served more effectively, and the vehicle is a lot more maneuverable than what we might otherwise use.
So, Jana, if you give me my old job back, I'm ready to apply everything I learned in Indonesia!
I'm amazed this exists. I'm not incredibly surprised that you located it, and spent a day rolling around with it. I thought, when I read the headline, that you had actually made this.
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I assure you I did not make it, but since American Corners does not exist yet here, I have many reasons to be interested in the library, as AC is often library-based. Because the start-up cost is $50,000 US, I don't believe it will happen on my watch, but I am gathering information. There are 600,000 people here. That's a big enough town for AC.
ReplyDeleteThank you to difunded and comunicate this service so important by zones without library near.
ReplyDeleteI´m from Europe and U didn´t knowb the bookmobiles in Asia.
Cary, I am sitting here with Angel, Adriana & Martin (new student). We are enjoying reading your blog and seeing the pictures! I am sharing the blog site and your facebook page with all the students so we can get online communication going! GREAT to see you doing so well!! We miss you!!
ReplyDeleteWynn