Library & Information Science

The Working Together project was a Government of Canada funded project that ran from 2004-2008 in four Canadian cities. Over those four year, Vancouver Public Library, Halifax Public Libraries, Toronto Public Library, and Regina Public Library experimented with adapting community development techniques in order to develop a more inclusive approach to public library service. As part of these objectives, the project developed the Community-Led Service Planning Model, to guide libraries in planning and delivering inclusive library services.

The purpose of the Sustainable Library Development Training Package is to support and provide guidance to Peace Corps Volunteers engaged in library projects as both primary work assignments and secondary project activities. The training package is intended to strengthen the work of Volunteers in partnership with their communities and to help Peace Corps better demonstrate its impact.

Sources of Donated Books for Schools and Libraries is intended to help Peace Corps Volunteers and their counterparts identify organizations that might provide books and other educational materials for schools and libraries in their communities. The services described for each organization listed in Section A apply specifically to Peace Corps Volunteers. The services and procedures for organizations listed in Section B apply to counterparts or other host country nationals requesting assistance directly.

This book is for community leaders, librarians, library committees, volunteers, aid workers and others who are interested in the practical aspect of starting and maintaining a successful library. The introduction to this manual focuses on specific issues that the community and the library founder(s) need to address before establishing a library. The second and third sections focus on establishing and managing a library.

This book has been written to help you to set up and run the type of library that best suits your school. The guidelines are based on the many years' experience of VSO teachers and librarians working with local colleagues in low-resource schools throughout the developing world. (Available for download as a PDF through the Peace Corps Information Collection and Exchange program.)