Problems and potential in community libraries

Creative solutions

“We can walk out to collect books from government agencies, embassies and universities to enrich our own collections.〃

- Jim Habib, retied American in Tongzhou

The library-building campaign caught the attention of several foreigners who decided to start an English library. Jim Habib and his wife Lorene are one of the couples maintaining a small English library in Tongzhou District.

Aside from calling for donations, the couple actively solicits books and magazines from embassies and colleges. They hope their small library can eventually become a bookstore and English club.

“We have to take the initiative to collect books and magazines if we are determined to build up our library,” Habib saidBut like other libraries, the Habibs also need permanent staff and regular volunteers.

Communities should try to hire people who have social work experience and who know how to make connections to solve problems,” said Yang Rong, an assistant professor of social management at Beijing University of Technolgy.

Some of that networking may be tackled by Capital Library.

“We are building a network of community libraries that will be based on four levels: municipality, downtown residential communities, suburbn districts and the rural countryside,” aid Deng Juying, vice curator of the Capital Library, the proposer of the initiative.

Last year, the municipal government started a fund that will be used to supply each district with a yearly sum of 1.5 million yuan to be used for new books. Dongcheng District has already organized a center to oversee purchases, distribution and circulation between all libraries under its control.

“We are still ust getting started, so I’m sure things will improve once the government starts to support our best efforts,” Yang said“Community libraries aren’t about size,” Deng sai“Of course, we most certainly would expand, gien the opportunity.”