Community support is the key to maintaining the life of a library.
”OUR libraries are here to serve the community,” says Melanie Burgin, Children’s Librarian at Parkview public library. A simple statement, but increasingly more difficult to carry out with the severe budget cuts that most libraries have had to deal with.
To maintain their service levels and stock, library staff are finding that they have to expand their skills and branch out into new areas of work, such as fund-raising. This is easier said than done, as most libraries are understaffed and finding the time and energy to raise money is not easy. But some libraries, such as Parkview and Pimville public libraries, have risen to the challenge with enthusiasm.
Money for monkeys: Parkview Public Library’s mural was a fundraising initiative
photo: philippa garson
What people often don’t realise is that a library’s resources are a living entity in need of constant replenishment. To keep up to date, not only does the librarian need to have funds to buy newly published stock, whether it be novels, picture books or non-fiction, but she must also replace stock either because the information has become outdated, or because the stock has fallen to pieces from overuse.
Thembi Mkhizwana of Pimville public library says that, ”because of the severe budget cuts, we are feeling a lot of financial constraints, and books and other library materials must be carefully selected and bought”.
Under extremely difficult circumstances Mkhizwana puts a lot of effort into trying to raise funds for her library, but says ”funders are often more interested in sports and other things than in education”. She adds that many library users view the library as a free resource, as it was before the recently introduced membership fees, and are therefore very uncooperative in wanting to donate money for maintaining and bettering their library.
Usually one of the first ways for a library to raise money that can be spent at that library itself is to start a ”Friends of the Library” organisation, which according to Burgin ”is the access point to raising funds”. Parkview library has an active Friends organisation that, with the staff of the library, thinks up innovative ways of raising money for much-needed stock, equipment and utilities. Firstly there is the Friends membership fee, which will go towards the library; this is supplemented by a range of fund-raising ideas.
At Parkview the most obvious project is the beautifully painted wall mural at the entrance to the library. Burgin says ”people in the community are very willing to help” and for the painting of the wall, the paint for the mural was donated, as was the art work; leaving the library to sell the various animals and foliage in the mural at different prices to raise funds. As a reward for buying a monkey or an elephant, you get your name painted on the item. The Friends of Parkview Library also raises money by having raffles, with prizes donated by the community. Book sales are another way of raising money and stocking the library. Burgin says book donations are welcomed at the library and donations are first considered with a view to supplementing the stock or replacing worn-out or stolen material.
Another very ambitious project carried out at Parkview library was the building of three public toilets last year. This project was completed with money raised from a tin on the counter for donations, and, on a bigger scale, with various businesses donating materials, such as bricks, toilets and taps. The next big scheme in the pipeline is the raising of money to build a study hall attached to the library. Study areas in libraries are vital as many children do not have space at home to study, or access to reference tools to complete their homework. The hall will also be used for community projects and in the holidays for special activities.
In South Africa today, public libraries are experiencing increased difficulties finding enough funding to maintain even the most basic services. In order to survive they have to become proactive and learn to fight for themselves. Communities and businesses must be reminded that public libraries have a direct link to schools and education, and that they are used to supplement school libraries, if indeed there is a school library. To do this, public libraries need capable and friendly staff and adequate stock and equipment. It is vital that those public libraries that are not already doing so should follow the example of those that are being proactive about fund-raising, and get out there and publicise themselves and their needs.
— The Teacher/Mail & Guardian, June 15, 2000.
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