Service Point 93.pdf - CILIP

. . . The Caterpillar Project
Report from JUNE BAATJES
(see also pictures)
The gents are Clinton and his mate who did all the hard work. They did
the specs and added the missing links. There are a few things I want
them to improve on. It is 1.8 m high and the shelves accommodate
larger books as well. It can house approximately one hundred books
and I will have a large crate depot to replenish books. The colour is a
bit dark and my pics taken with an ordinary camera may not be too
great. I am documenting progress for the Adult Basic Education group
who are using it at night and a very small school group who will use it
at night. The place is called Koekenaap (a San word) and is a very poor
rural setting.
This caterpillar is the only access they have to books. The children
were very excited. It’s just started due to me not having funding to pay
for the box. This one is on castors and even I can push it. The children
are from Koekenaap which is a farming area, where 60% of the adults
are illiterate and only 30% of nine-year-olds can read. They are too poor
to travel the 20 miles to the nearest library. The adults are nomadic as
they earn well during the grape season which lasts three months and
then move in search of work.
This is a world's first and as I told you a pre-school one will be next.
Please tell everybody who encouraged and supported us that the box
bears the IFLA logo, I am hard at work to make this successful and document
how it works by means of pics and a video I wish to show next
year. Enjoy the IFLA conference, and Ian our heartfelt thanks for all your
support. I will remember Thelma in my opening speech at the small
launch we will be arranging at the end of our school term (end of
September)’.
Regards, June.
In Memory
Thelma Tate, who was a tireless worker for international mobile
libraries, women’s issues, and equality for black and African people,
sadly died in November and will be greatly missed. She was 71 and still
working for the cause when she died. I have lost a good friend.
Ian
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