Samoan library, Australian librarian: connecting people and libraries through international volunteering

Samoan library, Australian librarian: connecting people and libraries through international volunteering

Presented by Susanne NewtonAustralian Youth Ambassador for

DevelopmentNational University of Samoa Library

Samoa: Paradise lost? Two weeks ago a tsunami caused major

damage along the south coast of Upolu, Samoa’s main island, taking away the lives, homes and livelihoods of many Samoans.

All the main libraries are in Apia on the north coast and are unaffected by the tsunami

Five primary schools destroyed on the south coast that may have had small library collections.

Samoa: Paradise lost? The tsunami is a setback for this developing country

and a blow to tourism and developmentThe recovery process is in full swing. The Samoan

community have come together to support those affected

It is more important than ever to support SamoaImproving library services and training more

Samoan library staff is crucial to education, literacy and equal access to information for the Samoan people

Lalomanu before:

Lalomanu after:

Libraries in Samoa

Libraries in SamoaOne public library with two branches serves

a population of 180,000Many Samoans have never accessed a libraryTwo university libraries, one environmental

library, one medical library, and a few dozen small school libraries = approximately 50 libraries in country

Approximately 10 qualified librarians in country

No free public internet access available No public internet at the public library at all

Reading in SamoaLess than five bookshops serve the entire

populationBooks are expensive! $NZ40 for one book

when a weekly wage may be less than $NZ80 a week

Main sources of reading material are the newspapers, published in English and Samoan, and the Samoan bible

Samoa has a strong oral tradition of songs and stories for passing on knowledge – how can libraries tap into this?

Challenges in Samoan LibrariesLack of money – Libraries rely heavily on donated

material Lack of Samoan language material No dedicated National Library or legal deposit of

all Samoan material Lack of skilled library workers – studying is

expensive! Humidity / insectsSlow / no internet access = Web 0.0! 1950s attitude of libraries as silent and for study

only

Challenges in Samoan Libraries Vulnerability to climate change and natural

disasters Very little material digitisedMost libraries still rely on a card catalogue

systemSamoans have less access to current books

and information then developed nationsLack of internet access = less opportunity to

access informationA reading culture needs to be more

developed

Challenges in Samoan librariesIrrelevant or aged collections

How I ended up in Samoa I am spending one year in Samoa through the

Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development program, which sends 400 skilled young volunteers to developing countries each year, funded by AusAid.

I feel incredibly lucky be spending a year in Samoa and experience Samoan culture and hospitality first hand

I am devastated by the recent tsunami, which has affected each and every one of us living on the islands.

My role I am a librarian at the National University of

Samoa (NUS) library, serving a student population of 2000.

I coordinate the Pacific Law Library twinning program between NUS and an Australian law library

I lecture on a certificate course teaching 40 students to be school library assistants

I serve on the Library Association of Samoa executive committee, which this year has run a Library Week, storytelling sessions and a short story competition

Without skilled library workers...

Without skilled library workers...Insects breedBooks collect dustCollections are unused and unorganisedIrrelevant collectionsLittle understanding of how a library is used,

e.g. a school principal not wanting to let students into the school library, let alone borrow as the resources are seen as precious

School Library Assistant CourseNow in its third cohort, approximately 80

students have completed a four month course to work as a school library assistant

In practice, these students run school libraries single-handedly – a tough job!

It’s important to have training for library workers in country. To go further than certificate level, however, Samoans must study by distance, which can be prohibitively expensive

Library Association of Samoa

Library Association of Samoa

Library Week SamoaA huge success! An incredible response to

Library Week from a country that ‘doesn’t read’

Second Library Week ever; first was held in 1986

Storytelling sessions at the public libraryShort story competition attracted 150

original poems and stories about Samoan life500+ Samoan children paraded through town

dressed as their favourite book character accompanied by the US Navy Band and the Samoan Police Band

‘Learn to read, read to learn’

Pacific Law Library Twinning ProgramAn Australian Law Library is twinned with a Pacific

Law Library to provide resources, support and training

NUS Library is twinned with the Australian Attorney General’s Department Library

The Pacific Islands Law Library Community provides support for librarians working across the Pacific

Australian Law Libraries are twinned with libraries in Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands

Many library staff in these countries are running libraries with little or no training

Samoan libraries need: More up to date and relevant resources More IT infrastructure and accessMore training for library staff More Samoan language material To develop a stronger culture of library use,

particularly amongst children and students Better buildings to house materials, e.g. Air

conditioningMore digitisation to make important material less

vulnerable to the elements Professional development for Samoan library staff

How you can help Donate to the tsunami relief fundConsider donating your weeded material that is in

good condition to SamoaConsider twinning your library with a Samoan libraryScholarships for Samoan/Pacific library studentsExchange programs between Samoan and NZ

librariesSend library specialists to Samoa for training

regularly Allow Samoan libraries free or discounted access to

information your library holds e.g. theses relating to Samoa

Contact Susanne Newton

Australian Youth Ambassador for Development National University of Samoa Library

PO Box 2133 Apia, Samoasusannenewton@hotmail.com

libraryassociationofsamoa@gmail.com

Any questions?