This project to equip the Fingo Village Library will make it a well-stocked and welcoming space for the people of Fingo Village, Vukani and Tantyi – around 10 000 Xhosa-speakers who have few learning facilities nearby. The new Fingo Village Library outside Grahamstown will have a comfortable area for children to do their homework and a space for family literacy programmes and other community activities. The Library will be situated in the grounds of the Raglan Road Multi-Purpose Community Centre (MPCC) and is a joint project between the Makana Municipality, the Grahamstown Library and the Centre for Social Development. The Centre already houses a pre-school, computer centre, a service centre for the elderly and a Bing Bee Kiosk computer facility.

Impact

The impact of this project is yet to be recorded as the construction of the Library is not complete. However, the Centre for Social Development expects the eventual impact on the community to be significant, as they have already purchased many mother-tongue (isiXhosa) books, appropriate for the area in which the library will operate, and also a number of non-fiction/reference books that will help children with their school projects. The curtaining fabric and wall hangings purchased so far are colourful and bright and are expected to significantly enhance the Library as a welcoming and enjoyable space to be.

Activities

• Almost all of the books have been purchased from Biblionef in Cape Town and were especially selected by them to cater for isiXhosa-speaking children. As books are purchased, they are sent to the Grahamstown Library where they are covered and catalogued.
• The equipment that has been purchased is being stored at the Centre for Social Development offices.
• The curtaining fabric has been bought in an ethnic design and will set the tone for a vibrant and inviting space. A local woman has been contracted to make the curtains.
• Further soft furnishings will be purchased during August once the building is complete the usage of space has been fully planned.
• At this stage, the Centre for Social Development is holding off on the purchasing of a book trolley, as the Regional Library Services might provide one.

Expenditure

The cost of the project is R90 000 with R45 000 still to be received.

Challenges

The main problem has been that the construction of the building took a long time to commence due to bureaucratic district municipality issues. It has also been challenging to manage the project as a partnership between two tiers of local government and the NGOs involved.

Monitoring and evaluation

Fortnightly site meetings are held with all stakeholders, where everyone is updated on the progress of the building and expenditure to date. Towards the end of the year, and in collaboration with the relevant librarians, the usage of the library and the impact of the particular book stock and other items will be evaluated.

Conclusions

Once the Library building is completed, this project will have a significant impact on a great number of people in the community by giving them access to mother-tongue books and making the library a warm and inviting space in which to read and learn. The project is also sustainable as the Community Library is a partnership project with the Makana Municipality, who will take responsibility for the running of the library on an ongoing basis.