{"id":531,"date":"2009-03-12T02:27:16","date_gmt":"2009-03-11T20:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/?p=531"},"modified":"2009-03-12T02:27:16","modified_gmt":"2009-03-11T20:27:16","slug":"the-low-priority-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/2009\/03\/12\/the-low-priority-library\/","title":{"rendered":"The low priority library"},"content":{"rendered":"

The only public library in town is so cramped, one has to worm one\u2019s way around<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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A few steps away from the massive and modern Taj Tashi hotel, across the noisy six-lane upper Norzin Lam, lies an aged one-storied building. Its significance and, at the same time, unfortunate obscurity, becomes apparent after reading what\u2019s written on a small sign that hangs over its door: \u201cJigme Dorje Wangchuck Public Library, 1979.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

While larger modern buildings, that house snooker rooms and bars, video game parlors, video rental stores, dance clubs and other social entertainment venues sprout all around it, Bhutan\u2019s sole public lending library continues to languish in the same building it has occupied since 1985.<\/p>\n

The building, smaller than any single floor of the Taj Tashi, has five rooms accessible to the public. None of these rooms are large enough to fit even five rows of shelves. Books are stacked on shelves that line the walls creating an even more confined area. A middle shelf placed in the centre of the main area causes visitors to uncomfortably squeeze past each other while browsing for books. Looking for a book on a bottom shelf becomes virtually impossible because either a chair or the next row of shelves is in the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe present building is not suitable for an institution, that not only serves the public\u2019s need for information and knowledge, but is also an essential instrument in getting Bhutanese, particularly the youth to enjoy reading,\u201d said its chief librarian for 28 years, Tshewang Zam. \u201cWe need more youth to pick up reading habits instead of roaming the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n

The library has a total collection of 12,189 books, a number that could have been over 20,000, according to library assistant, Tshering Phuntsho.<\/p>\n

\u201cYearly we have to buy new books and we have to make space for them.\u201d He said old books had to be removed from the library\u2019s collection. Damaged books that were beyond repair were withdrawn and either sold to the public, donated to schools, or simply dumped as trash. For the year 2009 until February, 187 books have already been withdrawn to make space for newer books. These books have been trashed.<\/p>\n

There are other difficulties. It cannot accommodate enough members. Library records show its membership has increased to about 1500 today from 370 members in 2005. Assistant librarian Tshering Phuntsho said that the majority were students.<\/p>\n

Yet, the library has only 4 tables and 15 chairs and two benches available for visitors. Assistant librarian Chandra Gurung, who has worked at the library for the past 15 years, said, \u201cSometimes we arrange mats on the floor for them to sit and study.\u201d She also said students use the non-fiction section, a tiny room that is also a store for boxes filled with damaged books, when all four tables in the reading area are occupied.<\/p>\n

Asked whether the library management had submitted requests to Thimphu city corporation (TCC) for relocation to a bigger building, Chandra Gurung said they have been waiting for the past 7 years. \u201cWe\u2019ve submitted proposals to the city corporation several times but, apparently, because of a lack of budget, there\u2019s nothing we can do but wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

TCC executive secretary, Phuntsho Gyeltshen, said, \u201cThere are plans but the city doesn\u2019t have the resources.\u201d Asked whether a specific building had been identified since the library\u2019s first proposal for relocation in 2002, and how much longer till the library was relocated, he declined any further comments, saying he had no definite information on the matter.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the library continues to operate in its cramped accommodations. It provides free community services, such as a bi-annual reading challenge and weekly reading, art, origami and singing activities for children. \u201cDuring these events, we have to take the tables and chairs out of the building to fit more people inside,\u201d said Tshering Phuntsho. \u201cIt\u2019s not a comfortable place for children to read.\u201d He also said that sometimes children passing by looked in and seemed interested in the activities being conducted, but they find no space and leave.<\/p>\n

These free community services are organized jointly with the Friends of the Library (FOL), a group of volunteers involved in supporting reading activities. A founding member of the group, Siok Sian Pek-Dorji, said, \u201cWe\u2019d conducted a media impact study in 2003 and it confirmed our suspicions that reading was decreasing. At the same time, membership at the library was dropping, the budget had just been slashed and so we thought we\u2019d better show some support.\u201d She also said it was important to promote a reading culture amongst the youth so that they are able to write and express themselves.<\/p>\n

Kesang Yuden, a businesswoman and parent, who brings her son to the library every day after school, said she would definitely be happier to see a bigger and better equipped library. She said, \u201cI want my son to be more into reading and expanding his knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a shame for a prospering city like Thimphu to have neglected the public library,\u201d said renowned Bhutanese author, Kunzang Choden, and a founding member of FOL. \u201cThe absence of a good public library is an indication that our society has failed to nurture our youth with meaningful leisure and lifelong learning.\u201d<\/p>\n

By: Gyalsten K Dorji<\/em>
\nSource: Kuenselonline<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The only public library in town is so cramped, one has to worm one\u2019s way around A few steps away from the massive and modern Taj Tashi hotel, across the noisy six-lane upper Norzin Lam, lies an aged one-storied building. Its significance and, at the same time, unfortunate obscurity, becomes apparent after reading what\u2019s written … Continue reading The low priority library<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,8,19],"tags":[460,827],"class_list":["post-531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education-sustainable-development","category-gross-national-happiness","category-youth-sustainable-development","tag-education","tag-library"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/531\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgetobhutan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}