መዘምር The Citizen Journalist from Ethiopia: Partnering with Haile Manas Academy’s Library

Partnering with Haile Manas Academy’s Library

Mezemir Girma

September 16, 2021

Debre Birhan

Previously I learned that Haile Manas Academy, Debre Birhan, was founded by the daughter of Professor Getachew Haile, a renowned scholar who passed away this year. I also read that they recruit students from all over the nation. This is a new educational initiative for the growing town and the entire nation.

As the day’s meeting was set with a short notice, in my office at Debre Berhan University I wrote down what I plan to tell them about myself into my notebook. “I’m a Debre Birhan native who works at the English Department of the university. I worked with VSO and Peace Corps. I did a translation of Left to tell into Amharic. Afterwards, I founded Ras Abebe Aregay Library, a privately owned one that gives on-the-spot reading service free of charge. I have working relations with the African Storybook Initiative and The African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA). In addition, I have published two additional books in the last two months.”

I headed home form the university and called the librarian at Ras Abebe’s. She met me at Jiru Road with copies of my three books. The Bajaj ride from Tebase to the school was way too expensive for the not-more-than-a-kilometer road. I couldn’t avoid it because I was in a hurry and knew no more than the direction. I arrived at the gate paid 80 Birr.

At the gate I met Mulualem, a girl who frequents our library as a reader. I greeted her and inquired why she happened to be there. She said she worked there as a laborer. When I asked her about her education, she said she was in grade 12 in the night program. How I expressed my appreciation to her! Who knows what our readers go through! Because she is an avid reader and a hardworking student, I think it was her economic situation that forced her learn in the evening program. “I appreciate you! Please keep in touch!” were my words of departure. “Okay! Thank you teacher!” she said as she usually addresses me.

Ras Abebe Aregay library’s vision is creating a reader community in Debre Birhan. It aspires to be a model in private library sector. Seeking partners for community outreach has been our desire for long and this opportunity is a golden one. Below let us see what the meeting holds for us.

The school is not as what one could imagine by seeing it from a kilometer distance. It is filled with magnificent buildings. Red roof white buildings gave the compound a graceful look. Yes! They are the likes of the buildings I saw at the American Embassy in Addis. Many more are under construction and a new visitor gets confused as there are no signposts yet.

I was welcomed by Mrs Rediet, an Amharic teacher at the Academy. This young mom said she knew me when I gave community outreach activities at Soressa School, a private school in town, and received me warmly. I was also introduced to others and then headed to a room where we had the meeting. When I saw the furniture and the level of the room, I felt how our library is a little better than an African library, an African library being a local term given to reading under tree’s shades. After a moment, I was introduced to Fetlework, a Chemistry teacher at the school. They had lunch in thirty minutes. I politely refused the invitation as I was a One Meal A Day eater. Afterwards, Tom, an American Biology teacher joined us. The director, a white woman, also came and greeted us in the middle of the meeting.

We discussed various issues of concern in the time I spent at the academy. They raised that they could assist libraries in town write a grant. They plan to donate 5000 books to libraries in town. These books are part of the 20,000 books that they will receive shortly from the United States. If the books are to be donated to school or community libraries, teachers should incorporate the books into the curriculum. Unless a means is devised, it seems hard to get them read at least from our library's experience. They promised to help alleviate space shortage at our place by sharing their spaces for joint book club sessions.

We agreed that our relationship won’t be of dependency. They need training in cataloguing and other library issues. The librarians at the university could support them in that. Since it was a university higher official that told them about my library, arranging the training and support seems possible from the university's side. Training of staff and students, connecting the libraries and inviting the public to come to the academy’s library are some of the issues raised.They seem workable ideas.

Book club members from the academy and Ras Abebe’s will meet and discussions will be held either in Amharic or English. Their students and Ras Abebe’s members can assist in facilitating club sessions and discussions.

With the Academy, each others’ needs we fill connect us. Needs filled by students and teachers will be given priority. Debre Berhan University, colleges, schools and public library connection is sought. Private libraries fill the gaps or deficiencies of public ones including opening hours, book collection, and librarians’ reading habit. Borrowing staff, lecturing on gaps on libraries in Ethiopia and much more are needed to be planned. To encourage readers, weekly blogs or podcast are needed and that was the suggestion from Tom.

As I was heading home with Mrs Rediet, I learned that the Academy was keen at supporting a nearby public kindergarten . Then, I informed her about the African Storybook Initiative I was involved in. If we do training to teachers at kindergartens and elementary schools, we can help make future readers. Storybooks, books and shelves would be bought and corners shall be started at the kindergartens and schools. We shall report to you what we accomplish in the coming months.