Library Usage Surges
The population of visitors
to the Spring Village Library continues to grow in “leaps and bounds”. Over
the last two months the library has experienced a recent surge of new users. This
started as school began its new term and as students are now getting back
into their studies. The visitors range from youngsters from the basic school to
professionals, as residents are starting to see the resources of the library
a key source for their own development.
The library is fast
becoming a hub for those doing serious research in high school and college
and has also become part of the daily routine for students attending the Spring
Village Training Centre. There are also daily visits from students dropping
in from the All-age school next door who stop by to do their homework or use
the computers.
The Spring village has now
emerged as a key component in improving the quality of education for residents
of the community and is also experiencing a steady population of usage from
non-residents as well.
The library continues to
face challenges since the space is much too small for the level of utilization;
nevertheless those who attend are eager for the breadth of material they find
and are not daunted by such limitations.
Plans
are underway for providing additional space however funding is very limited. The
goal is to add a second floor to the existing facility to improve its service.
If you would like to donate to the expansion program please feel free to
notify us at: svlib@yahoo.com
Spring Village Library Featured on TV
During the week of Spring
Village Reunion 2008 the Spring Village Library was again placed in the
spotlight. This time a media house was on site to feature some of its key
achievements and to chronicle its progress since its inception. This took
place during the career and Information expo day put on by the US Chapters at
the community centre.
Click to watch
the video!
Library Launches new Website and Online Catalog
The Spring Village Library continues to make great strides in
its evolution as it sets course to become one of the most resourceful
libraries in Jamaica. Sponsored by the Spring Village
Associations abroad, the project has been spearheaded by the New York chapter in collaboration with the Spring
Village Development Foundation which is a local body.
Since its inception over the last two and a half years it has
seen significant changes. Some of these key milestones include a collection
of over 10,000 books, tapes, CD’s and videos donated predominantly by the
Morris County Library of New Jersey, USA, Computers donated by the New York
Chapter and other Organizations, High Speed Internet by Jamaica Broilers,
Furniture by the Florida Chapter and library management software by the New
York Chapter.
The latest developments now include is own website coupled
with online catalog (also donated by the New York Chapter). This is in
keeping with the goal of using the most current technology where possible. As
a result the collection is now visible to the outside world. This means that
patrons in the village or outside will be able to search for items before
making a trip to the library. They will also be able to send a note to the
librarian to reserve the item if necessary.
This marks another chapter in the unflinching desire to
improve the socio-economic wellbeing of the community by providing freeform
access to current knowledge.
As a result of the library, for the first time in our history
there have never been more youngsters attending a library and engaging the
reading experience as a natural part of growing up. Slowly but surely, adults
as well as others from neighboring communities are embracing the opportunity
as they are beginning to find it a much needed resource, of course, this is
only the beginning of great things to come.
As time goes by, plans are being made to expand the facility
to create much needed space for additional activities.
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