Library assistants attend workshop

Revealing that students and teachers who have good libraries perform better, library consultant Dr. Cherrell Robinson has commended the training of library assistants and the updating of school libraries across the country.

Dr. Robinson, who addressed the 21 untrained library assistants from primary and secondary schools at a four-day workshop on Tuesday, pointed out that when good libraries are established people tend to read and learn more. {{more}}

She called on the assistants to not just see themselves as people who fetch information for people, but as the ones who help people become literate and make the library become a place where information can be accessed systematically.

The consultant also reminded participants that they are living in a global technological environment where information sharing is no longer kept a secret, hence the need to keep up with the trends.

Senior Education Officer Muriel Fraser, who was also in attendance, noted that the workshop was part of government’s vision to educate and encourage more reading at schools in a conducive environment.

Fraser outlined that besides achieving higher learning, most life transforming information was revealed from spending time at the library, hence the need to provide updated services.

The Workshop for Library Assistants was conducted at the Vinsave conference room from April 25 to 28, with funding from the OECS Education Development Project, OEDP, the World Bank and government.

Besides trained library assistants to help manage the libraries, funding has also been provided for air conditioning units, computers, audio-visual equipment and books for the refurbished and newly built school libraries throughout the country.