-------------

It is not news for community libraries in Uganda to lack enough necessary books to stock their library spaces compared to the huge number of children who use the libraries.

This is because, they are solely individual-appropriated yet offer many services to the community but are less stocked because the reading materials are expensive which makes the learning process quite difficult, especially in rural areas which affects a child’s learning ability.

To bridge the gap, Book Aid International through the Community Libraries Association of Uganda, an umbrella and networking organisation of over 150 community libraries, organised a three-day training workshop at PEFO community library in Jinja district to equip and enhance access to digital reading and learning resources.

Henderson said pilot project will make use of RACHEL, which is a Remote Access Community Hotspot for Education and Learning – and the World Reader Booksmart App2. (All Photos by Victoria Nampala)

According to Judith Henderson, a senior project manager at Book Aid International, the project is named the Uganda Community Knowledge Project.

It is a one-year pilot project designed to bring digital resources, such as ebooks and offline databases for all categories of people making up the community into five community libraries in Uganda.

The pilot project will make use of RACHEL, which is a Remote Access Community Hotspot for Education and Learning – and the World Reader Booksmart App2.

The project will provide each library with up to 10 tablets, the RACHEL hub, training and a collection of 2,000 print books.

The RACHEL hub provides offline access to a curated selection of digital educational content from the internet, including videos, lessons from respected open-access educational learning platforms such as Kolibri and Kahn Academy, phonics books and agricultural information, and public health information.

Remmy Bishanga, a librarian shows what one of the e-books looks like from the tablet each library got.

Library users can use tablets or personal devices to connect to the hub just like they would to a WIFI connection for the internet, and get instant access to the RACHEL content.

The device works within a range of 50 metres and up to 50 users can connect at any one time.

Emmanuel Anguyo, the coordinator of the Community Libraries Association of Uganda, says “Accessing information resources digitally using these offline access points will boost and increase the reading interest of people while they access information on areas of interest.”