THE EDITOR, Sir:
I STRONGLY support Mrs. Amy Robertson's comments on "Bringing back school libraries" (Letter of the Day 5.11.03)
When I came to live in Jamaica in 1961 the Jamaica Library Service was known throughout the world as a model for small developing countries. Nowadays it must be our most under-utilised resource.
The original structure was sound. However, the past 40 years have seen many changes in our daily timetables. Thanks to greater social mobility and availability of resources for continuing education both mothers and fathers are not only working for pay in regular daytime jobs, but are also attending "evening classes" and other part-time training. As a result few can get to a library during the pertaining usual opening hours of 9 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m. This is particularly so for branch libraries in "dormitory" suburbs and small towns. On Saturdays, while parents are doing the week's shopping and housekeeping, the children may be enjoying "story hour" at the library, but on weekday mornings the library is open but empty.
Surely "flexitime" for libraries could be instituted so that students of all generations might gain access to reference and other materials, including electronic media, after weekday work and school hours.
Exposure to the widest possible range of thought and opinion is essential for the development of informed intellectual independence. We must not allow ourselves and our children to become mental slaves to the word of one teacher (god) and one textbook (bible). It would be interesting to have an evaluation of how much is invested in our present library system. When money is scarce it is up to ourselves to make best possible use of those resources we already have.
See you at the library!
I am, etc.,
C.P. FRAY
Retired librarian
Ocean Tower, Kingston
