Ethiopia Five-Month Update

December 20, 2010

The Segenat Children and Youth Library in Mekelle, Ethiopia, was dedicated in August 2010. Since that time, attendance has soared and a computer lab has been networked and records input into a fully functional online catalog. The Segenat Library caught the attention of Ethiopian TV and other broadcast media, opening up the possibility of adding branch libraries. Yohannes Gebregeorgis, project manager, has teamed with the Tigray Development Association for future collaboration. For more information contact tigrayreads@yahoo.com.

Contributions may be sent to the Tigray Development Association, Library and Literacy Project, P.O. Box 73295, Washington, D.C. 20095-3295

A solitary reader finds the great outdoors conducive to concentration.

Three young girls utilize the Reading Nook, an area that will become among the most popular areas of the library.

Three young boys peer over the counter as they check in to the library.

Over 3,000 copies of Yohannes Gebregeorgis’ book, “Tirhas Celebrates Ashenda” were distributed during the first week.

Students attend an “Intro to Computers Class” in a fully networked computer lab.

This four-year-old girl came to the library daily.

Most children had never put together a puzzle before, but these boys quickly picked up the skills.

Chess and checkers were popular activities among the teens.

A regular library user encouraged his mother, a reporter for Ethiopian TV to cover the library.

Many clubs were formed including a science club and a homework club.

Arts and crafts included local materials like eggs and corn husks for dolls. But even eggs were expensive commodities.

Children flocked to the library daily for a quiet place to study.

To move ahead, libraries need to understand where they are now

12 Ways Libraries Are Good for the Country

A gift from American Libraries magazine of one dozen ideals toward which libraries strive.

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