In the community of Tema, Peace Corps Volunteer, Natalya Kostandova, worked closely with the Tema community to build a library for the students at the local junior high school. The objectives of the library project were to: 1) increase community access to literature; 2) facilitate development of reading, analytical and research skills; and 3) provide teachers with access to pedagogical materials that will allow them to improve their teaching skills. The library project was successfully completed with librarians effectively trained and teachers now able to incorporate research methodologies and library sources into their classroom instructions. Students now have access to textbooks and various materials in a range of subjects. The whole community is also very satisfied with the library as made evident through their participation and engagement with the library. Not only does the library reach French speakers, it also caters to Moore speakers with documents written in Moore. It also reaches readers of limited literacy levels with simple reading materials to help them develop their literacy skills, while still providing resources for more advanced readers such as for adults and teachers. The library is a safe and comfortable space for the community to come together to learn, relax, and explore. In a village with limited opportunities to do so, it is really a special place.
