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Sangam Community Library: NLF’s First Recognized Model Library
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Submitted by Nepal Library on Wed, 04/08/2020 - 00:00
Established in the year 2003 the Sangam Community Library became the first library ever in the town of Triyuga in Udaypur District in Nepal. It served a community of 50,000 for nearly seven years, but fell into disuse around 2010 and was on the verge of closing down.
In 2017, Sangam was brought back to full operation with the support of Nepal Library Foundation, Canada, working with local community leaders to implement the revival program. Dhan Kumar Shrestha, General Secretary of NLF, Nepal led the NLF team. As well as conventional library services, Sangam currently operates as a community resource center and provides a women’s computer literacy program, access to the ePustakalaya digital library and computer and internet access.
Additionally, the local community’s financial co-operative and parish improvement centre also operate from the library premises.
In 2018 NLF started a program of recognizing successful libraries which act a models for others wishing to set up community library resource centres of their own and acknowledged Sangam as its first model library. The recognition was a testament to Sangam’s integration of community activities with the library as a focal point and its commitment to ongoing development.
In order to build on its role as a model to others it will hold a 35 day long library and management training program which is recognized by the Federal Government. This will provide a basic qualification in library management. It will continue to expand its On-Line Community Resource Management Centre and to provide computer education. A door-todoor book exchange program is to be initiated. There is also a move to develop the library as a Citizen’s Centre for Dialogue and to provide conference facilities for the community and Province.
NLF has been a supporter of Sangam Community Library since 2017. It provides ongoing support in the form of management expertise, including planning, stakeholder consultation, quality assurance and program auditing.
Sangam is soliciting financial help from charitable donors to advance ongoing program development. NLF is proud to be a part of the Sangam team.
