–for National Library Linden branch

THE National Library’s Linden branch was on Monday the recipient of a spanking new toy library, valued US$5000, courtesy of the Rotary Club of Georgetown (RCG), the four Rotary Clubs of Carolina, in the USA, and Courts Guyana.

Thanks to the benevolence of the organisations at reference, children between the ages of two to 14 can now enjoy using the facility, the objective of which is to promote literacy and have fun doing it.

The old toy library, which was transformed into a child-friendly atmosphere, now sports scores of educational toys, electronic gadgets, visual aids, furniture, stuffed toys, books and other reading materials.

The opening ceremony saw members of Rotary Georgetown, and Courts and Linden’s National Library staff and children who were at the library at the time being the first to benefit from the facility.

The National Library of Georgetown was the first to be outfitted with a toy library, and according to Arron Fraser, former RCG Service Projects Director and executive member, the donations were made, based on one of the four pillars of Rotary, which is literacy and education.

“Every year,” Fraser said, “we would set targets and earmark projects that would satisfy the areas of focus of Rotary, and this project focuses on literacy.”

While the National Library’s Linden branch will be in control of their facility, Fraser said he hopes it would be of benefit to all the children in Linden.

“It is our hope that the kids would utilise the toys and books to aid in the eradication of illiteracy,” he said.

RCG Past President, Liz Cox, who is an advocate of literacy, said that the idea of refurbishing the Linden toy library first arose during a conversation with the Chief Librarian of the National Library of Georgetown, who at the time revealed that the facility was in need of a facelift.

He recalled that back in 2015 when the Georgetown branch got its first toy library, the decision was made to also furnish Linden with a similar facility.

Said Cox, “We know that those out-of-town areas are often forgotten, and we thought of Linden, too, because we know that Linden doesn’t get a lot of items like a toy library. “And we also know that a lot of kids in Linden probably don’t have a lot of these toys, and so we want them to experience what others are accustomed to.”

In addition to learning, the toy library will also foster sharing and networking.

Branch Librarian, Annis Craig said that the plan is to have a toddler’s time, kids craft time, children’s story-telling, and tours for pre-schoolers and even a family day.

“We want to have the entire family involved in the activity, and so we will be marketing the facility,” she said.

Rotary has also donated two water wells to the Linden communities of Coomacka and Old England.