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Napari har været i praktikophold på Ozu Library i Accra. Læs hendes rapport fra opholdet.
REPORT ON MY TWO WEEKS INTERNSHIP AT OSU LIBRARY March
11th to 22nd by ALHASSAN NAPARI
I started my internship at OSU library on Monday, the 11th of March
and ended on Friday, the 22nd March 2024.
Below is how I went through it.
On my first day at the OSU library on Monday 11th March 2024, I arrived there at 9:00am. On my
arrival I met Madam Joanna who is a librarian and runs the OSU library.
After greeting and introducing myself, I helped her clean and tidy up the library as it’s one of the
routines of the library every Monday morning. After the cleaning, we conversed for some time and
she took time to introduce me well to her co-workers: Justin Ativar and a few others. The staff at OSU
Children’s Library are: Joana, Aaron(ICT, literacy and maths, economics and science), Uncle Richard
and Grace.
I stated my mission with this internship. It was to see if the city libraries are different from our own
community library and if the challenges are different e.g. with noise, many and sometimes crying
children. They were very excited to meet me. After that, they took me through the library so I could
get to know the library very well.
Joana started working as a volunteer with the Osu Library in 1992 and after the first librarian left, she
got an actual job there.
Joana has patience and awareness – she is a very considerate and helpful person. The children who
came to the Osu Children’s Library were offered a meal before reading – because, as she said: you
cannot learn, when you are hungry.
We were cleaning Monday morning, then we had a small break, before the children and adults
arrived. Someone would help the older students /adults, and someone else would help the younger
students.
A lady was helping to cook and if Joanna is away visiting schools she would also receive the children at
the library. Uncle Richard is also helping with cleaning and with literacy classes. Aaron was in charge of
the ICT lab. One man was teaching mathematics to the children.
Joanna, Aaron and Grace visit 3 schools every week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. They
tell stories in the classes and afterwards they make some funny games with the children.
On my second day at the library on Tuesday, 12th March 2024 I arrived at 9:00am as the usual opening
time of the library. I greeted all the librarians there. Fortunately on my part that day, they were having
a literacy class with a group of students as it was also one of the activities that’s usually carried out on
Tuesdays at the library. I had the opportunity to join them, and it was so interesting and lovely.
There were 10 students in the group. With 20 students there would be two groups.
Some have to learn the alphabet, some learn reading 3 letter words etc. Every group had the same
level of reading and writing, and the classes were Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am to 12. If you are
late you have to stay longer!
Internship with Osu Children’s Library March 2024 Page 1
The materials used for reading were books like the ones GBV just bought at OSU about adults learning
to read. The students have to pay a small fee for the books, because this makes them take the course
more seriously.
Apart from learning from the staff, they also learned from each other.
The important thing here is: in Accra – if you cannot read or write, you cannot get a job. This means
adults come to learn reading with great interest and motivation. It was very important for them to
learn reading to give them a chance to improve and keep a job. Also – some mothers come because
their children tease them if they cannot read.
Which ideas did I take from this experience?
I am thinking: we could announce that we want people to come and make an appointment to learn
reading.
In OSU they have a schedule for literacy classes and other activities, and people have to come and
register before the classes start.
On Wednesday 13th March there was a creative activity, teaching the students how to use balloons in
the decorations of their rooms and in the library too. This was very interesting to me, and something
new and exciting – where we would all learn together. For example lots of balloons, air pumps and a
cloth to cover the wall that you want to decorate for the background.
I learned how to make beautiful balloon decorations at my course in Tamale. I also learned some
paper arts work to make nice decorations – and after coming back from Accra I have started doing
some of it at Dalun Community Library – and I also want to involve the children even more.
Creative activity is nice and also important. You are using the mind in different ways and learning to
decorate your room and maybe for some it can become part of their job.
Internship with Osu Children’s Library March 2024 Page 2
On Thursday 14th
I had the opportunity to teach some of
the students, who usually come to the library, the use of
balloons in the decorations of the library, using different
colours and they were happy, too. Teaching gives you a
chance to learn more – because you have to prepare and
learn before you can teach. Then you will also gain more
confidence.
We played constructive games as a technique to learn on
the following day which was on Friday 15th March 2024. It
was for instance ‘name kitchen tools starting with a ‘K’. It
was called ‘Thinking and Concentration Game.’Boys were
competing against girls learning to concentrate and reflect.
The children who listened would also learn from their colleagues. This was a fun game for the
students, and we could play at our library – if we get the materials or I make it.
During the weekend we were staying at an apartment above
the Library close to the ocean. It was my first time at the ocean
and it was a bit mindblowing.
In the second week from Monday 18th
to Wednesday 20th
March, with the help of one of my mentors in the Osu library, I
had the privilege to visit Nima library.
When I went there I met the librarian Mathilda, who helped
take me through everything there. After the familiarisation of
the library, I learnt from her paper art work. It was very
amazing and I was so happy. I was thankful to her for her kind
gesture, showing me how to create paper trees and flowers.
She explained that they don’t cook for the children because
they don’t have funds or volunteers. Auntie Joanna said “you
don’t need to wait – you can do it yourself.” – What you give
out, comes back to you.
Mathilda showed me their different sections and where they have everything. The adult section was in
a separate place, because they had too much noise from the children before moving ít. When you
have a library, it is important to give the adults space and quiet. At this library more adults were
visiting and even teachers came to study and prepare classes. You can bring your laptop and you can
charge it at the library if needed – you have to pay a small fee for the power.
On Thursday, 21st March I returned to OSU library in the morning and fortunately on my part, the
literacy students were to visit Kwame Nkrumah Memorial and I had the opportunity to also join them
Internship with Osu Children’s Library March 2024 Page 3
there. It was very lovely and overwhelming because it was my first time seeing such beautiful and
amazing things. We went there because the students were going to learn about Kwame Nkrumah and
his wife and their story.
They wanted me to come along to help with reading and explanation, as the students were not always
all able to read the information. We had a guided tour there, and after that the students asked that I
tell or write the information down. The students were asking me instead of the guide and I was happy
to help.
The students had not been there before either, and they wanted to read the information and study it
before the following day, when Aaron would ask them questions about what they found out. I wrote it
down and sent it to them. One thing we learned was that one man stole a hand from the statue of
Nkrumah and they wanted money to return it. At the exhibition they displayed many different effects
from his life, and photographing was not allowed. If you took a picture, you would be arrested.
I saw their funeral place where they were buried together and I was very impressed.
My next day’s observation took me to Korle Gonno Community Library where I had a lot of
experience, too. I was told that the library opens Monday to Saturday from 9:00am to 5:00pm in order
to enhance the students’ possibility of independent learning after school hours.
The library also has other activities aside from normal reading. Activities such as storytelling, dancing
time, gaming and others in order to enhance students confidence and intellectual ability.
The library has rules and regulations for visitors, some of which are:
● removal of sandals and putting down bags
● Washing your hands before touching the books
● registration of attendance for everyone who enters the library.
There were 39 people that I registered, on this particular day, but there were even more. This library is
close to more schools and also to the ocean.
They have more African writers there, and also school/academics books. These books can only be
used at the library and are not for home loans – because too many books disappeared or got
destroyed before this rule was introduced.
Internship with Osu Children’s Library March 2024 Page 4
Some were learning how to play the guitar in a separate room. The guitar and song books were
provided for this. When they have a reading competition, someone would maybe also assist by playing
the guitar.
The opening hours are different in Dalun. Shortly, we are changing opening hours and we have to
make it known to the community, because we are not doing it just for us – we are doing it for the
community.
It will also be good for the people who cannot come during school hours.
They also charge money for power usage. If people don’t return books they will have to pay a fee.
The librarians in charge also make sure the library is clean and tidy every Monday morning, and
shelves are covered every day with the appropriate materials before closing to prevent dust from
getting in contact with the library books and other valuables.
The library also has free literacy classes for all students depending on the time they will be available.
I think you should stop giving books to loaners, if they keep forgetting to return them – until they
return their previous book loans. It’s also time consuming to go around to the schools to collect books.
So what did I learn from this internship?
Some things I learned was:
● Some of the challenges are much the same. Children sometimes get noisy, upset and tired.
● You have to be patient with the children and help them. The benefit is that when the children
grow up they keep coming back to help, give a gift or to see how you are doing.
● Cleaning Monday morning seems like a good idea – you start the week with a clean library.
When cleaning Friday a lot of dust May build up over the weekend.
● Literacy classes seem interesting and valuable – we could announce that we want people to
come and make an appointment to learn reading.
● Creative and arts workshops are fun and popular.
In conclusion, the above was how I went through my two weeks internship and I must say I had a lot
of experience and exposure from that. Thank you
Internship with Osu Children’s Library March 2024 Page 5
