- Rotary Apia/LAS Book Donation Project – 2012 – 2013
Throughout 2012 the LAS worked with Rotary Apia to arrange a 20ft container of donated books and furniture for school libraries in Samoa. Books were donated by the Ocean of Books project from New Zealand, NZ Rotary groups and NZ Libraries and transportation to Samoa was aided by Jenners Shipping and Mainfreight NZ. The load of books included Rotary Dictionaries and NZ$5000 worth of dictionaries, atlases and chapter books with funding from NZ Rotary. In February 2013 LAS Members joined with Rotary Apia to sort the boxes of books ready for distribution to the schools around Samoa during 2013.
- Library Week 26th – 30th September 2011
Library week was held in 2011 from the 26th – 30th September. The week was launched with a parade through Apia township in Upolu. Approximately 600 adults and children joined the parade, many dressed as their favourite book character and carrying banners supporting the theme of Library Week “Reading is your Pathway to Success”. At the conclusing of the parade an opening ceremony was held where Reverend Lefaoseu gave a keynote address on “The importance of continuing study and reading for lifelong success”. Library staff from LDS Pesega entertained the crowd by enacting two children’s stories and the School Library Assistants of Samoa performed a siva. Prizes were also awarded to the winners of the best Book Character and Banner competitions.
During the rest of the week visits were made to the Atua Farmer’s District Library in Lepa and to the big island of Savaii where a further 300 people joined in the parade, ceremony, competitions, stories, puppet shows and drama. A new book for children titled “Surviving a Tsunami : Dealing with Disaster” by Jackie Faasisila, Angela Jowitt and Walter Dudley was launched. On the final day of library week everyone enjoyed stories and activities in the Nelson Memorial Public Library and prizes were awarded for the story and poetry writing and poster competitions. All librarians of Samoa then ended the week with a dinner. Here is a link to our Programme for the week and to photos of people enjoying all these activities.
- Information Literacy and Building Strong Libraries Training – May 2011
In May 2011 The Library Association of Samoa ran training for all association members on Building Strong Libraries and introducing people to Information Literacy. This training was offered with the help of funding from IFLA and with assistance from international trainer Rosa-Jane French. The training was very successful, with participants taking home something to help them improve their libraries.
- Public talk by Lani Wendt Young at the Nelson Memorial Library to celebrate the launching of her new book “Galu Afi – Wave of Fire” – 28 September – 3:00PM
Library Association of Samoa members and members of the public are warmly invited to hear Lani Wendt talk about her new book “Galu Afi – Wave of Fire”.
The book is a narrative story that weaves together the experiences of many different people – survivors, rescue and medical workers and others. Work on the project began three weeks after the tsunami, with the interviewing of survivors in affected areas. There are chapters on the experience of survivors in American Samoa and Niuatoputapu. The book includes some photos as well as a listing of those who lost their lives.
Proceeds from the book will be donated to ongoing tsunami relief/rebuilding in the affected areas.
More details about the book, including where it can be purchased can be found on Lani Wendt’s website.
There will also be a public display of many of the photographs used in the book at Nelson Memorial Library.
- Library Association of Samoa helps establish ‘Clea’s library’ in Lalomanu – 25 September 2010
On Saturday morning a team of librarians travelled down to Lalomanu to assist in establishing a new library that has been built in the primary school in the village of Lalomanu. The library has been built and resourced through the efforts of an Australian family who lost a dear loved one in the 2009 tsunami that devastated Lalomanu . The library is dedicated to the loving memory of Clea Salavert – a little girl who loved to read who lost her life in the tsunami.
To read more about Clea Salavert’s Library read the Clea Salavert Library blog
The official opening of Clea’s Library will be on Tuesday 5 October from 9:00AM – 11:00AM
- Book donation to Saina Primary School – 22 September 2010
The Library Association of Samoa today had great pleasure in presenting books to the Saina Primary School in Apia, that were purchased with money donated from staff at Radio New Zealand. We thank our good friends at Radio New Zealand for providing us with the opportunity to make this donation happen. The books were supplied by the newly appointed library assistant of Saina Primary School from a local supplier.
Follow this link to see some photographs of this donation taking place.
- Walkathon – 18th September 2010 – 7.00am – Tuanaimato
LAS members, families and friends are invited to join us for a walkathon around the Tuanaimato Sports complex. Please see the map attached. This event is to raise funds for the Association and is a chance for everyone to get to know each other better. If you would like to join us please meet at 7.00am at the Blue gymnasium (marked on the map). Please contact Jacinta at the Nelson Memorial Public Library for more details on jpgodinet@lesamoa.net or phone 21028 or alternatively ask for Uutau.
For those of you who have received sponsorship sheets please hand your money into Tolo at NUS by the end of Friday this week. Otherwise you can bring what you have collected on Saturday morning or make a donation on the day.
Please bring some refreshments to share together at the end of the Walkathon.
As the weather has been very wet recently, if it is raining on Saturday morning the Walkathon may be postponed. Please call Avalogo on 7751946 from 6.30am on Saturday if you are unsure and want to check on the weather.
There are prizes to be won so we look forward to seeing you there!!
Check out the photos of our fabulously fit library crew on the 2010 walkathon!!
- Library Week Samoa – 2009
From the 6th – 10th July 2009 Library Week was held in Samoa. This was the first Library Week since 1988 some 21 years before! Many events were planned for this week as can be seen from the programme. These included a parade through town, the official opening, competitions, movies at the library, story telling, short story and poetry writing competitions and a literary high tea.
The event attracted much attention which helped the Library Association to promote the importance of books, literature and reading to all of Samoa. Articles that appeared in local and international newspapers can be found below.
- Book Donations 2009 and 2010
The Library Association of Samoa has been working with New Zealand libraries to bring children’s books to Samoa for school libraries. Many libraries throughout New Zealand have been willing to donate books weeded from their collections. The LAS has then worked with volunteers and shipping companies to get the books sent to Samoa where they have been distributed to needy schools. This project has so far taken place in 2009 and 2010. We hope to also carry this on in the future. To read about the projects, people involved and schools who have been recipients please have a look at the following articles.
The Library Association was also the recipient of a generous donation which was spent purchasing books for the St Theresa’s primary school library (as requested by the donor). It was with pleasure the LAS Committee was able to deliver 50 new books to the school