1. Services for Youth in Haitian Libraries
Children take over!
Presentation by Elizabeth Pierre-Louis
Library Program Coordinator,
Fondation Connaissance et Liberté – FOKAL
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

2. History National Library French Institute
Children’s Collection.
French Institute
Children Services,
Multimedia items,
Special activities.
CLAC - Centers for Reading and Cultural Activities

3. Community Libraries Created in the 1990’s by youth groups.
Small private collection shared within a community.
Movement of public reading
Small structures are not supported by the state. Small membership fees
Not always intended for children but…
The Foundation supports about 45 Community libraries, from $ 3,000 to $ 15,000 a year.

5. Monique Calixte Library and the Foundation FOKAL
Open Society Institute - National Foundation, FOKAL
Monique Calixte Library
Library Program

6. Community Libraries Services for Youth 1
SHAA - Annexe Saint-Vincent
Library within a school for children with physical disabilities
Offers adapted collection, movies, literary contests, games, exhibits
Collection : 1200 books, 200 Braille documents

7. Community Libraries Services for Youth 2
Bibliothèque des Jeunes du Sacré-Coeur,
Volunteers
Activities: Exhibits, theater group, storytelling, games, writing workshops
Collection :1400 books, 60 games, 31 periodicals

8. Community Libraries Services for Youth 3
Ti Jan Pyè Lwi – Louverture Cleary
“A library is a tool against exclusion”
Within a school
Workshops, storytelling, theater, exhibits
Collection : 4000 books, 30 periodicals, multimedia access

9. Community Libraries Services for Youth 4
Rasin Lespwa 1997
Started with baskets of books
Activities : Outreach in schools and churches, workshops, Art Sundays, Readers’ Saturdays
Collection: 2500 books, 100 audiovisual items

10. Community Libraries Services for Youth 5
Oswald Durand 1999
Event within the community
Activities: storytelling, exhibits, conferences
Collection : 900 books. No lending

11. Community Libraries Services for Youth 6
Pyepoudre, 1993
First, theater focused
Puppet plays, fairs, multimedia lab, Children’s Saturday , literary clubs, theater, interactive panel
Collection: books, 200 videos

12. Community Libraries Services for Youth 7
IPDEC
Group of students
Activity: Dance, theater, choir, movie, exhibit, conferences, games
Collection : books, audiovisual items

13. Impact More library patrons Volunteers Better grades
Better prepared children and youth
Development of skills
More sophisticated readers
Less danger
Make the library fun and inviting

14. Challenges Created by youth groups Target groups Materials Locations
Buildings
Financial Issues
Violence

15. Solutions? A tentative answer
Training
Collection development
Fundraising
Networking and Exchanges
Cooperation with Mortenson Center for International Library Programs (UIUC)
Cooperation with the Miami Dade Public Library System
Sharing and communication