When ABDO starts up a library in a rural area, which often can be a place without working infrastructure, we first take contact with local leaders. With their help and support we then start up the library. 95 % of the libraries are situated in schools, but in some cases they are in communal houses, in homes or in a special built library building. ABDO then asks the people which books they want, what information they are looking to collect. In the area we find volunteers who take care of the library, and there are usually two librarians who works in the library. Where the library is at a school, there is a teacher librarian and one community librarian. ABDO trains the librarians on basic librarianship covering topics like cataloguing, classification, accessioning and the care and issuing of library materials. Librarians also assist users to easily find materials in the library. We also promote the library through annual exhibitions so that the library is not just a place to find information but to also a place for people to meet and socialize.
Since 1995 when ABDO was started 194 libraries has been founded and 300 000 users access the libraries per year. The libraries may look very different from place to place and here we are not talking about state-of-the art structures but simple structures erected by poor rural communities. They range from a few shelves in a corner of a room to a whole building but they all share the same purpose – making people grow as they find knowledge.
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