This is the only public library in Vanuatu, with a fee-based membership, but members are also able to pay for their membership in woven mats - the "kastom" (i.e. traditional) means of payment in Vanuatu.
Anyway, from the entrance, the first thing you encounter is the adult fiction section, which lines the entrance hallway.
As you can see, whilst the collection is a bit old, there's still no escape from James Patterson. Some things are just universal in public libraries.
And then we come to the main service desk:
which was occupied friendly staff, and a table displaying new additions to the collection.
Wandering through the non-fiction section, I saw this sign, and I know that I've been reading Tame The Web too long, when my first reaction was to take a photo of it so I could blog about it...
Of course, another universal trait of public libraries (and state libraries) is that they are seemingly a convenient source of power for charging up phones, laptops, and other accessories whilst checking one's email, or reading the newspaper, etc. A bit of strategically-placed signage seems to have discouraged library users from taking advantage of this.
And then, there is what is possibly the most wonderfully eclectic mixture of children's literature that I've ever seen.
The optimist tells me that all the children's literature that has been written in the past 20 years is all out on loan, and that the remaining fiction, predominantly from the 70s and 80s, is what's left. However, from what I've gleaned from other volunteers, the public and school libraries in Vanuatu rely on donations, mostly from Australia. This generally means old books that have been weeded from public library collections - that is, the books that nobody reads anymore.
Finally, I poked my head into the Reference and Study room:
This was by far the busiest area in the library, with the room occupied by school students. I particularly liked the big mural on the far side of the wall, with the caption "rid mo raet emi openem rod blong laef blong yumi". My handle on bislama is rudimentary at best... anybody want to translate for me?
And finally, the reference desk:
All in all, despite the unfortunate age of the collection, the public library appeared to have no shortage of users, and certainly seems effective in the ways by which it engages with the local community. Imagine the difference it would make in the community if it were able to provide access to new literature and up-to-date information...
