A Report on Shree Bishwawmitra Community Library, Lalitpur

On December 24, 2013 Naresh Koirala, President of Nepal Library Foundation (Canada) and Dhan Kumar Shrestha from the Nepal Library Foundation (Nepal) in Kathmandu, visited the Shree Bishwamitra Library where they met with the Library Management Committee and members of four Readers' Clubs in order to discuss how the community had benefitted from the establishment of the library. Most responses were extremely positive and included comments on:

. the wide range of topics available, from practical to academic
. the wide range of readership, from school chidren to the elderly
. the value of the resource for teachers and students alike
. the forging of a link between the library and the community
. the value of reading clubs

Teenagers Ms Dikshya Dahal and Ms Nisha Acharya stated: "We, the teenagers, have found a special purpose in being organized in reading clubs and here, in the library, we can find reference materials for our regular studies, too. We sometimes organize such interactions and competitions as well. Even the children happily join us."

Issues that are yet to be addressed include:
. fundraising
. establishment of an e-library with internet connection

Participants expressed their gratitude for the generous donations made by Mr Puskar Jang Thapa (NRN Japan) which enabled the establishment of the library. Support, both moral and physical, provided by the Nepal Library Foundation was also acknowledged.

Shree Bishwawmitra Community Library
Dharachaur, Lamatar - 4, Lalitpur

The above was a report by Mr. Thakur Prasad Upadhaya, Principal, Shree Bishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School.

Details on Naresh Koirala's visits to other libraries during December 2013 can be found on the "Newsletters" page.