[NYTr] Bibliomules - Venezuela's Four-Legged Mobile Libraries

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

BBC News - August 4, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6929404.stm

A university in Venezuela is using a novel method to take books into
remote communities and encourage people to read. As James Ingham
reports, the scheme is proving a great success.

Venezuela's four-legged mobile libraries

By James Ingham

Chiquito and Cenizo greet me with a bit of a snort and a flick of the
tail.

Mules are too tough to bother being sweet. They do a hard job which no
other animal or human invention can do as well.

But these mules are rather special.

They are known as bibliomulas (book mules) and they are helping to
spread the benefits of reading to people who are isolated from much of
the world around them.

My trek started from the Valley of Momboy in Trujillo, one of
Venezuela's three Andean states.

These are the foothills of the Andes but they are high enough,
especially when you are walking.


Slow but steady

The idea of loading mules with books and taking them into the mountain
villages was started by the University of Momboy, a small institution
that prides itself on its community-based initiatives and on doing far
more than universities in Venezuela are required to do by law.

Accompanying us was local guide Ruan who knows a thing or two about
mules.

He was their boss, cajoling them carefully as they started up the hill
at a slow-but-steady, no-nonsense plod.

The deeply rutted, dry and dusty path snaked its way up. The sun beat
on the back of my neck.

We were all breathless, apart from Ruan.


Diving for books

A break came when it was my turn to ride a mule. I enjoyed a great view
of the valley but held on tight as Chiquito veered close to the edge.

Map of Venezuela

Hot and slightly bothered after two hours, we reached Calembe, the
first village on this path.

Anyone who was not out working the fields - tending the celery that is
the main crop here - was waiting for our arrival. The 23 children at
the little school were very excited.

"Bibilomu-u-u-u-las," they shouted as the bags of books were
unstrapped. They dived in eagerly, keen to grab the best titles and
within minutes were being read to by Christina and Juana, two of the
project leaders.

"Spreading the joy of reading is our main aim," Christina Vieras told
me.

"But it's more than that. We're helping educate people about other
important things like the environment. All the children are planting
trees. Anything to improve the quality of life and connect these
communities."


Internet plans

As the project grows, it is using the latest technology.

Somehow there is already a limited mobile phone signal here, so the
organisers are taking advantage of that and equipping the mules with
laptops and projectors.

The book mules are becoming cyber mules and cine mules.

"We want to install wireless modems under the banana plants so the
villagers can use the internet," says Robert Ramirez, the co-ordinator
of the university's Network of Enterprising Rural Schools.

"Imagine if people in the poor towns in the valley can e-mail saying
how many tomatoes they'll need next week, or how much celery.

"The farmers can reply telling them how much they can produce. It's
blending localisation and globalisation."


Local enthusiasm

The book mule team played noisy games with the children, listened to
them read and lunched with the adults, discussing over a hearty soup
and corn bread how the community can develop the scheme.

One idea was using the mules to transport medicines which can be so
hard to get hold of here.

Everyone I spoke to - both adults and children - was full of enthusiasm.

"It's great," said 12-year-old Jose Castillo. "I love reading books and
we get told some really nice stories."

Looking up from reading her book about Harry the cat and his trip to
the vet, Gesenae Guerdo told me she loved reading too.

"We share a lot of these books," she said.

Javier Sulveran, a young, bright man in his twenties, tells me that the
village is very supportive of the project:

"The children are really motivated to read and we are too. A lot of the
adults are reading more. It's great that they come up here."

The university has acquired a new mule. They are going to keep it in
Calembe under the care of the locals, something Javier really approved
of.

The mule will be able to get further into the mountains and spread the
word to more villages that so far remain too remote.

With fond farewells we left Calembe behind. It was clear I was leaving
a place with a strong sense of community.

This four-legged mobile library is not just keeping this place alive
but making it thrive.