Public Libraries in East Timor
It should come as no surprise after over 400 years of colonisation and 24 years of occupation that most public libraries across East Timor are, without exception, housed in war ravaged buildings requiring serious building maintenance (or rather rebuilding) and without any equipment and facilities we regard as standard for contemporary library services.
The libraries are used heavily and are relied upon for access to learning materials and study space, despite their very poor condition. Funds are desperately needed as most libraries in East Timor have no access to regular funding and very little or no income and therefore no way of accessing new books and other learning materials required.
It is difficult to find information about the previous public library system. A website started by Judy Blood and continued with assistance from Jill Haynes and Karen Myers, is an excellent resource for background information. See www.untl.labor.net.au for details.
It is generally agreed that the previous public library network was made up of Indonesian branch libraries. Special needs of the Indigenous population were not recognized or reflected in the collections and policy directions of the libraries. The Dili Public Library was located in Vila-Verde on the second floor of a large 3-storey building opposite the UNTIM campus (the previous University). The collection numbered some 35,000 books.
Ex-Dili Public Library site now Police Headquarters
Photo: courtesy of Apheda Union Aid Abroad UNTL Website
During the 1999 Indonesian withdrawal the public library building suffered the same fate as most other buildings and was gutted and burnt. The building was rewired and secured to become the headquarters of Regional CIVPOL (U.N. Civilian Police). There were branch libraries in Suai, Oecussi, Aileu and Baucau. There was also a mobile book service. Branches in the districts met the same fate and were destroyed.
In the public library network there were 79 staff with only 18 Timorese among them. These comprised 19 staff in the centralized cataloguing department, 30 service staff and the remainder working in administration.
East Timor now has the opportunity to establish a public library system which suits community needs. As you will see they are well on the way having achieved a remarkable amount in a short period of time. However there is also a very long way to go. Most public libraries are Non-Government Organisations and seek funding (very limited) through a variety of means. The quality of the services varies.. There are enormous financial, human and capital resource problems which need to be addressed at Government level.
Unfortunately libraries do not seem to be on the Government’s agenda at this point in time. A bullet point listing a National Library as the responsibility area for the Ministry of Education is all that can be found on the Government’s official website and there is no mention of libraries in the National Development Plan though one could argue that the discussion around the need for education, capacity building, and other like programs would include libraries. Lack of planning for public libraries provides many challenges and difficulties. Library activity often takes place in an un-coordinated way with those working in libraries often unaware of developments in other library services.
A National Strategy for Libraries including provision of a National Library is much needed to facilitate a nationwide approach to community learning and resourcing and to ensure that a coordinated approach to library development is adopted.
1. Biblioteca Comunidade Maliana
Deolindo Malilela and Manuel Gomez D E Araujo stand at the entrance to Maliana’s public library.
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The library interior including a centrally positioned reading area.
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The Maliana Public Library was established in 2002 with the financial and administrative support of Leichhardt Council, Sydney, Australia and specifically through the Friendship City relationship between Leichhardt Council and the town of Maliana. Funds are channeled to the Library through the Department of Education office located on the same site. Leichardt Council’s forward thinking and realistic approach to supporting library services in East Timor has resulted in the establishment of much needed collections of materials and study spaces for the people of Maliana.
It seems to me they understand (unlike some other well-meaning but misguided groups) that library services in East Timor should be much more than just collections of second hand donated English books and a room in which to place them. They have sought and listened to the advice of library professionals and provide practical support including funding to pay Timorese staff and a small amount with which staff can buy new books that are relevant to local needs.
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Hopes, desires, wishes, future directions. Would like larger premises, with bigger collection, access to information technology and the ability to cover the subdistrict areas with a mobile library service.
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2. Biblioteca Habura Moris, NGO Roman Luan, Atauro Island
Children enjoying the picture book collection
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Library staff
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Julieta displays some of the literacy materials developed by library staff |
I happened upon this one in serendipitous circumstances. Christine Perkins from Australian Volunteers International (AVI) was in Dili at the same time in June 2004 , meeting with her organisation’s East Timor based volunteers and I was fortunate enough to meet her in the Hotel Turismo garden. She told me about a public library on Atauro Island which an AVI volunteer had helped establish along with the local community. I had wanted to visit due to Atauro Island’s reputation as paradise on earth and now having a professional reason to visit was just perfect.
It was an absolute delight to meet the staff. They are very proactive and highly motivated. This particular library can, in my opinion, be considered a leader in library services and literacy development in East Timor. It has a focus on children’s literacy development as well as the provision of learning opportunities for the general community, with spaces available for special programs. The approach is community development oriented.
A recent development is the establishment of a mobile library service to meet the library and literacy needs of people scattered across the island. The service is provided by boat to coastal villages and by pack horses to villages in the mountainous interior. What a team!
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Julieta and Domengos display junior fiction |
Multilingual collections
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3. Biblioteca Municipal de Manatuto
Students sitting Portuguese language examination
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Volunteer Coordinator Carlos Reis
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The portable in which the library is located |
This one was another serendipitous find. I heard about it from a lovely young woman and Peace Corps Volunteer from the United States named Theresa. We met over breakfast in the courtyard at the Hotel Turismo. (Great meeting place that courtyard). Upon hearing about the purpose of my visit she invited me to Manatuto and the local public library.
A sad event on the day I visited was the death of a young woman during childbirth. Theresa volunteered at the local health centre and befriended many of the women in Manatuto. Unfortunately infant and maternal death during childbirth is an all too common tragedy in East Timor.
The dedication and commitment of the Volunteer Coordinator, a qualified teacher from Portugal named Carlos Reis, is admirable. His desire and drive to establish a library for the community is the reason it exists today. I found these characteristics in many people I met throughout East Timor, working and striving to contribute meaningfully to the rebuilding of the country in many and various ways.
Carlos Reis and Patti Manolis |
Nicole Wiseman and Carlos Reis discuss plans to establish East Timor’s first ever Library Association |
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4. Buka Hatene: Baucau Friendship and Learning Centre
The Committee of Management
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Buka Hatene building
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Shelves housing the beginnings of a literacy collection. |
This community centre was established by Friends of Baucau based in and supported by the Councils of Darebin and Yarra in Melbourne. Officially opened in June 2004 it is based on the Australian “Neighbourhood House” model. I visited Buka Hatene in 2004 and then again in 2005. The progress made with refurbishing the building, program development and the increase in usage and attendance experienced in its first year of operation is very impressive.
The focus is on the provision of capacity building programs including literacy and vocational training in language and information technology. In addition the Centre organises women’s development projects including outreach to outlying district areas. The Centre is currently building a community library collection focusing on literacy and information technology to support program provision. A recent visit by members of the Friends of Venilale Group from Mansfield, Victoria, including professionally trained librarian Heather Matthews has meant the collection is now organized and well on the way to being a circulating collection.
The Computer lab with a fledgling computer books and manuals collection
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Women participating in a health workshop
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Women participating in anOutreach Literacy project in rural Baucau |
5. Centro Juvenil Padre Antonio Vieira – Sophia de Melo Brayner Library
Jaime Francisco Soares, Coordinator
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One of the reading/study spaces
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Information technology and collections
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The Library is named after a popular and significant Portuguese Poet. It is an excellent purpose built and furnished facility located within a youth centre. Visiting this library was the beginning of a growing realization that there seems to be a huge disparity in access to funding between libraries catering to the general population in multiple languages and those funded by the Portuguese community including the Portuguese Government, with collections focusing on Portuguese language and culture.
The Centre in which the Library is located was established in 2002 and exists to “build the human resource”. It is very focused on skills development and provides various short courses including a 2 week computer studies course at a cost of $10. The cost of such courses would be out of reach for the majority of the Timorese. Nevertheless it provides many other free programs and access to library resources and information technology.
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Library building entrance
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Youth Centre where library is located
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6. Maryknoll Sisters Mobile Library Service, District of Aileu
Maryknoll is a United States based Catholic mission movement and includes the Maryknoll Society (priests and brothers), Maryknoll congregation (Sisters), the Maryknoll Lay Missioners (laity, priests and religious), and the Maryknoll affiliates. Patty Lamothe is the Coordinator of the Aileu District Mobile Library Service.
As far as I could ascertain this is the first regular mobile library service of its kind in all of East Timor. Without it the schools in the Aileu District would have no access to books and other learning materials. Patty is ensuring that through this work she is building the skills of the high school graduates who accompany her on the visits. An excellent example of successful skills transfer.
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7. NGO Biblio Lorosae Baucau Public Library
Library building and entrance.
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Library user browsing the collection.
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This public library was established in late 2000 with assistance and funding from a Swiss NGO Biblio Lorosae. Funding has been committed by the NGO to 2006. A positive development is the close links formed with the local Marist Brothers supported Catholic Teacher’s College Research and Resource Centre (see entry under University and College Libraries). The current building is very small and in poor condition but the good news is they will soon be moving to larger, better and more accessible premises. The Manager of the service is a Board Member of the newly formed Asosiasaun Biblioteka no Informasaun Timor-Leste (ABITL), Timor-Leste’s first ever Library Association.
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