IFLA /UNESCO / NALIS SEMINAR ON SCHOOL AND PUBLIC LIBRARY MANIFESTOS AND GUIDELINES

COUNTRY REPORT: ST. KITTS - CHARLES A. HALBERT LIBRARY

Historical Background

The Public Library service was established a private subscription library in 1818. The building in which it was originally housed was destroyed by fire in 1867. By 1890, the government passed legislation for the establishment of a free public library in Basseterre, and in 1894 the collection was accommodated upstairs the Court House on East Independence square.

Library services were later extended to the rural areas of the island through book depots at Cayon, Lodge, Molineux, Saddlers, Dieppe Bay, Sandy Point and Old Road. A fortnightly visit to four (4) primary schools supplemented the service points where no library depots were established.

In 1980, the Canadian government donated a mobile unit to the Public library and all rural primary schools and two (2) in Basseterre were added to the mobile run.

On 1 September 1982 fire again destroyed the holdings of the public library in Basseterre. In 1985, the building housing the Dieppe Bay collection was also destroyed by fire. That service was never restored. Between 1982 and 1985 a limited service was offered to the public in Basseterre and to the schools through the Bookmobile. In 1985, temporary accommodation was provided for the library in Basseterre, and in 1997 a new facility was built. Following an accident to the mobile unit in 1986 this service was suspended and has not been restored. Most of the library centres were closed because of inadequate accommodation and various other administrative reasons. Presently, only three(3) of the original library centres are functioning. Sandy Point has been upgraded to a Branch Library.

ORGANISATION

There are no written staff development policies at the library. We fall under the general civil service regulations. Staff members are however encouraged to improve themselves academically and otherwise. In house training is provided on work related issues e.g. Customer service, communication skills, secretarial practices, record management and basic computer skills.

Mission and Vision

The Public Library seeks to acquire, process and disseminate information that would satisfy the lives, needs, concerns and interests of the general public.

• Vision:
  That the Public Library would enhance its research capabilities through public access to the Internet and other technological media facilities.
  
  That the public Library would have a cadre of trained professional and paraprofessional staff that would deliver the most cost effective and efficient service to the public.

SWOT Analysis:

Strengths

• A new facility
  
• Wide variety of reading and educational material
  
• Organised outreach programmes for children between the ages of 3 and 12 years
  
• Internet access for the public

Weaknesses

• Inadequate finance
  
• Recruitment process
  
• Lack of qualified committed staff for special duties (indexing, cataloguing)
  
• Limited facility for the physically challenged persons in the community
  
• Staff structure (Little room for promotion, big discrepancy between librarian and the next senior position)
  
• Challenges to cater for the changes in the racial and language profile of the community
  
• No legal basis for operation

Opportunities

• Scholarships for further studies via distance education
  
• Local training in basic library skills is now being offered at the CFB College
  
• Copyright law was updated and passed in 2000
  

Threats

• Indiscriminate use of Library materials by the public
  
• A public not motivated to read

PEST Analysis

Past and present administrations have recognized that information is an essential national resource and that appropriate systems must be put in place for its efficient management. This year emphasis is being placed on training teachers/librarians to manage resource centres in schools. The copyright legislation has been reviewed and was passed in the National Assembly in July 2000.

The political will is evident, but the financial capabilities are still lagging behind. The Public Library falls under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and is fully financed by government. The budget allocation is small and inadequate to meet the purchasing needs of the institution.

The social and cultural landscape is changing. There has been an increase in East Indian, Chinese and Hispanic persons in the community. This brings with it new challenges for the provision of an efficient and effective service for this population.

The new technology is with us. All primary and secondary schools are equipped with computers, and teachers have been trained to teach computer skills from primary to tertiary level. A large number of the population have been exposed to computer training through adult literacy classes in the rural areas and at the workplace.

Objectives/Functions

1. To provide a comprehensive and efficient service to the public.
   
2. To gather and preserve records that document local history and make them accessible to the community.
   
3. To promote cultural and creative activities through exhibitions, lectures, and other outreach programmes.
   
4. Repackage information for quick and easy retrieval.

The library offers lending, reference and research services through its book collection and via the Internet. We cater for all ages of the community. At Basseterre, a tiny tot section was established with assistance from the International Women's Association of St Kitts. They donated furniture and other materials to the Unit. As part of our outreach programme we host a
library story hour for children between the ages of 3 and 12 years and a summer programme for children 5 to 15 years.

REACH

Target group

There are five (5) service points around the island with an estimated population size of 23,000; it is the intention of government to establish community libraries in every village in St Kitts so there is likely to be an increase in the number of service points. Three communities have libraries that do not fall under the management of the public library.

Population figures by Parish based on 2001 estimates

STATED AND DESIRED VISION FOR THE COUNTRY'S INFORMATION NEEDS

1) To provide all citizens and residents, in collaboration with other stakeholders, a comprehensive course of lifelong education which would enable individuals to develop and achieve their foil potential, allowing them to make a meaningful contribution to National Development.

2) To restructure the various information departments and implement mechanisms for the effective management and dissemination of information

3) To ensure that the provision of information within the country is:

a) designed to meet the needs of all sectors of the community at all levels of interest;

b) coordinated in order to ensure the effective use of effort and resources;

c) planned in accordance with and in support of national development objectives and priorities.

STATED AND DESIRED VISION FOR ORGANISATION

1) That the public Library would have a cadre of trained professional and paraprofessional staff that would deliver the most cost effective and efficient service to the public.

2) That the Library would provide more outreach programmes especially to the unserved, These include the physically challenged, the blind, the elderly, persons who are house-bound and persons who are institutionalised.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Persons are opting to pursue higher education via Distance learning. The University of the West Indies should add Library and Information Studies to its UWIDITE program.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
The government, through the OECS Education Development Project has begun upgrading primary and secondary schools to take into account the new technology. Computer laboratories are now a part of all new school buildings. All schools on St Kitts have free internet access through the Cable TV and Cable and Wireless.

Plans are also in place to upgrade and establish Learning Resource Centers in the seven (7) secondary schools in St Kitts. Additionally, it is hoped that within the next three years all these Centers will be staffed by trained teacher librarians.

SOURCES

1. Morton-Hanley, Novelette (1996). Proposal for the St Kitts and Nevis Information Service. Government of St Kitts and Nevis.

2. Parker, Stephen (1982). St Christopher and Nevis: Development of the National Information System. Paris: UNESCO.

3. Government of St Kitts and Nevis, Ministry of Education Corporate Plan 2001 - 2002. Basseterre: St Kitts, 2001

4. OECS Education Development Project (2003). Government of St Kitts and Nevis Secondary Education Development Project.