We throw books at the Solomons

Not content with just fixing domestic violence in East Timor, the ACT Government is helping send book sfrom our public libraries to the Solomon Islands. Apparently the Honiara Library was destroyed in all the fighting and the resident’s have been bookless for the past few years.

The full media release is below, but I was intrigued by this bit: “ACT Public Library staff were able to select suitable books during their routine collection maintenance.”

So they’re getting our old books? Or new ones? And what if those books happen to be the special favourites of ACT Library frequenters? Will the Honiarians have to take out ACT Library membership?

ACT GIVES BOOKS TO SOLOMONS

Honiarans will soon be delving into books in their local library thanks to the donation of hundreds of books to the Solomon Islands.

The donation, organised by Canberra Legal Aid solicitor Brian Liddy and ACT Public Library staff, will help restock the shelves of the Honiara Library.

The library was largely destroyed during civil unrest in the lead-up to Australian intervention in 2003.

Mr Liddy, who spent 10 months doing legal aid work in the Solomons, said a lot of work had gone into refurbishing the library.

“Honiarans are avid readers,” he said. “A group of locals and expats fixed up the library, but they still needed books.

“I started thinking about the ACT Library, and I thought, why don’t we try there?”

Mr Liddy worked with Legal Aid chief executive Chris Staniforth and the Chief Minister’s Office in planning the donation. Canberran Robyn Henderson co-ordinated things in Honiara.

ACT Public Library staff were able to select suitable books during their routine collection maintenance, and Mr Liddy arranged for the Defence Force to transport them to Honiara.

Mr Stanhope said he was happy that the ACT had been able to help.

“We have an excellent library service in the ACT,” he said. “I’d like to thank Legal Aid and the ACT Public Library staff for making sure these books will go to a good home.”

A defence contractor is due to collect the books from the Griffith Library on Monday 18 July. The books will be transported to Brisbane before being lifted to Honiara.