A Library in the Twists and Turns of Alborz Villages / Mobile Library’s Visit During Book Week
Provinces Service of Iran Book News Agency (IBNA): On one of the mornings of Book Week, the yard of a school in Savojbolagh County had a different atmosphere; a long table full of colorful books was set up, and students had gathered around it. Each one held a book, curiously turning the pages; a simple scene, yet indicative of a real passion for reading.
This image was just a part of the presence of the Alborz Province Rural Mobile Library of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults during Book and Reading Week; a presence made possible through the efforts of Ali Imamverdi, the mobile library instructor, in various schools and villages. Every day from eight in the morning, he sets off with the mobile library vehicle to bring books to areas that are farther from regular libraries.
A Library on Wheels
This week, Imamverdi visited schools and villages in Lashgarabad, Aran, Mehdiaabad, Hiv, Chondar, Lashgarabad (Abbasabad district), as well as Mohammadshahr, Chaharbagh, Shahrak-e Be’sat, Mahestan, and New Hashtgerd City.
The library vehicle, with its simple, childlike drawings, transformed into a small library at each stop; a place where students could freely browse and choose books.
Imamverdi says about his experience: “The mobile library is not just a collection of books. Many children get acquainted with story book here for the first time, or learn new things through simple activities like drawing and intellectual games.”
From Storytelling to Joyful Games
This week’s programs included activities such as book introductions, storytelling, poetry reading, drawing, and small competitions accompanied by book donations. Pictures show students listening intently to stories or holding books with enthusiasm.
In some schools, books were laid out on the ground in open spaces, allowing children to choose more easily and freely. The presence of a puppet character also added to the programs and made the school environment more cheerful; children gathered around it, and their laughter made the atmosphere of the program different.
A Journey to Keep Reading Alive
The Alborz Province Rural Mobile Library, with these simple but effective programs, was able to turn Book Week into a different experience for students in schools and villages; an experience where books were not dry educational tools, but a part of the children’s normal day.
