Difficult Paths, Eager Hearts / The Story of Faith in Knowledge in the Eyes of Iranshahr’s Children
Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) Provincial Service: In the heart of roads where dust settles to the horizon and villages whose share of the world is a bit of sunshine and a small school, there is a librarian who travels long distances every week to bring a hand full of books to children. He carries the books not in wooden shelves of a city library, but in the trunk of a car amidst the uneven roads and the eager smiles of children.
For many of these children, the sound of his car horn is the promise of a new journey; a journey that begins from words and continues to imagination and dreams. Perhaps the books he brings are simple, but for children who have been less seen, these small pages sometimes turn into bridges for crossing everyday life and windows to a larger world.
The love for books and bringing them to the farthest points is a mission that Mansour Maksani, the librarian of the “Hodhod-e Sefid” (Mobile Library) project in Iranshahr, pursues with hope and love, despite all difficulties.
In response to the question of what inner motivation drew him to books, he said: My interest in books started in childhood, but the main motivation formed in me when I saw children in a remote village holding a book for the first time and looking at the pictures with excitement. That moment was very impactful for me. I understood that books could bring smiles, hope, and dreams into the lives of children who might not have many facilities. From that day, I vowed to bring books to these very villages as much as I can. Being a mobile librarian is not just a job for me; it’s a mission to light a small lamp of knowledge on every journey.
He stated: My experience in mobile librarianship has shown that the love for books exists in people’s hearts; we just need to pave the way for their access. The message of this experience for cultural officials is that investment in the field of books is not just about building large city libraries; sometimes a mobile library van or a few boxes of books in a village can create a greater transformation than any cultural project. If support moves towards cultural justice, meaning providing reading facilities for everyone, even in the farthest points of the country, then we will see how much talent and love for learning comes alive in the hearts of people, especially children and teenagers.
The mobile librarian explained about his activity program: Since last November, I have been serving two target villages daily. My schedule is to be present at one of the rural schools from 7 AM to 1:30 PM. A fixed day of the week is also allocated for each village. During this period, I have not only lent books. Programs such as storytelling, loud reading, book reading competitions, and educational workshops have been held for children and teenagers, which have been very well received.
Maksani said about his audience: The greatest reception is from elementary and first-grade middle school students. Children are usually interested in storybooks and illustrated books, while teenagers prefer adventure novels and science fiction. Also, village teachers are among our frequent visitors who seek and borrow literary, historical, and educational books.
A Feeling of Eagerness, Hope, and Responsibility in Promoting Books
Maksani said about his feelings when interacting with children: My feeling in interacting with children and teenagers in book promotion projects is a combination of eagerness, hope, and responsibility. When a child’s eyes sparkle upon seeing a book that is appealing to them, or when they excitedly tell me a story they have just read, all the fatigue of the journey leaves my body. Sometimes I can’t believe how much a simple book can affect their spirit and mental world. These interactions make me set off with more motivation every day and know that this difficult and arduous path is worth continuing.
In response to the question of whether he ever lost hope on this path, he said: I confess, yes. There have been moments when despair came over me. When I traveled long and difficult paths, or when I saw that facilities and support were less than people’s needs, my heart sank. But one thing has always kept me going: the smiles of children when receiving books, the eagerness of mothers reading children’s books for the first time, and the simple but heartfelt words of people who say, “May God bless you for bringing books here.” I believe that even if one child finds their life path with one book, all the hardships are worth it. The factor of my perseverance in this work is the love for people and faith in the power of knowledge.
Being a Book Promoter in Sistan and Baluchestan Is Not Easy
Maksani spoke about the challenges of working in the deprived province of Sistan and Baluchestan: The reality is that being a book promoter in this province, despite all its beauties and valuable moments, is not easy. Long distances between villages, difficult and unpaved roads, lack of facilities, intense heat, and lack of cultural infrastructure are among our constant challenges. Sometimes, just to deliver a few books, I have to be on the road for hours. The lack of fresh and diverse resources, especially for teenagers, is also one of the problems of mobile librarianship in this province.
But amidst all these hardships, sweet memories are the guiding light for this librarian. Maksani recounted his sweetest memory as follows: One of the unforgettable days for me was when, after several weeks of storytelling in a small school, the children gathered themselves and performed a creative play inspired by the books they had read. Their enthusiasm and joy in the hot village air showed that the mobile library had been able to create a new world for them.
He stated that children’s enthusiasm has always been motivating: It has often happened that children come to greet me with happy and hopeful faces, and their first question is: “Have you brought new books today?” This look and this simple question are my biggest encouragement to continue on this path.
