While attending a Rotary Club leadership conference, Write to Read BC co-lead Dr Shirley-Pat Gale was interviewed by Rotarian David Mangs about her work with libraries, literacy, and Write to Read BC.
During the video interview, Gale told the story of the child who inspired her to start providing not only books but spaces for libraries in isolated BC communities.
Interviewer David Mangs is a past district governor of Rotary district 7890. Mangs begins the interview by explaining the goals of Rotary Clubs, and by introducing Gale.
With much of the community in attendance, Haida Gwaii opened its new library on April 25, 2017. Community leaders want the aboriginal library to promote literacy and encourage a love of learning in Old Massett.
Old Massett is on the north end of Graham Island in Haida Gwaii, a group of islands off the BC coast, near Alaska.
The idea for this library began with Literacy Haida Gwaii, about three years ago. The community received $60,000 in sponsorship when the literacy society partnered with Write to Read BC, Rotary Club, and Government House.
To get started, the project received $5,000 for books and resources. The library also has two computers, with Internet access. Community members now have access to resources beyond Old Massett.
Judith Guichon, lieutenant-governor of BC, attended the library opening, along with Chris Neufeld of Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular).
Britco sponsors the Write to Read BC project by donating modular buildings and paying to ship them to isolated communities that want a library. The Old Massett module was shipped free of charge by BC Ferries. Vancouver Island Regional Library will help train volunteers to manage the library database. London drugs donated computers.
Spurred by the Write to Read BC library projects in Toosey and Stone, Indigenous community Nemiah Valley, has approached us about a community library.
Nemiah Valley, BC, is home to the Xeni Gwet’in band of the Tsilhqot’in people. This community is on Chilco Lake, a 4½-hour drive from Williams Lake. This has logistical challenges for the project.
Members of the Rotary Club relayed to us that community members are very excited that something like this is available to them.
Dr Shirley-Pat Gale, our co-lead, has made contact with the community, and will help set up an initial meeting in which the community can tell us what they want from a library.
Some time ago, the Kwadacha indigenous community in Fort Ware approached Write to Read BC about a library. We can now get a project started with them.
This is because two Rotary Clubs are willing to partner with the community.
Fort Ware is north of Williston Lake, which is a substantial logistical challenge. No provincial highways reach the community, but a logging road extends north from the Prince George region.
Klemtu, BC, an indigenous community in BC’s coastal fjords, has asked to partner with Write to Read BC to work towards a library and cultural centre.
For this project, Write to Read BC has also partnered with the Rotary Club of Saanich.
Our design response team has been invited to the community to meet and start planning the facility with them. Hoping to join us in the first meeting are Brenda Rothwell, Success By 6 coordinator for the area, Steven Point, lieutenant-governor of BC, and members of the Rotary Club of Saanich.
The library opening in Oweekeno was both formal and festive. A Wuikinuxv Elder blessed the building, and Chief Rose Hackett cut the ribbon alongside Judith Guichon, lieutenant-governor of BC and Peter Hansen of Rotary Club Lionsgate.
Volunteers in Oweekeno celebrate the Wuikinuxv community’s new library.
The Chief also presented a ceremonial paddle to the lieutenant-commander of the navy ship HMCS Calgary, at a community dinner with navy crew members, in the Big House.
Local youth then sailed the Rivers Inlet area aboard HMCS Calgary for four hours, as guests.
Also in attendance were members of the RCMP on their regular visit to Oweekeno.
This library was sponsored by the members of the Rotary Club Lionsgate of North Vancouver, who raised the necessary project funds. The modular building was donated by Britco Structures.
The Oweekeno community will employ a librarian to supervise the building. Write to Read BC’s library response team collaborated with local volunteers on the selection and cataloguing of books.
Oweekeno is on the BC coast, south of Bella Bella, accessible only by boat or plane.
The cost of the project was $60,000. Moving the modular building by sea from Vancouver to Rivers Inlet cost $20,000, which the Jack Gin Foundation paid.
This summer’s grand opening of the Write to Read BC library in Nooaitch was attended by Elders, band members, Judith Guichon, lieutenant-governor of BC, Rotary Club members, Britco Structures, TELUS, and a reporter from Shaw TV.
Children hold the ribbon tight for the ribbon-cutting at the opening of Nooaitch library.
Britco donated the modular building that houses the library. Rotary Club raised funds and its members volunteered on the project. TELUS provided the high-speed connection so people can attend courses and conferences online in the library’s learning centre.
Old Massett band members talked about their concept of an Aboriginal library with Write to Read BC team members, recently. They were joined by Beng Leng Favreau of Literacy Haida Gwaii, and Christoph Neufeld from Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular).
Britco is providing modular buildings to house a number of Write to Read BC libraries.
The partnership now needs to find a Rotary Club to adopt this community fundraising project, so work can begin.
The community is very excited that we are preparing to do that. A visit to the community by Steven Point, the governor-general of BC, has also raised interest.
After partnering with Write to Read BC, the isolated community of Lax Kw’alaams conceived of a community library that meets their literacy and learning needs.
Another Write to Read BC partner, Mission Rotary Club, asked its community to contribute $5,000 to the project, and then doubled that with a $5,000 grant. The Rotary Club volunteers also set up the library in October.
This new library in Lax Kw’alaams, formerly known as Port Simpson, has shelves of books to read, comfortable seating, and computers for remote attendance in courses and conferences in its learning centre.
Shelves of books in Lax Kw’alaams library.Seating and more shelves of books in the library in Lax Kw’alaams, BC.
For Rupert celebrated the grand opening of a library, on August 20, 2013. Fort Rupert is a west-coast, First Nation community located next to Port Hardy, BC. This is the 8th library installed in an isolated community by Write to Read BC.
This library was a collaborative effort between participating partners. Three Rotary Clubs—Burnaby Metrotown, Port McNeill, and Port Hardy—worked in partnership with the Kwakiutl band of Port Rupert. Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular) donated the modular building, and BC Ferries assisted with its delivery. TLD Computers, with London Drugs and Hewlett Packard, donated the computers.
The contents of the library—the books, cataloguing, computer systems, and shelves—were assembled by Write to Read BC’s library response team, Carol and Barbara. In what was a truly cooperative effort, they were joined by Bonnie Sutherland of North Delta Rotary Club and Afroteck, and Marion Hunt, Carole Ford, and many other Fort Rupert community volunteers.
Lieutenant-governor of BC Judith Guichon opened the library. Also in attendance at the opening were Rotary District Governor Ken Wilson (D5040) and Peggy, along with Gloria Wing Stadt, Bala Naidoo, Elizabeth Cheung, and Darlene Broadhead of the Burnaby Metrotown Club.
