Libraries in Ghana

Em and I head to the library at least once a week, either to the local library or the main city library. Sometimes we read a book, other times there are scheduled children's events, like Mama Africa sharing songs and tales from Africa. For me, the library has been a place to visit on and off since I was a child.

These recent, regular library visits make me think of Ghana. I have never heard of anyone going to the library in Ghana. Actually, I hardly hear of people reading at all! There is a saying that: "if you want to hide something from Ghanaians, put it in a book"

Awful saying, but somewhat true. It seems although our people love learning, reading for the enjoyment of reading is not as popular.

Earlier this year, I took part in a church-organised cleanup of the Tema Library grounds. I didn't even know I had been driving past a library almost everyday, at the end of Hospital road. The grounds were overgrown and the library building looked as though nobody had entered for years. So imagine my surprise when I googled it and found that it is actively running and there was even a relatively new wanted ad, for internet librarians!

Have you been to a library in Ghana?

Today's song: Gläns över sjö och strand by the Real Group.

A book a day...

The pile of unread books in my room is growing higher and higher. It is time I confess one of my many shameful secrets: Since moving to Ghana in September, 2005, I have read no more than 9 books. 2 of them I read in my first two weeks in the country and the third during my first Christmas holiday. The rest were read…in Sweden during summer 2006 and 2007. Then of course there’s Khalil Gibran which I read a few months ago. I feel embarrassed thinking about it, but more so, I feel like I don’t know myself.

Books have always been my crack (excuse the comparison), but really it’s true. As a child I was so upset that you could only borrow 10 books per time at Frölunda biblioteket and was even more disappointed one summer in London when Tooting library would only allow us three (or was it five?) books at a time.

The problem now is that I continue to buy and borrow books from friends, start them and never finish. Currently on my nightstand are the following:





...and of course,

(almost done). I am finally getting back into the reading mode, unfortunately time is not on my side.

After thinking it over time and time again, I finally realised why I don’t read anymore – I drive. Reading has always been a perfect commuting tool. On the train from East Croydon to Victoria or the bus or tram from Kungssten into Brunnsparken, what better to do than to pick a good book and read!

Hm, I wonder if a journey in a trotro can give me that same soothing reading atmosphere…