‘Link Day’ begins at Linden National Library
─ Seniors will share their knowledge with young people
― aiming to enhance services offered to the community
― History of Linden, other pertinent information to be passed on from seniors
─ ‘Link Day’ will be held the fourth Wednesday of every month at 11:00hrs
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, April 4, 2019
The National Library’s Linden branch has launched ‘Link Day’ to enhance the services offered to the community.
The programme aims to pass on historical information, life skills, moral, values and experiences from senior citizens to the youth. With the decrease in library membership, especially from the youth population, this initiative seeks to remind young people that information cannot only be gathered through technology but from those who would have experienced history first hand.
This generation link will not only benefit the young people, who would be informed by the lessons of the seniors, but the elders will now be engaged meaningfully and can now add this event, to their list of activities.
At the ceremony, Senior in Charge, Potoni Henery told the audience that the programme is an expansion of the services offered at the library and aims at promoting literacy and increased knowledge in the town. “So that you can impart in the younger generation, your talents, share your experiences so that we can be a better people.”
The programme was originally launched at the National Library in Georgetown in 2012; and the library committee soon realised that it needed to be offered at its other branches. “Because of the wealth of information, the seniors have to offer, we have decided to do the same, to promote literacy, to increase the knowledge in this community,” Henery explained.
‘Link Day’ will be held the fourth Wednesday of every month at 11:00hrs. The library has also made available large print books to make reading easier for senior citizens. In addition to reading, they will also be teaching various aspects of home economics, grooming and other life skills.
“You have the know-how, so please come and share it… so we can make the library a better place and the community will benefit as well,” Henery told the seniors present.
Several activities are also planned for the seniors throughout the year. These include a talent and fashion show, games night and an oldies night.
In brief remarks, Mayor of Linden Waneka Arindell expressed appreciation to the National Library for initiating such a programme which will foster the link between the young and the old. She noted that there are many “missing pieces in the documented history of Linden,” such as the formation of various communities and the establishment of monuments which needs to be passed on to the younger generation.
“You are the foundation of where we are today, you are the history of where we are today, and there are things we need to know, only you can say to us,” Mayor Arindell said.
The Linden Mayor and Town Council will also be partnering with the National Library to ensure the programme is successful.
Story and images: Vanessa Braithwaite.