The Library Services Department, which is situated on the second floor of the Malone Building on Fleming Street. Photo: VINO/File

Although the 2011 report of the Library Services Department had stated that a new vehicle was needed and that the current one was unsuitable and a safety hazard, the Department was still stuck with the same vehicle, according to the 2012 report laid in the House of Assembly by Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Myron V. Walwyn on November 19, 2013. Photo: VINO

According to the Library Services Department’s report laid in the House of Assembly on November 15, 2012 by Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Myron V. Walwyn, the library in Road Town has outgrown its location. Photo: VINO/File

According to the Library Services Department's 2011 Report, there is a severe space constraint throughout the Library, but especially in the Caribbean Studies Unit, the Processing Unit, the Audit Unit and the Reference Unit. Photo: VINO/File

“The Great Wall vehicle is in a terrible condition. Officers have reported that the vehicle broke down on numerous occasions; the doors have opened while the vehicle was in motion. In addition, the doors do not open easily or at all sometimes, which made it a safety hazard,” the report stated.

It further stated that on November 5, 2012 the Public Works Department wrote a letter recommending that the vehicle be written off and replaced with a new vehicle. “On December 19, 2012 a Board of Survey Report was completed and signed by the Chief Librarian. The vehicle also did not qualify to be licensed by the Licensing Department in 2012, because of the technical problems.”

Virgin Islands News Online previously reported that the 2011 report had stated that in 2009 the Library Services Department submitted a new initiative in the 2010 budget for a new vehicle but it had not received any despite the money being allocated in the budget.

It had further stated that in 2010, $40, 000 was allocated in the budget for a new vehicle for the Department. “However, we did not receive the vehicle in 2010 and we were told that we would receive it in 2011. We did not receive the vehicle in 2011.”

According to the Department in the 2011 report, “the present vehicle, a Great Wall is old, and does not have much power to climb hills. In fact, the vehicle skids when it goes up steep hills.”

Security System needs evaluating

Meanwhile, the 2012 report highlighted that the security system (fire and burglar alarm) in the Road Town Library is over 15 years old and is not working at its full capacity. It stated that an evaluation of the system revealed that the security office is not receiving the defined signals from the library.

“In the event that a fire occurred, or a burglar entered the building a signal would not be sent to the security office, and therefore personnel at the security office would not be alerted to notify the police department or the Fire and Rescue Department. This is a serious matter and it is important that this system is placed to protect the Library’s collection and to safeguard the employees,” the report concluded.

See previous article posted November 11, 2012

Lack of space a hindrance to expansion of library services- Report

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The Library Services Department, which is situated on the second floor of the Malone Building on Fleming Street, has outgrown its present location and has in effect hindered plans to expand its services.

According to the Department’s report laid in the House of Assembly on November 15, 2012 by Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Myron V. Walwyn, the Department currently occupies 6000sq.ft. of space at its present location, however, over the past years, the book collection, staff, patrons, and stakeholders have increased. “It is therefore accurate to say that the library has outgrown its present location,” Chief Librarian Ms Suzanne Greenaway stated in the report for 2011.

Greenaway also claimed that when secondary school children visit the library in the afternoon, or if there is a school research project that requires the use of library reference materials, there is sometimes no seating available to accommodate the students and other patrons.

“There is a severe space constraint throughout the Library, but especially in the Caribbean Studies Unit, the Processing Unit, the Audit Unit and the Reference Unit. It is important to record that lack of space was also a hindrance to the expansion of library services.”

One of the major complaints received in the Department, according to the report, was the difficulty that physically challenged persons experienced when they came to the library.

“Some patrons have indicated that they would like to visit the library frequently but cannot because they are unable to climb the stairs. We have received numerous complaints about this problem. I am therefore recommending that the library be relocated to a spacious ground floor location which would remedy the above mentioned problems.”

Battling with the ‘Great Wall”

The report also stated that in 2009, the Library Services Department submitted a new initiative in the 2010 budget for a new vehicle but to date has not received any despite the money being allocated in the budget.

It further stated that in 2010, $40, 000 was allocated in the budget for a new vehicle for the Department. “However, we did not receive the vehicle in 2010 and we were told that we would receive it in 2011. We did not receive the vehicle in 2011.”

According to the Department, “the present vehicle, a Great Wall is old, and does not have much power to climb hills. In fact, the vehicle skids when it goes up steep hills.”