Perhaps, all library spaces get sectioned and organised into genres/ categories/ age groups/ quiet and active zones and what not.
Bookworm has been no different, in that, through out time, given the space available we have played around with organisation and turned upside down, right side up and down again.
We had another topsy turvy fortnight when Alia, our new Library Program Coordinator argued for space for mature readers within a Children’s Library. Woh! This is huge. If you know Alia , slight frame, gentle and shy at all times, you might wonder how dare she ! This is Bookworm, historically labelled as a children’s library space, shamelessly parents of 12 year olds say , ‘ our child has grown up’ and do not say ‘ …and therefore cannot come to Bookworm’ and many such instances that have perhaps reinforced our labelling of selves – a children’s library.
So this argument for and engineering of a space in an already cramped house had to be turned into a production. Alia did it with theatrical flair and our team being infinitely creative and generous in accommodating change, were on the production wagon before you could say , ” action. ”
As I think about this development I am struck by the upside down nature of the mature readers section. We began with children and we are inching towards older readers, a wonderful topsy turvy way of organising space in the library but for Bookworm, an organic way of existing.
