Drug Prevention and Information Centers (Community Libraries)

General

Community Information Centers (Community Libraries) were established as an active participatory instrument seeking the commitment of the population, specially the youth. They work as integral prevention centers through education, cultural and recreational activities promoting healthy life-styles and values effective regard.
Information Centers (Community Libraries) are recognized as valid strategies for the prevention of psychoactive substance abuse.

The methodology applied for the establishing of Information Centers (Community Libraries) makes possible the use of different facilities such as: family homes, community, municipal, parishes, etc., chosen according to the needs of each community by encouraging their participation.

Background of Information Centers (Community Libraries)

In 1990, CEDRO established a Program in urban marginal areas called "cara a cara" (face to face) whose objective was to work in alternative positive coalitions for the prevention of psychoactive substance abuse, from an integral perspective and with the participation of community members.

Through the Program it was detected that many participant children had difficulties with their reading and writing skills, thus an activity was created: "Cara a Cara con la Lectura" (Face to Face with Reading).
This activity starts by promoting reading sessions, workshops in charge of community promoters, and by providing reading modules. The work material was part of the "Maleta de Lectura" (Reading Bag) and had recreation material, short stories, drawings and puzzles.
The target population is boys and girls and pre-adolescents from the ages of 5 to 11.

The result of the Program was the need to implement a permanent reading space. Boys, girls and youngsters enjoy pleasant moments when this type of space is organized. With the support of CEDRO coordinators, community promoters assist on school homework, exchange information, organize youth meetings, and develop reading promotion workshops. All the activities mentioned above are considered in the Project "Community Libraries".

In 1991, with the support of the Kellogg Foundation, the first Information Centers (Community Libraries) were opened, located in urban-marginal areas of Lima.
Each Community Library counts with "Basic Book Modules" which include schoolbooks for primary, secondary and technical education; and "Recreational Book Modules" which include short stories, and books on good use of leisure time.

The Dissemination and Research Center of Children and Youth Literature (CEDILIJ) is providing important support in this process.

Objectives

• Contribute to the consolidation of youth groups informed on several areas of drug issues, in charge of information centers, community libraries, shelters, municipal libraries.
  
• Generate and strengthen community facilities where information, education, culture, sports and recreation are produced, organized, settled and integrated making possible coalitions work.
  
• Support the active participation of youth in the dynamics and Development of the community, by means of information centers, community libraries, and shelter facilities.
  
• Theory and On-the-job Training of groups in charge of information centers, community libraries, shelter facilities, in order to optimize the teamwork results and promote community Development.
  
• Reinforce information centers, community libraries, and shelter facilities management by developing workshops and activities for drug abuse prevention.

Information Centers Purpose (Community Libraries)

• Respond to information demand of children and youth (schoolbooks, prevention information, good use of leisure time).
  
• Make possible the immediate access to reading and educational, cultural and recreational activities to shantytown populations.

Information Centers Strategy (Community Libraries)

• Act as integral prevention centers (educational, cultural and recreational activities).
  
• New healthy life-style.
  
• Values education.
  
• Organize coalitions in order to support prevention and information work needed by the community.

Information Centers Implementation (Community Libraries)

Community libraries, information centers, shelter facilities were organized and implemented for the population in urban-impoverished areas in Lima and the Provinces (coca areas). Within the Integral Prevention Plan was considered that reading and the good use of leisure time had an important role, resulting in information centers for communities (community library) thus benefiting boys, girls, adolescents, and adults.

In each Library or Information Center is a board with the name of the library and opening hours, and massively distributed flyers, posters, and the media inviting the population to use the facilities of the Library, Information Centers, and Shelter Facilities.

Benefited Population

When the Project started with the support of the Kellogg Foundation, the benefited population reached 3000 users (boys, girls, youngsters and adults). Presently, Information Centers (Community Libraries) benefit 36,000 users each year.

Training for Library Promoters

A Basic Training Program was organized: Library or Information Center Organization and Promotion; Library or Information Center Management; Information Technology; Reading Promotion.
The trainers were experts from the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos Library, the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, and from CEDILIJ.

TRAINING PROGRAM FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTERS, AND DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION PROMOTERS

The program "Library Promoters" is a training course for the management of "Libraries and Information Centers, and Drug Abuse Prevention, having the following subject modules:

MODULE I

SESSION 1: COURSE PRESENTATION, GENERAL CONCEPTS

Objective: Integrate participants and trainers. Provide basic concepts on library in general and highlight the importance of Community Library, know about its concept, its activities and its role within the community.

SESSION 2: YOUNG LIBRARY PROMOTER

Objective: Organize the team of "Library Promoters" and to strength and prepare them for teamwork, and accountable to the institution and the community.

SESSION 3: WORK PLAN

Objective: Prepare a Work Plan following the logical framework of planning (establish objectives, tasks and goals).
MODULE II

SESSION 1: ORGANIZE COLLECTION, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Objective: Training participants in book, audiovisual, teaching and game materials catalog. Internet and WINISIS Program presentation for electronic data collection.

SESSION 2: SERVICE ORGANIZATION AND YOUTH CENTER
PROMOTION

Objective: Provide the guidelines for the organization of information services: reading room, reference and consultation, video lending and projection. The service will be standardized by means of a regulation drafted by the participants. Describe the activities of the library.

SESSION 3: READING PROMOTION

Objective: Promote reading as means of personal and social development by promoting school, library and home activities.

The Library receiving training will have the possibility of signing an agreement with the Centro de Documentación de Literatura Infantil-CEDILIJ, will receive a reading promotion methodology module, and will be part of the library network of this institution.

SESSION 4: DRUG ISSUES INFORMATION

Objective: Provide basic concepts on each substance, the reasons for abuse and the options for home and school prevention.

Methodology: Theory sessions plus workshops and videos, hard copy for each subject presented.
Deliver a bibliography module to CEDRO.
Paper work of the course organization: send a letter to the institution requesting the course addressed to Liubenka Obrenovich.
Addressed to: Roca y Bologna 271 San Antonio, Miraflores
Telephone: 447-5130 Fax: 446-0751
CEDRO Information and Document Center
In charge: Liubenka Obrenovich liube@cedro.org.pe
Julia Pérez Borbor jperez@cedro.org.pe

Impact on the Community

The activities of the first stage of the Program motivated the participation of institutions (coalitions). There was support from the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (Library Colleges of both Universities), in Workshops and Library Free Courses.
The National Library of Peru supported the project by donating books for the Community Libraries or Information Centers.
Presently, there is a great demand for training of library promoters and the organization of Information Centers (Community Libraries) on the part of local governments and public and private institutions.

By means of this Project, CEDRO´s Document Center has developed a package of services, which include:

• Training for library promoters, organization of Information Centers (Community Library), organization of Children Libraries.
  
• Workshops: promote reading, writing short stories.
  
• Drug prevention events.
  
• Children literature contests (short stories).

A group of Cooperation Libraries has been created, represented by the following institutions:

• AECI, Centro Cultural de España.
  
• CELACP, Centro de Estudios Literarios Antonio Cornejo Polar.
  
• DESCO, Centro de Estudios y Promoción del Desarrollo.
  
• Vía Libre.

The purpose of the Group "Bibliotecas Cooperantes" (Cooperation Libraries) is to upgrade from each of the institutions the Information Centers, Community Libraries, Shelter facilities, with reading modules and book collections on subjects that each institution develops. It will also support in the training of library promoters and in the drafting of documents needed to continue the Project.

Activities of Information Centers (Community Libraries)

• Training and counseling to youth groups and library promoters in cultural, preventive and community oriented activities.
  
• Meetings and discussions among youth groups, community organizations, public and private institutions.
  
• Create collective representation organizations that will include libraries or information centers.
  
• Youth groups and library promoters training for project and resources management.

Results

• Information Centers or Community Libraries have developed a service package that includes the training of library promoters.
  
• Children Libraries Organization with the support of the Organización de Centro de Información de Literatura Infantil y Juvenil-CEDILIJ.
  
• Reading, children art, handcrafts promotion workshops.
  
• Drug prevention events, the good use of free time.
  
• Literature, painting contests, cultural-art workshops.
  
• Book Collection Campaigns.
  
• Organize and Support 60 Information Centers, Community Libraries in Lima and the Provinces.