island book project

[northern dog]

Is the island book project for donating children's books still running?

[maryella]

Would love to know that as well. Many years ago we brought a bunch of books to the "blue" school in Island Harbour. We enjoyed our visit and the kids appreciated our donation. We always wanted to do it again but have not heard any word.

[TheEnglands]

I would also like to know!!

Thankyou
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The Englands

[juday]

Heidi was the facilitator of www.islandbooks.ai working with Teacher Art at West End School. I have sent her an e-mail but her address may have changed.

Before Heidi there were other individuals like myself who just made contact with a school as I did, West End School in the days of Norma Highes as head teacher.

Back in the early nineties while still teaching in Corona del Mar, CA, I collected gently used paperback books from my students - also art supplies- and shipped them in boxes in huge canvas M bags from US Mail. They went on VERY slow boats, frequently taking months but all arrived. Eventually so other schools were included, I had to send to the primary education office in the Valley.

Besides Anguilla, my husband and I then made apoint whenever we were on tiny islands where schools clearly lacked materials we included them. John, the owner of Palm Island in the Grendines was so delighted as I was able to mail to Windjammer Cruises in Miami and the supply ship Amazing Grace would drop them off with John who distributed them to Union Island, Mayreau and beyond. Adonal Foyle the US pro basketball great also had a program in connection with literacy on the tiny island of Canouan there I believe where he was born. Google to find out more.

I have some great enlarged photos of the West End kids and my classes and the books which I really should send down to Anguilla as they are part of the history of the school. Those kids are probably all helping run the hotels now! I remember it was the time the Blanchards were building their first restaurant Mangos on Barnes Bay on those hot July days when the beach was deserted at Cocoloba which we loved.

The last word! If you want to help, contact the individual school to see what they need or also go through the Dept of Education in the Valley.... and don't forget the kids at Albena Hodge High School. Am sure if you contacted teacher Samuel Daniels there he would have some ideas. He did a special needs MA at Cambridge University after getting his degree at UWI. A dedicated teacher and a fine upstanding Anguillan.

You can also check with your hotel to see if they can include shipments with their containers that come from the mainland USA .Maybe the hotel and tourist boerd executive director can assist you, also. Also check with Anguilla Customs to see how you have to address, label and declare contents to avoid taxes / duties.

Sometimes it is a committee of one that gets things done!

Juday

[Islander]

A good discussion of book donations, including some history and some problems, may be found on Don Mitchell's extraordinary blog, here: http://tinyurl.com/anfa62

If that doesn't work for you, here's the full URL:
http://corruptionfreeanguilla.blogspot.com/2009/02/literacy.html#comments

There is no duty on new or used books, so Customs isn't too much of a problem. There is duty on art and probably school supplies, but Government is exempt from duty, so anything addressed to any government office or officer, at their work address, is duty-free. However, this creates challenges with paperwork and trucking that school principals may not appreciate.

The Anguilla Post Office's "Home Shopping Service" has made M-bags obsolete, but it needs a book coordinator on our end to make it work efficiently. Don Mitchell's discussion of this problem has failed to awaken any of the staff at the Anguilla Library Service and some of us are reluctant to step in and do the work of people we are already paying taxes to support in their comfortable positions.

So there are questions here larger than donated books, and even beyond the children whose education concerns all of us. We want a government that functions for the people instead of for the convenience of its staff. But this forum is not the place for such discussions.

It will require action by the Permanent Secretary - Education, a good woman, to make this happen. I'll let you know when she does.

Thank you for caring about our children.

[pelicansmom]

So wonderful to see people are interested in bringing books to the island. Juday alerted me of the posts. Islandbooks.ai is still operating but with the loss of Teacher Art and Bob Greene unable to be located (administrator of website) the project has slowed. Teacher Paula at the Allyson Allwyn Primary in the West End has been trying to keep the program going. Books and school supplies can be dropped at the school and they will be distibuted equitably amongst the schools. The concept originally was for all guests to bring a few books in their beachbags. People were more generous and wanted to send boxes. Shipping was a problem which was resolved for a bit with a postal arrangement supported by the Anguillan Fondation. I don't think that is still in effect. The AHTA was instrumental and supportive and had a drop off site. I am not sure if they still do. Most hotels will be happy to direct you to any school nearby for a more informal dropoff. So please bring books if you can. They will be appreciated by all. I will be happy to answer further questions. My email is on the website. www.islandbooks.ai
All the best and thank-you.

[TheEnglands]

I sent a message through the link on the Dept. Of Education website and received no response. I sent another message and no response.

I was interested in swapping photos, notes, school info with a kindergarten aged class on the island and my daughter's class here. My husband was layed off right after I booked my trip, so i know I will not be contributing to the local economy as I would like to...so I thought up the idea of doing a small lesson on Anguilla for my daughter's class and then was hoping to reciprocate with a class in Anguilla - teaching them about our community and sharing pictures and items the kids made for them. I am in a teaching college (but I'm 40!) and have all my background checks completed...etc. I'm pretty bummed, but someone told me to go ahead and make a book of info for a school in AXA and drop if off at the school, but don't expect them to reciprocate.

Does anyone know why they would not want to have a simple exchange of cultural info? I only had good intentions. Our teacher here is excited about it, but I had to tell her I never heard back.

I babbled a little bit...my apologies.
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The Englands

[TheEnglands]

Thank you to those who sent me pm's...

Suzanne
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The Englands

[juday]

Heidi e-mailed me recently to say she has the newly revised website updated for the Island Books project prior to her being on Anguilla in early June. However, I cannot seem to access it from my MAc.... all I get is the old one, so maybe some of you should try to log on or at least send her a message to her e-mail address that is on that old website. Juday

[Islander]

I believe Heidi may be on her way to Anguilla today. I'll try to reach her. Things are progressing with the book project. Please stay tuned.

Islander