Entrants's Name: Cydney Henderson

Country: United States

Field: Education

Innovation - idea: Working with teens and middle school-age kids as volunteer librarians, I have opened a small, public library in a seriously under-serviced area of the city of Bakersfield, California.

Innovation - why it is pioneering: The county library system is failing the public. In this area where there is very limited access to "quality of life" services, a county built local library will not see the future for at least six years. Working together, a small school district, a teacher and some committed students from the local community decided to DO something about this lack of services. Et voila!! The Community Library

Strategy - how it achieves impact: By building bridges into the community and linking the community, the school district and a local church in the community; by developing youth leadership pride and skills by teaching skills needed to run the library, make decisions about its operations, and work as a team.

Strategy - growth plans: Iam looking for funding to allow the library to move to a larger space, so that more community and after-school-hour services could be offered. At this point, I am unable to devote any serious time to fund-raising, dissemination (besides delivering leaflets in the immediate family housing neighborhood) or replication.

Impact to date: No, but I understand that this is an innovative approach to a very serious problem. The local newspaper has devoted time and space to report about it.

Future impact: It would have empowered young kids to become full leaders in their community (and hopefully inspired some of them to continue their education). It would have inspired other church members interested in social justice issues to become active participants. It would have served as a model for others who want to replicate a small neighborhood library in their community.

Sustainability - resource base: The Community Public Library relies upon student and adult (church) volunteers for its weekly operations. The church provides space as an in-kind monthly donation. The Community Library is a partner of the Fairfax/Brundage Lane Neighborhood Partnership. The Community Library is a designated field trip option for elementary teachers of the local school.

Major challenge for the field: How to be sustainable in the long term, when it's mostly thru volunteer efforts that existance is possible.

Contact Information:

Name: Mrs. Cydney Henderson - Teacher/Reading specialist
Country: United States

Bio: I'm 50 years old and a teacher. I've always thought of my entire life as an act of creativity, Teaching is in itself very creative. Several years ago, I created a Hallowe'en Fun Night for our community to provide safe, family fun in a community that lacks all services.