The Community Library of Mandimba exists to assist the surrounding community of 40,000+ with technology and information services in ways that significantly enhance its ability to make information available to those who need it (i.e., researchers, clinicians, students, policymakers, government workers, university students and the wider public.) The project is based on a research done in the distric
t beginning in 2009 to check on whether a library was necessary or not. The excitement was overwhelming as many groups expressed great enthusiasm and an order was immediately issued to the government planning office of our district to find a suitable place where a library could be located in the downtown area of Mandimba. The building was identified (though later rejected due to the costs of rehabilitation); one and half tons load of books were donated by well wishers in Portugal. A team of university students came from South Africa in 2010 to assist with the shelving and painting of this building which was formerly a prison. The project stalled for two years as the building appointed to be the new library had too many repairs to finish in order to provide proper housing for the books and sufficient space for visitors. But in 2013 the Administrador of Mandimba offered to house the library in the new secondary school and a room was chosen where the books were moved, shelves were created, and the library was officially opened in October. The library is now under the control of the government’s Department of Education and therefore will be evaluated and staffed properly to measure its success.
