School Library Media Center

School libraries play an important role in making information available to students and in teaching students how to obtain and use that information. Today school libraries have become far more than simple repositories of books. In order to meet the needs of today’s students, school library needs to access local and remote online networks, in-house use of CD-ROM databases, and interactive media are necessary for all library media centers.

Bethlehem Star is having a traditional library and a computer room which looks like classrooms and the available space for both are very small. Currently the school is having 303 pupils the school has a potential of accommodating 540 students. In the next five years to come, our vision is to have 1000 pupils. The school is intending to have School Library Media Centre.

The success of the internet and educational technology has opened a new need of having School Library Media Center. With technology becoming more prominent and education remaining a priority in a growing child’s life, it’s easier than ever with a media center, to cater to a specialized learning environment for any pupil. The new generation of children enters the new education system with high educational standards which changes more regularly than before. This requires a full equipped computer Lab with a Librarian having ICT knowledge to run a Media centre which can accommodate about 100 computers and 20 tablets with enough shelves for keeping different books and reading place.

Media Centers will replace an old library and a computer lab, we will focus on providing technology, access to resources of reading materials. Most media centers are dominated by technology, devices, and internet access rather than paper-based books.

The new media center we envision will have separate areas for classes to meet, stacks of books, a reading area, a computer lab, and a group collaboration table. The aim is to make the media center a place where teachers can bring their students not only to check out books, but also to collaborate, research, and be an extension of the classroom. But it can also be used by other nearby academic institutions.

Media Centre Project is a long-term project, which we expect to be take about 3 years, however our immediate need is to have at least 50 computers and 16 tablets.

Budget

• A computer TZS 350,000 / USD 140 per computer
• Tablets TZS 400,000 USD 180 Per tablet