Axim Library

WThe Axim Public Library occupies rooms in the second story of the Community Center, in downtown. It is a modest effort, with several rooms, including two rooms with typical shelving, a children's "story hour" type of room, a children's computer lab with One Laptop Per Child computers, and a small "adult" computing lab with 7-8 adult Windows-based computers, some internet access, and a printer. We've been supporting this library effort for many years---it's one of our most important efforts.

Construction of New Library -- In early 2020, with Ghana Together funding, Western Heritage Home began contruction on a new public library, located in the center of Axim, near several schools. Due to COVID-19, work has slowed but as of Nov 2020, the electrical pipes and roof beams are in place! We look forward to dedicating this much-needed facility in 2021!

Mobile Library

School Children with Mobile Library

In January 2015, the Axim Library formally launched its Mobile Library Services to eleven Axim primary schools via its beautiful "mobiletricycle library."

Children register for one cedi for one year (about 35 US cents). The tricycle pulls up to their school once per week, and children can check out a book until the next visit. By the end of January more than 800 children had registered. Children are encouraged to read their books at home, especially to their Moms.

The van was built and dedicated by end of 2014. Thanks to a huge effort on both sides of the Atlantic(!), the Axim Library had enough children's books to start serving villages and schools too distant for walking. So, Western Heritage Home and Ghana Together worked together to purchase

a tricycle and on it, build a mobile library van!!

Support for the Axim Library started in 2009, when Regina Lawler visited Axim with Maryanne Ward of Ghana Together. She and husband Barry harnessed the energies of St Philip's Episcopal Church in Rochester, MI USA. They organized a "Songs for Stories" benefit concert, visited yard sales and used book stores.

And so, this wonderful program was launched in 2009 and has been growing every day! In 2018, almost 900 children were registered library members, and they'd checked out about 8500 books. The mobile library was serving 17 schools in Sept 2018.

Ebby and Rose Mienza, native Aximites living for decades in Maryland, have a friend who is a shipper. Books shipped to them end up in the Port at Tema, Ghana.s

George and Kathy Hayford and Ishmael Baidoo, friends in Accra, know how to navigate the Port and transport books to Axim when they visit family or visit on business.

American friends find books---hundreds of books!!--yard sales, spring house cleaning, children outgrowing their early books...we've lost count, we admit.

Mercy Ackah, long-time Axim Library Director, now Regional Director, knew just what to do!

Her first move was to start story hours for children within walking distance.

Then children started to visit the library own their own.

Children could check out books with stern admonitions from the staff to "read aloud to your Mom"...(to improve literacy among women)!

The Municipal Assembly provided a room adjacent to the current library for a "Children's Corner."

They cleaned and painted the entire library. They hooked up the electricity.

Ghana Together sent some $$ so the carpenters could make shelves, benches...

Soon books were being delivered by taxi to schools. Children raced for the honor of carrying the box of books into their school...

We now have enough books that some can be placed permanently in these distant locations---spots where there currently is nothing to read but what the teacher writes on the blackboard, or what the student writes in his/her exercise book.

We thank one and all for the really major team effort to make this happen!!

And yes, if you have high-quality children's books (the kind you'd give your own kids/grandkids), you know who to contact!