Finally, after months of scouting, we’ve found a new library space in Kaza (Spiti Valley) for Let’s Open a Book. It is a four-room space that will have separate reading rooms for children and adults. This is a significant upgrade from the one and a half rooms that we had previously been operating from. The building primarily uses mud as its base material, which means that it’ll stay warm during the freezing winter months. And we cannot get over the amazing view that the team room offers, where we have our tea breaks.
Of course, there are challenges to deal with. To begin with, while the space itself is quite beautiful, it is located on one end of Kaza. This makes us wonder if the distance would be too much for the readers. Also, given the geography and extreme resource constraints, setting up the new space has been a rather slow process as we navigate day-to-day challenges. And we’re doing this in phases, so that the current library space can keep operating without hiccups until the new space has been inaugurated. This means that every team member has been shouldering a lot of responsibilities.
We are really, really grateful for the kindness and support that we have been receiving from people who believe in the power of free libraries. Locals have been helping with vehicles and manpower whenever possible. And others are sending love and support in the form of cash and kind contributions, so we have the basics in place.
It’s a long way to go, but for now I’m going to sip my tea and enjoy the view 