Internally displaced persons (IDP) workathon mobile services: a possibility!
| Published date | 04 March 2019 |
| Pages | 15-16 |
| Date | 04 March 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-10-2018-0064 |
| Author | Adetoun A. Oyelude |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Library & information services |
Internally displaced persons (IDP) workathon
mobile services: a possibility!
Adetoun A. Oyelude
This last edition of the column for
2018 aims to expand the ideas presented
in a Lightning Talk of the same title
given on the 29th of August, 2018 at the
International Federation of Library
Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
World Library and Information
Congress held in Kuala Lumpur. It
focuses on the use of technology and
collaboration for internally displaced
persons’ (IDP) workathon mobile
services, as a possibility to help them
globally. It takesa look at the problem of
coping with IDPs and solves the
problems using specialized mobile
library services. Thoughts are shared on
getting IDPs back on their feet through
mobile library and social services.
Women and children, especially, doubly
vulnerable in the camps, can be helped
through bibliotherapy, role play, art
expression and so on via librarians (in
the workathon) and social worker’s
interventions.
IDPs are defined as “persons who
have been displaced by natural disaster
or conflicts from their homes and
traditional support structure and have
not crossed the border of their countries.
They are victims of various kinds of
injustices perpetrated them such as
communal clashes, terrorism, riots,
religious conflicts, natural disasters and
so on” (Akuto, 2017). They face many
challenges in the camps where they are
located because they are not in their
usual habitat. They are psychologically
destabilized and live in fear. Being
traumatized, they have health issues and
often become socially unstable,
especially when they happen to have
run to places where they do not
understand the language and culture of
the people. The trauma, fear and social
exclusion are sometimes compounded
by mistreatment by those supposed to
be caring for them and even other IDPs
in the camp. Women and girls who are
the majority in the camp are most
affected, as many are raped, have
unwanted children and continually
experience stigmatization (Oyelude and
Osuigwe, 2017).
To help the IDPs, there are
interventions by many people and
agencies, governmental, non-
governmental, faith-based, regiona l,
national and international. The
interventions have helped to an extent,
but other problemshave accrued, leaving
the IDPs with issues s uch as loneliness,
lack of social integration, health
challenges and many more. The children
in the camp are usually in great number
and have to be kept busy. They need to
be educated and their activities need to
be streamlined constructively. Adults
need avenues to relax, get information
and broaden their horizon even while in
camp. Everyone needs support, can
learn, can contribute, can communicate
and is ready, and together, we are better
(Robo, 2014). Thiscan be achieved with
the intervention of libraries and
information centres. One of the services
offered by libraries can be leveraged
upon is mobile library services. A
workathon framework can be applied to
these services to solve some of the
problemsof the IDPs.
Mobile libraries have been in use as
far back as the nineteenth century and
are still functional today. This is in spite
of the availability of ebooks and
increasingly widespread internet which
perhaps ought to have resulted in the
need for mobile libraries to be phased
out. Mobile libraries are much
specialized vehicles, which require a
high level of craftsmanship. They are
adapted to meet community needs and
provide more services than books for
reading. Workshops, training and
platforms for connection in remote areas
are facilitated by mobile libraries
(Mitchell, 2018)(www.aljazeera.com/
indepth/features/love-books-mobile-libraries-
world-180419151838384.html).
The IFLA mobile library guidelines
describes different types of mobile
libraries and gives standards for
building them in various formats and
different specifications. In particular,
the content of mobile libraries and the
use to which they can be put are
interesting and constitute a powerful
tool for helping communities. Mobile
libraries need a mode of transport to be
useful.
“The modern mobile library may
carry DVD’s, CD’s,computers, pictures,
maps, toys leaflets and books. It will
have facilitiesto download material onto
a disk and memory device. Motorized
vehicles are not the only means of
transport. Boats, trains, planes,
motorcycles and various animals are
used to provide a service”(IFLA, 2010).
Even, elephants have been used as
means of moving the l ibrary from place
to place as exemplified in the mobile
library in Thailand.
Because mobile libraries are fitted
with facilities to provide power, (for
example, using solar energy) “they can
serve temporary communities engaged
in short term projects such as harvesting
or dam building where a full static
service would not be justified. They are
good to serve nomadic populations and
areas previously devastated by war or
extreme weather” (IFLA, 2010).
Potentials for helping internally
displaced persons
To help IDPs, social activities can be
organized by them such as storytelling
and role playing. This can create a
situation whereby their psychological
problems are eased off. Talking about it
helps in “talk-through” therapy sessions.
Space for bibliotherapy can be provided
in the camp and through the mobile
library services.Engaging in games with
the children in the camp is another
activity to help integrate the IDPs. Social
LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 1 2019, pp. 15-16, V
CEmerald Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/LHTN-10-2018-0064 15
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