By Mackay Taggart with files from Joseph B. Bangura

The modern library goes beyond simply books and bookcases.  It has become, thanks to the proliferation of the internet and electronic media, a way to connect and interact with the world at large.

Unfortunately the Makeni City Library is not yet a modern library, for it, like most buildings in the city, has no access to electricity.  However, a private donation, a hot Saturday morning and a sheet of solar panels the size a beach towel is about to change that.

Last weekend townspeople gathered and watched as volunteer Simon Willans from the Environmental Foundation for Africa mounted brackets, cables and the panels themselves onto the roof of the city’s only municipal library.

At a one time cost of approximately $2000 CDN the library will soon hold the capacity to run a laptop computer, a handful of energy efficient light bulbs and have enough energy remaining for limited cell phone charging.

A faulty inverter stalled the inaugural flipping of the switch, but the projects organizers are confident that, following the arrival of the new part, the system will be up and running in the coming days.

The addition of solar electricity has sparked plans for computer training programs and talk of possible public internet access.  The installation of the panels also provided an opportunity for me and Radio Maria reporter Joseph B. Bangura to cover a great local story.  It aired on the Monday April 7th edition of Radio Maria’s English language “Day Break Salone”.