LINKS: Kolovai Library blog EVENTS Storytime for kids. Monday at 3pm. Donations: Bank account name: Kolovai Community Public Library Bank account number: ANZ BANK 1935024. Postal address: PO Box 1118 Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga Island
Kolovai Library Kingdom of Tonga is a place to explore (vakai’i), of understanding (mu’aki’ilo), and to connect ideas (fakahoko).
Young or old; shy or adventurous, in a library we can find books to feed our imagination, console our sorrows and strengthen us to deal with shared problems.
Last Thursday, Cyclone Harold smashed into Tonga. Huge waves demolished many of the resorts along the Hihifo coast from Kolovai ( Fala ‘o Ata ) to Ha”atafu. Local families have been hugely affected with the total loss of businesses, buildings and homes.
One of the worst affected was the Liku”alofa resort owned by Peseti Ma”afu from Kolovai. Peseti was a Tongan international rugby player and has been a highly successful tourist business operator for many years. Kolovai Library is forever indebted to Peseti mo Tala Ma’afu for their generosity in helping make last year’s library opening a very special event.
Peseti shared a beautiful story with us on that day that everyone should hear:
Peseti: My father, Salesi Ma’afu, was a school teacher in Kolovai. He knew the importance of reading for success at school and wanted his two sons to read as much as possible. His way of encouragement was to let us boys stay home and read instead of going to the bush garden (‘uta) on Saturdays. But if we weren’t reading when he checked on us he would take us to the bush (‘uta). Soon, I learned how to get out of going to the bush (‘uta). On Friday nights I would always make sure I had a book to read and would leave it by my bed when I went to sleep. On Saturday mornings while still lying in bed I could hear my dad coming to check on us. I’d quickly grab my book (tohi) and pretend I’d been reading. My brother would usually still be asleep (mohe), so my dad would congratulate me for reading and wake up my brother and growl him as they headed off to the bush (‘uta).
Great benefit of reading (laukonga).
Please enjoy these images from the opening day of the library!
Our idea to have the first public library in Kolovai came about when we saw that Cyclone Gita damaged 85 % of houses and primary schools. When visiting the local Free Wesleyan Primary School next door we saw there were no books for children to read, the floors were damp, and all of their furniture was damaged. We approached Auckland Libraries to see if they could help. In May 2018, we began collecting donated books from libraries and schools and then, in October 2019, we opened to the community. We would like to thank CFR line shipping company who shipped our books free of charge, Ministry of Education in Tonga who signed off the consignment, Auckland Council, Auckland Libraries, Lions International Ellerslie/Onehunga, Onzo bikes, Bunnings Warehouse, Mt Roskill, SKYTV, Sam Soane for providing light bulbs for the library, and electrician Folau Manu and team for installing the lights. Malo ‘aupito.Published on 02/23/2019 RSS feed for Kolovai Library library newsWelcome to Koha..Welcome, Haere mai, Malo e Lelei to KOHA
Paea and I are designing transportable emergency housing that i will try and get funding for here in NZ. I plan that they will be shipped up on the HMNZ Cantebury and helicoptered onto the more remote islands. What I need form you is numbers of homes needed. Is there any way you can estimate this so I can get some traction in NZ?. I trust you are well. Regards,
M i c h a e l J o h n O ‘ S u l l i v a n Registered Architect www.bosarchitecture.co.nz (09)3581237 (0275)488728
New Zealand’s newest Koha library: Kolovai Library Tonga.
Common Euan – Mask. Help Tonga out
“I am respectfully asking if you could see your way please to providing urgent Starlink internet communications to public officials and the good people of Tonga in this moment of need.”
6 March 2020
by Tosca Waerea
In October 2019, Tonga opened its first-ever public library in the village of Kolovai. When Catalyst representatives met the woman behind this project, they were very happy to sponsor Kolovai Library Tonga through a hosted Koha installation free of charge for the next five years.
When Tonga experienced its worst storm in years due to Cyclone Gita, Kahoa and Brendon Corbett saw that schools were in need of books. This inspired their effort to source, collect and ship books across to Kolovai. On one of their trips home to Tonga, Kahoa noticed an unused fale in the village and took the opportunity to ask about using it for a library. They were able to send their first shipment to Tonga in May 2018 thanks to the assistance of their local New Zealand library. Since then, the library collection has grown to include over 20,000 items and has received donations in the form of laptops, bikes for hire, paint, and hands-on help from members of the local community.
Kahoa notes, “It was a tough job collecting books in the last 19 months, juggling with helping babysit our six mokopuna, and working full time, but I was so determined to make it happen – to have the library started and up and running for the community.” With plans to meet with government officials, Kahoa is already looking to extend library services to Nuku’alofa next year with a second branch. “We already have enough books shipped over and they are currently stored in our family home.”
Kathryn Tyree, Project and Account Manager at Catalyst, met Kahoa Corbett at the 2019 LIANZA conference in Manukau. Inspired by Kahoa’s drive, they discussed the suitability of Koha as the library management system to support the volunteer-led effort to bring public library services to Tonga. Kathryn notes, “I am so thrilled we could do this for their project. I have so much admiration for what they have achieved.”
Donations
Kolovai Library Tonga is accepting donations. All received funds and items will contribute to the ongoing development and maintenance of collections and building.
Bank account name: Kolovai Community Public Library Bank account number: ANZ BANK – swiftcode ANZBTONN1935024
Bank account number: Kolovai Community Public Library
Bank account number: Kiwibank 38-9000-0114295-01
Postal address: PO Box 1118 Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga Island
Kolovai
Kolovai, population of approximately 4,267 people, is a village on the Tongan island of Tongatapu. Situated approximately 18km west of Nuku’alofa, Kolovai is home to a colony of flying foxes, the traditional lakalaka dance of Tonga, and the koka tree which is said to be where Tu’i Kanokupolu title (recognised ruler) would be conferred.
About Koha:
The Koha community supports free and open source library management software for approximately 15,000 libraries worldwide and has been translated to more than 40 languages, including, te reo Māori. Catalyst IT have a dedicated Koha team who implement and support Koha for libraries in Aotearoa, and contribute their expertise to the global Koha community project and development team.
Follow Catalyst on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay up to with all of our opportunities and news.
Catalyst is a New Zealand owned and operated company where openness, long term relationships, community and diversity are essential characteristics of how we do business. Since 1997, Catalyst has been enabling success with expert open source solutions, and clients all over the world trust us with their mission-critical systems.
Talk to one of our friendly experts!
Get in contact: kahoacorbett@gmail.com – mobile+64 210746996
Donations:
Kolovai Library Tonga is accepting donations. All received funds and items will contribute to the ongoing development and maintenance of collections and building.
Bank account name: Kolovai Community Public Library Bank account number: ANZ BANK 1935024
Bank account number also: Kolovai Community Public Library
Bank account number: KIWIBANK 38-9000-0114295-01
Postal address: PO Box 1118 Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga Island
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to a National MP’s appeal to urgently help Tonga restore its internet connection after the volcanic eruption severed communications.
Dr Shane Reti yesterday published a letter he had sent to Musk, asking for help to provide his Starlink satellite technology to the Pacific country.
The devastating eruption last Saturday damaged an undersea telecommunications cable, which could take a month to repair.
Reti, the National Party’s health spokesman, said that he wrote to Musk on Monday asking if he would contribute Starlink to the emergency. The technology uses satellites to deliver internet access to remote locations around the world.
National MP Shane Reti appealed to Musk to deploy his Spacelink technology to Tonga after an underground communications cable was damaged by the eruption. Photo / Mark Mitchell
“I am respectfully asking if you could see your way please to providing urgent Starlink internet communications to public officials and the good people of Tonga in this moment of need.”
New Zealand’s newest Koha library: Kolovai Library Tonga
6 March 2020
by Tosca Waerea
In October 2019, Tonga opened its first-ever public library in the village of Kolovai. When Catalyst representatives met the woman behind this project, they were very happy to sponsor Kolovai Library Tonga through a hosted Koha installation free of charge for the next five years.
When Tonga experienced its worst storm in years due to Cyclone Gita, Kahoa and Brendon Corbett saw that schools were in need of books. This inspired their effort to source, collect and ship books across to Kolovai. On one of their trips home to Tonga, Kahoa noticed an unused fale in the village and took the opportunity to ask about using it for a library. They were able to send their first shipment to Tonga in May 2018 thanks to the assistance of their local New Zealand library. Since then, the library collection has grown to include over 20,000 items and has received donations in the form of laptops, bikes for hire, paint, and hands-on help from members of the local community.
Kahoa notes, “It was a tough job collecting books in the last 19 months, juggling with helping babysit our six mokopuna, and working full time, but I was so determined to make it happen – to have the library started and up and running for the community.” With plans to meet with government officials, Kahoa is already looking to extend library services to Nuku’alofa next year with a second branch. “We already have enough books shipped over and they are currently stored in our family home.”
Kathryn Tyree, Project and Account Manager at Catalyst, met Kahoa Corbett at the 2019 LIANZA conference in Manukau. Inspired by Kahoa’s drive, they discussed the suitability of Koha as the library management system to support the volunteer-led effort to bring public library services to Tonga. Kathryn notes, “I am so thrilled we could do this for their project. I have so much admiration for what they have achieved.”
Donations
Kolovai Library Tonga is accepting donations. All received funds and items will contribute to the ongoing development and maintenance of collections and building.
Bank account name: Kolovai Community Public Library Bank account number: ANZ BANK 1935024
Bank account number also: Kolovai Community Public Library
Bank account number: KIWIBANK 38-9000-0114295-01
Postal address: PO Box 1118 Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga Island
Kolovai
Kolovai, population of approximately 4,267 people, is a village on the Tongan island of Tongatapu. Situated approximately 18km west of Nuku’alofa, Kolovai is home to a colony of flying foxes, the traditional lakalaka dance of Tonga, and the koka tree which is said to be where Tu’i Kanokupolu title (recognised ruler) would be conferred.
About Koha:
The Koha community supports free and open source library management software for approximately 15,000 libraries worldwide and has been translated to more than 40 languages, including, te reo Māori. Catalyst IT have a dedicated Koha team who implement and support Koha for libraries in Aotearoa, and contribute their expertise to the global Koha community project and development team.
Follow Catalyst on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay up to with all of our opportunities and news.
Catalyst is a New Zealand owned and operated company where openness, long term relationships, community and diversity are essential characteristics of how we do business. Since 1997, Catalyst has been enabling success with expert open source solutions, and clients all over the world trust us with their mission-critical systems.
Published on 04/15/2020
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Kolovai Community Public Library 