Positive reading
by Nab Jordan

My exploration to renew my appetite for my one love, writing prose and poetry, began again quite spontaneously, and was helped along by the Black History Month and the name Palorine Williams, who ran a workshop at Burngreave Library.

Further feeding my passion for creative writing I became embroiled in a brochure I’d picked up in the Central Library for ‘Off the Shelf’, a festival celebrating the rich diversity of writers in Sheffield. As I tried to ring several numbers I became quite frustrated until common sense prevailed and took me back in the direction of Burngreave Library and Madge Dale, who’d also helped with the black women writers workshop.

Madge was interviewed by myself on 3rd November at Burngreave Library. The interview ran smoothly because she had so much enthusiasm and optimism for the rewards to be attained from writing and the positive benefits Burngreave Library can give to the community.

So how did the black women writers workshop go? Was it a success?
Most definitely. We had a good turnout. The workshop gave black women the opportunity to talk and share their experiences in a group and to present it through a medium of poetry or prose.

What other workshops do you run from the Library?
Well recently we had a rap workshop and performance for young people, aged twelve or over, to learn about music. It was a forum given to them to express how they felt through rap.

It sounds like the library provides more than just a place to read.
Of course, the library holds activities for parents and runs a homework club. Burngreave Library is a place where we enable parents and young people to pursue constructive avenues – avenues that my team and I have helped to establish through projects.

Can you clarify what kind of projects?
Yeah! For example we have in place something called Bookstart. Bookstart works in partnership with SRB. The project, through its outreach service, encourages mums and toddlers to visit the library. Tots get two free books as part of the initiative.

You sound very passionate about the library and what it can become in terms of helping people.
Yes I am. The homework club and other activities are things I would like the library to continue. I want to introduce the service to schools and homes so that the library can be seen by the community as something positive, helping people with their learning. Already my team and I have put in place a Career and Benefits Advice Surgery – another way of helping our community.

Moving that to one side, what are your views about black school exclusion?
Well I feel one of the reasons for this happening is due to young black kids not being able to relate to the curriculum. Learning should be fun and we could learn from positive education programmes like the ones that are run as projects in America.

What about New Deal? There is a general feeling in the community that people cannot see where the New Deal money is being invested.
There needs to be more consultation meetings in order for the community to be repesented, and there needs to be a balanced view on what the community needs.