Book lovers residing in Athi River town, Machakos County have a reason to smile.
There is no public library in the town, at least not one that I know of. Those who love reading usually go all the way to Nairobi to access library services.
Lack of a public library in Athi River town is a nightmare to those primary, secondary and college students who would rather spend their holidays and weekends reading or studying. There are only a few bookshops in Athi river town and the owners only deal with educational materials.
While the residents are waiting for the Machakos County Government to construct a public library in Athi River town, a few individuals have come to the aid of book lovers in the region. Area resident Consolata Achieng is operating a small library which she opened at her home for the public to borrow books. Most of her books are novels for senior readers.
She does not have much collection but she is happy that the few books she have are helping a lot of people. She has collection of African literature, Caribbean literature, American literature as well as motivational books.
“Many people are not aware that I have books for borrowing. This is because I have not advertised it yet. I have only announced it to the congregation in the Church that I go to (Integrity Worship Centre in Athi River town). So far, I have had close to 10 people coming for books.” Achieng said.
Achieng does not have a shop yet. Initially, she used to let people borrow books for free but right now she is thinking of charging a small fee of Sh50 per week.
“Residents of Athi River town are able to buy or borrow movies at Sh50, why can’t they also invest in books which will help them expand their knowledge?” she asked.
For those interested in borrowing her books, she can be reached on the following numbers 0773456296 or 0705510277.
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