By Corinne Purtill
March 2004
When my colleague Lor Chandara, a fellow reporter at the Cambodia Daily, invited me to his volunteer-run library in Takeo province, I hardly knew what to expect. A shelf or two of donated books? A lone villager leafing through a magazine, seeking shelter from the day’s heat as much as knowledge?
Immediately, the Angsoeng Library revealed how feeble those notions were. In the foyer of LC’s private family home, which he has generously converted to an inviting public space, was the library, a spotless nook lined with ceiling-high shelves of books and magazines. English picture books for children, well-thumbed farmers’ manuals, a Khmer translation of the Diary of Anne Frank, all were here for the enjoyment and education of anyone who wanted to use them, as a few students were doing that morning. Some books seemed a bit out of touch—even the most sophisticated reader of English might find some of the donated university textbooks dry and inaccessible—but all were treated as important treasures of knowledge and were made available.
Around the corner, under a covered cement patio, more than two dozen children sat attentively at their desks. Most were dressed in the Cambodian school uniform of white blouse and dark skirt or pants, but those too poor to afford such clothes wore pajamas. All wore the eager expression of children hungry for learning.
As they stood pertly by their desks to answer a teacher’s question or chirped the English translations of their favorite foods and games with clear accents, I couldn’t help but compare the class before me to those in the US. For all of their comparatively greater resources, how many teachers in more privileged countries would yearn to see this kind of desire for knowledge in their students?
That passion for learning pervaded every aspect of Angsoeng Library, as did the dedication and enthusiasm of the entirely volunteer staff. The 20-year-old art teacher, whose portfolio revealed breathtaking, exquisite drawings, shyly showed off his students’ work. A 15-year-old English teacher spoke of his dreams to also be a journalist one day.
The best part is that this is just the first chapter in Angsoeng’s story. LC has a vision to turn the library into a town learning center, powered by those who live and work there, where people will come to share books and ideas freely. The human element, the talent and dedication, is already there, and the people are coming. I left Angsoeng inspired by what it is, and excited for what it will be.