A Street Librarian's Quest to Bring Books to Everyone | Storybook Maze | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Shelley Tsang 曾雯海

It all started on a stoop,

這一切是從門階上開始的，

one of those summer days in Baltimore

那天是巴爾的摩的夏日， 熱到沒有冷氣就無法待在室內，

where it was too hot to be inside with no AC,

and it seemed like the heat had pushed the entire neighborhood out

這高溫似乎把整個鄰里的人 都推出門到他們的前門階上。

onto their front stoops.

我拿了本書，開始 唸給我的姪子姪女聽。

I grabbed a book and started reading to my nieces.

After a few pages,

唸了幾頁後，書的背後又冒出了 其他幾個小朋友的頭，

other little heads started popping up on the other side of the book.

So of course, I invited the neighborhood kids to join us.

所以，當然，我就邀請了 鄰里的孩子加入我們。

When I was finished reading, the kids didn't want story time to stop.

我唸完後，孩子們不希望 故事時間就到此為止。

They asked me to read another book and then another one.

他們要我再唸另一本書， 然後再唸另一本書。

After a few rounds, I had had enough.

幾輪之後，我受夠了。

So I said, "You guys can read a book at home."

所以我說：「你們 可以在家裡讀書。」

"We don't have any books at home,"

「我們家裡什麼書都沒有，」

was their overwhelming response.

這是他們的回應，讓人震撼。

It was a harsh reminder

這是個殘酷的提醒，

that there are children who don't have a single book at home.

別忘了有些孩子家裡 連一本書都沒有。

So what did I do about it?

所以，我怎麼做？

I started reading to the neighborhood kids every weekend.

我開始每個週末都唸書 給鄰里的孩子們聽。

I called it Stoop Storytime,

我稱它為門階故事時間，

and the process inspired me to begin working in the public library.

這個過程促使我開始 到公立圖書館工作。

However, as a public librarian,

然而，身為公立圖書館員， 我很快就發現，

I quickly realized that the kids that I saw coming into the library

我看到會進來圖書館的孩子

weren't the same ones I was reading to out on my front stoop.

和在台階聽我唸書的孩子並不一樣。

I began researching and learned about library barriers

我開始研究並了解圖書館障礙

and something called book deserts.

以及所謂的圖書沙漠。

A book desert is an area or a community with limited access to books

圖書沙漠可能是一個區域或社區，

在那裡能取得書籍 和閱讀素材的管道有限。

and reading materials.

I slowly realized that I wasn't going to meet my neighbors

我慢慢意識到，最有需要的 是我鄰里的孩子，

who need it most inside library's walls.

但我不會在圖書館裡遇到他們。

So I quit my job and took to the streets,

所以，我辭掉了我的工作，

走上街頭，成了 激進的街頭圖書館員。

becoming a radical street librarian.

When I was putting this talk together,

當我在準備這場演說時，

TED asked me, what exactly is a radical street librarian?

TED 問我，激進的街頭 圖書館員到底是什麼？

I was like, well, I sort of made it up a few years ago,

我說，這詞是我幾年前編造出來的，

but it's a term I use to refer to anyone doing work to increase literary access

但我用它來代表任何 在傳統環境外協助改善

outside of traditional settings.

取得文學途徑的人。

As a radical street librarian,

身為激進的街頭圖書館員，

I'm making books appear in everyday places in extraordinary ways.

我讓書籍用很不凡的方式 出現在日常的地方。

I install free, public book vending machines,

我安裝了免費的 公共圖書自動販賣機。

host street-corner story times,

主持街角的故事時間，

and pop up on the block with free bookstores,

並在街區上設置免費快閃書店，

so kids who don’t have McDonald’s money

因此沒錢吃麥當勞的孩子

don't have to worry about having book-fair money.

就不必擔心有沒有錢去書展。

I deeply believe in books by any means necessary.

我深信書籍，不計手段。

So whether at a community basketball game,

所以不論是在社區 籃球比賽、街角商店、

corner store, beauty supply, or front stoop,

美容用品店，或是門階上，

I utilize my expertise as a librarian

我都會利用我身為 圖書館員的專業技能，

to curate collections that reflect the kids reading them.

我精選出來的書能反映出 閱讀這些書籍的孩子。

This means books with characters that look like them, talk like them,

意思就是書中的角色看起來 像他們，說話方式像他們，

go to the same places, speak the same languages.

和他們去同樣的地方， 和他們說相同語言。

Book deserts are often found in economically disadvantaged

圖書沙漠通常會出現在 經濟弱勢地區或農村地區，

or rural areas,

where bookstores and libraries are scarce.

那些地方很少有書店和圖書館。

In higher-income communities,

在收入較高的社區中，

there are more books per child than in low-income communities.

平均每位孩子的書籍數 比低收入社區更多。

For example,

比如，

in Philadelphia's Chestnut Hill,

有一項研究發現，在費城的栗山，

a study found that there were about 13 books for every child

平均每位孩子有十三本書，

while in high-poverty communities of the same city,

在同城市內的高度貧窮社區中，

it found up to 300 children could share one book.

研究發現高達三百位孩子 才共用一本書。

We know communities with high illiteracy rates are often plagued with poverty,

我們知道高文盲率的社區通常 也有其他問題，如貧窮、

poor health and unemployment,

健康不佳，以及失業。

while their literate counterparts are healthier,

識字率高的社區則比較健康、

with greater numbers of employment and higher household incomes.

就業率比較高、家庭收入也比較高。

So I know what you're thinking.

我知道各位在想什麼，

"There are plenty of bookstores and libraries where I live."

「我住的地方有很多 書店和圖書館。」

但，重點是：

But here's the kicker:

the presence of bookstores and libraries in a neighborhood

鄰里中有書店和圖書館

doesn't necessarily disqualify it as a book desert.

並不表示它就不會是圖書沙漠。

Lower-income neighbors may lack the resources to purchase books

收入較低的鄰里居民可能沒有 資源可以到書店購買書籍

from the bookstore or pay library fines.

或繳圖書館罰款。

Residents may be working multiple jobs or facing hardships

居民可能身兼多份工作或面臨困境，

that make a trip to the library an additional stressor.

去圖書館一趟都會帶來額外的壓力。

Barriers like requirement of identification,

各種障礙，比如需要身分證件、

proof of address, fines and fees,

住址證明、罰款，和費用，

all while seemingly routine,

雖然看似都是例行事項，

can become substantial obstacles for families facing hardships.

對面臨困境的家庭來說卻 可能是實實在在的障礙。

There's also historical barriers,

還有歷史障礙，比如反識字法、

such as anti-literacy laws

and library segregation policies

圖書館種族隔離政策，

that have excluded Black communities for decades.

數十年來都在排擠黑人社區。

Librarians understand

圖書館員知道，造訪圖書館的 習慣通常是數世代的傳統，

that the habit of visiting libraries is often generational tradition.

Many of the parents we see currently bringing their kids into the library

我們看到現在會帶孩子 到圖書館的父母，有許多

were once brought in by their parents when they were children,

在兒時可能也被他們的父母 帶去圖書館……等等。

and so on and so forth.

But for Black communities that faced arrest for reading,

但對於面對閱讀就會 被逮捕的黑人社區來說，

the impact of library segregation

圖書館種族隔離和反識字法的 影響仍揮之不去，

and anti-literacy laws lingers,

and a hesitancy to visit libraries still exists to this day.

對造訪圖書館的猶豫至今猶存。

So what can be done about book deserts and book access?

那麼，能做什麼來改善 圖書沙漠和書籍取得管道？

Research tells us that increasing access to appropriate print materials

研究告訴我們，增加 取得適當書面素材的途徑

is an incredibly effective means of enhancing the reading achievement

能夠非常有效地強化經濟弱勢

of economically disadvantaged children.

孩童的閱讀成就。

To put it plainly, the more books a child has early access to,

說得更白一點：孩童 在早期能接觸的書籍越多，

the more likely they are to succeed as readers.

他們就越有可能成為成功的讀者。

Though I recently created the term, being a street librarian is nothing new.

雖然街頭圖書館員是我最近 才創造的詞，但它早就存在了。

I'm inspired by the many mobile librarians who came before me.

在我之前有許多行動圖書館員， 是他們激勵了我。

I'm just a little more hood with it.

我只是比較多了點街頭味。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

One of my favorite stories was born out of the Great Depression.

我最喜歡的故事之一 來自大蕭條時期。

The Pack Horse Library was created to deliver books to residents

馱馬圖書館的目的是要把書籍 運送給住在偏遠地區的居民。

living in geographically isolated areas.

The librarians packed books into feed sacks, saddle bags

圖書館員把書籍裝入飼料袋、

馬鞍袋，甚至舊枕頭套中，

and even old pillow cases,

and they traveled on horse, mule or foot

他們騎馬、騎騾子，或步行，

into the mountains of rural Kentucky.

進入肯塔基州鄉村的山區。

These book women traveled in rain, snow and heat,

這些書籍女子性在雨中、 雪中、高溫中送書，

and because there weren't roads,

因為沒有道路，她們得 穿越溪床沿著籬笆前進，

they navigated through creek beds and along fence lines,

often traveling up to 20 miles per day.

通常一天要奔波長達二十英里路。

Sometimes conditions were so harsh

有時環境條件惡劣到

that a mule would succumb to -- the weather.

騾子會因天氣而喪命。

One book woman continued to walk 18 miles without her mule

有一位書籍女子在沒有騾子的 情況下持續步行了十八英里，

把一本書遞送給住在山頂上的孩子。

to deliver a book to a child living in the mountain tops.

One of the most popular items in their library

這間圖書館中最受歡迎的 物品之一完全不是書，

wasn't really a book at all,

but something that the librarians pieced together,

是由圖書館員拼湊出來的，

a scrapbook from the most popular titles.

最受歡迎的書籍的剪貼簿。

It contained quilt patterns,

內容有拼布圖案、最新的時尚剪報、

the latest fashion clippings,

a recipe for opossum soup and children’s stories.

負鼠湯食譜，

和兒童故事。

The Pack Horse librarians embodied the street

馱馬圖書館體現了街頭圖書館精神，

hood librarian spirit by creating custom books

因為他們創作出客製化的書籍 來滿足他們社區的需求。

that met their community's needs.

Librarians haven't just relied on horseback either.

圖書館員也不只靠騎馬。

We've employed elephants in the Elephant Mobile Library,

我們也在大象移動圖書館採用大象，

ridden camels in Kenya to deliver books to nomadic tribes,

在肯亞騎駱駝把書籍 遞送給遊牧部落，

and led dogs through the mountains of northern California.

帶著狗穿越北加州的山脈。

From bibliobikes in Augusta, Georgia,

從喬治亞洲奧古斯塔的圖書館 單車，到哥倫比亞的圖書館驢，

to Biblioburro in Colombia,

libraries have taken diverse forms

圖書館採用過各種形式， 並針對不同文化及地景做調整。

and adjusted to different cultures and landscapes.

In China, there's a floating library

在中國，有一間漂浮圖書館，

made from converted fishing boats

用改裝過的漁船製成，

that serves as an island's first public library.

是該島嶼上的第一座公立圖書館。

And in Baltimore, you'll find me,

在巴爾的摩，則會找到我，

the radical street librarian,

激進的街頭圖書館員，

striving to deliver books to your front stoop.

努力把書籍遞送到各位的門階上。

Since its inception,

自創立以來，我的計畫 已經將五千本書籍遞送

my initiative has delivered 5,000 books

to children living in book deserts.

給生活在圖書沙漠中的孩子。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

In case you're wondering how to be a street librarian,

如果各位想知道如何 成為街頭圖書館員，

here's what you can do.

以下是你可以做的：

First, be radical.

第一，要激進。

Share books in extraordinary ways and think outside the box.

用不凡的方式分享書籍， 用跳脫的方式思考。

Perhaps host a block party book swap

比如舉辦街區派對換書活動，

or a story time at a local laundromat.

或在當地洗衣店舉辦故事時間。

Second, be street.

第二，走上街頭。

Connect with your neighbors.

和你的鄰居連結。

Talk to people in your community.

和你社區中的人談談。

And third, embody the spirit of a librarian.

第三，體現圖書館員的精神。

Get your library card,

去辦借書證，

match books to readers by considering their interests

考量讀者的興趣和經驗， 配對相應的書籍，

and experiences.

I believe everyone is a reader.

我相信每個人都是讀者。

They just haven't found the right book yet.

他們只是還沒找到對的書籍。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And that's where librarians step in.

這就是圖書館員可以發揮的地方。

Many want to read but don't know where to get started.

許多人想閱讀，但不知道從何著手。

And visiting the most magical place on Earth, the library,

而且參觀地球上最神奇的 地方，也就是圖書館，

can be intimidating for non-library goers.

對於不去圖書館的人來說 可能挺讓人怯步。

We must meet them where they are and guide them along that journey.

我們必須到他們所在的地方 去找他們，並在過程中引導他們。

There is an ancient African proverb

有句古老的非洲諺語：

that when an old man dies, a library burns.

一個老人過世，就如同 一座圖書館被燒毀。

For neighborhoods where stories are passed down on front stoops,

對於在門階上傳遞故事的鄰里，

we must meet our neighbors where they are.

我們必須去鄰里居民 所在的地方找他們。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）