Kuthodaw-Library-Bagan

GIVE ONE – TAKE ONE

2009-12-25T01:19:00.000-08:00

GIVE ONE – TAKE ONE

BOOK SHARING PROGRAM

Dear All,
For the New Year, I would like to propose new simple program for tourists visiting Bagan. At Kuthodaw Library in New Bagan there will be small bookshelf where tourists can leave some books and takes books at ZERO COST. The idea is simple: give one and take one (or you can give two and take one; the number you give or take is up to you!). I hope this service will be useful for all travelers who love reading and sharing books with other readers.

So, when you are in Bagan, please visit us at the
KUTHODAW LIBRARY
The library is located on the main road in New Bagan
(near the Betelnut Hotel)

The aim of Kuthodaw Library is to encourage reading among the youth living in the Bagan area by providing free reading material (books and magazines) in Burmese, English and other languages.

If you have some great ideas for helping the children of Bagan, or are interested in teaching short English classes, or doing anything else to help the community, please contact me:

Email: wthuya@gmail.com
Website: http://kuthodaw-library-bagan.blogspot.com/
Opening hour : 06h00-12h30 & 15h30-18h30
We closed on SUNDAY and MONDAY.

August 2009 update news

2009-08-14T08:51:00.000-07:00

Dear All ,
Since long i cannot update the information about Library..This August 2009 , we have some difficulties and pleasure at the sametimes..
Difficulities - Landlord increase the renting charges as usual but this time he go far , he ask triple..So, we have to find a new place and for the moment, i can find temporary place for 6 month...i have to find new place again in 6 month.

Pleasure-with some library's fund ,we buy eletric generator and we give it to one village on the way to Mont Popa for the students and villagers. On that day we offer rice soup to all student . And at another village on the way to Salay & Chauk, we offer exercise books to the students.

This year , we have no seminar from our library , only one work shop about ' Negociating Skill'
Well , for the moment this is all i have to share about library.

Libaray's Map and some update news

2008-10-23T07:15:00.001-07:00

Dear All,
This is just brief information for 2008, we made one semester/conference and some donation to local small school with the help of Don and His friends from Bangkok. We cannot do big event and help for the children but we are trying to keep running the library for long term condition.

For next year rent of the building(2009/2010), Mrs. Antoinette Duncan take care about this .This is the major portion of the budget we spend in library project every year , if we already have money for the renting charges of building we can easily take care about staff and buying books etc.

Here is the update contact information and Map of libaray if you want to drop a visit while you are in bagan.

Ma May thu phyo or Ko Aung Hteik ( responsible person at library , Bagan)
Contact 00 95 61 65 263
Email nanopost@myanmar.com.mm or wthuya@gmail.com

Thank you all for your support.
With best wishes,
Kuthodaw library, bagan.

Our Library's first seminar 05 & 06 Feb 07

2007-02-07T22:34:00.000-08:00

Sunday 04 February 2007

Around 12h30 , I take taxi with Ko Myint ( from sapaylawka book shop ) to go pick up the writers.

First, we go find Saya Khin Maung Toe then Saya KYaw Win and Saya Pe Myint.. Our bus departs from Aung MIngalar Highway bus station.we arrive the next day morning at Bagan around 06h00.

Monday 05 February 2007

Arrive at Bagan 06h00 , my friends come and find us . we drive to Mya Thida Guest house . All writers stay there and i go see my family.Then , i go fetch up writers and we start the visit with library then in old Bagan. SARABAR GATE II restaurant invite us for lunch . WE come back to guest house after lunch. I left them at Guest house around 13h30. i have to go and help my friends at City hall who prepare for this evening.

At 17h50 , all is ready and set .i am so exciting …i see nobody in the hall , the writers arrive but i have no audience .

I don’t know how i have to do..but after a few minutes , Group of students arrive then people come like a school of fish You cannot imagine how happy I am , I am very pleased with what I have done.

We start the talk till 22h20. First, Saya Khin Maung Toe , he talks about his life and some joke to keep audience enjoy the talk because second person ( Saya Kyaw Win) supposes to talk /introduce “ THE WORLD IS FLAT” by Thomas L Friedman..people get shock and some don’t understand ( personally , I like it because I think that they should know it) then Saya PE Myint talk some short story from Chicken soup for soul by Jack Canfield . Children and student appreciate it a lot.

Unfortunately, I cannot stay at Bagan for professional reason and I have to fly back to Yangon Tuesday morning, 06 February 2007. I left all the writers with my friends.

Wednesday 07 February 2007 , they ( writers) fly back to Yangon , I go find them at airport and send them back to their home and they said second night is much better as the know more about what the audience want.

I would like to say thank you to the audience coming to seminar, the writers and all my friends from Bagan. i will try again in next year 2008 !

2007-05-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

Good news for the childern ...we received more than 60 books from Biblionef ,Netherlands . Because of Biblionef , the childern from Bagan have a chance to enjoy the new colorful books. Thank you to Rosie , who send me a book and here is the website of Biblionef for more information. http://www.biblionef.org Thanks Don , for bringing this books from Bangkok to Yangon

Some Photo of seminar 09Aug 2008 ( 2nd time)

2008-10-05T09:25:00.001-07:00

Some photo of Audience and speakers at Seminar-09/08/08@Bagan

helping to one small school near bagan

2008-09-20T02:46:00.000-07:00

With help of Donald Gilliland , we are helping to small school at Dahutcan village near bagan .

This primary school need a lot of support to stand proper ..here are some photo of school and our works :

Licence for Kuthodaw Library

2008-09-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

Dear All ,
we are very happy to tell you that after 3 years of work, the ministry of Public Relations has decided to approve the licence for Kuthodaw Library. The licence is good for one year starting 25 august and finishing 25 august 2009.This will make it much easier for us to organise seminars and workshops etc..
best regards,

Kuthodaw Library , Bagan

Second seminar ( 09 & 10 august 2008)

2008-08-05T01:01:00.000-07:00

Dear All,
Since the first time (Feb 2007) we would like to do it again and we are waiting for the best moment to let it happen (permission from local authorities, availability of the author and fund etc)

Now, We are very pleased to announce that we can make it happen.
Seminar with invited author from Mandalay ( Saya Nay Win Myint and Saya Nyo Htun lu ) and U AUng Kyaing ( Archeology Department -Bagan) will be held on 09 & 10 AUgust 2008.

I will post the detail of seminar later in next week.
Best Regards ,
Kuthodaw Library

Reference From -Bangkok Dazed

2007-03-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

Books for Bagan

Bagan native Win Thuya decided that the youth of his hometown needed a place to study and have access to reading material. Even though he is now living in Yangon, where he works for the Gulliver Travels tour agency, Thuya found time to open the Kuthodaw Library late last year. Thanks to assistance from friends and his employer, Thuya was able to rent a vacant building, put in some bookshelves and tables, and stock a small selection of magazines and books.

During my recent trip to Myanmar I finally got the chance to meet Thuya. He dropped by my hotel in Yangon to pick up a bunch of books for the library; some that I had brought with me from Bangkok (mostly children’s titles), as well as another big bagful that local writer Ma Thanegi had donated. Thuya is an earnest, thoughtful young man who is dedicated to this library project. He admits to getting discouraged at times, lamenting that many young people in New Bagan only want to read fashion magazines or sports newspapers. Currently, Kuthodaw has over 30 members, but they are trying to encourage more local students to learn about and use the library. Eventually, they want to add computers for a proposed multimedia room. “I will not give up,” Thuya promises.

A few days after I met Thuya I visited the library in New Bagan. It’s located just off the main road (on a side street, next to a teashop) near the town’s morning market. I went there one afternoon with two local boys I know; Tun Tun and Min Min. They had not been to the library yet, so this trip was enlightening for them as well as for me. The library doesn’t yet have electricity so they are only open during daylight hours. Thuya’s sister, along with a few other volunteers, help to run the library. They told me that most patrons visit on Sundays, when students don’t have to attend school.

The library is just starting and they need more English language books in a variety of categories. Currently, most of the books are in Burmese and come from Thuya’s personal collection. If anyone is interested in donating books or money for the Kuthodaw Library project, you are welcome to contact Win Thuya directly, or drop off books at my shop in Bangkok. You can find the link to the Kuthodaw Library website (which includes Thuya’s e-mail information) under the “Favorites” list on this page.

Library's New Contract 2007-2008

2007-08-18T00:42:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone ,
it was already 1 year , now , we have more than 120 members (more than 40 active members and most of them are students).We organise one seminar last Feburary 2007 and some appericiate and some are shock as it was the first time in Bagan.
MOst of the friends ,people and some library from Yangon donate a books ...and now we have ± 2900 books ( novels, magazine , cartoon etc ).. well , this is quite enough for the readers.

Now , i just signed new contract 2007-2008 for library building ..
Lats year , it was only 250000 kyats ( ±250us$ ) per year and this year he ask 300000 kyats ( ±300us$ )per year and i cannot negotiate the price and he confirm that next year it will be more ..
So,until 2008 august , i can confirm you all that i have a place and i am not sure for 2008 , whether i can make a new contract or not...
Current place is good and well situated but no choice .. if i cannot find ( ±350us$ ) next year .. i oblige to move library to my home ( which is far and not convienient for the patrons )
so , any idea to keep it in current condition , welcome !

Thank you all , thuya

Receive a donation for Library’s rental fees-30/10/07

2007-10-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

Well, Very good news for everyone.

i receive a donation from some of my friends from Australia to pay the rent for next year . So, no need to worry about 2008/2009 renting charges of the Library building..

Thank you all for your kind contribution.

Kuthodaw Library .

Kuthodaw Library,Bagan

2006-05-11T04:01:00.000-07:00

Kuthodaw Library,Bagan
Non profit , Non Gouvernment Organisation.

To distribute the books, journal, news paper-To practice and encourage the reading habit.-To be a source where public can access easily for learning & knowledge.
Why we named Kuthodaw :
The large walled complex of pagodas situated at the base of the southeast stairway to Mandalay Hill and was built by King Mindon in 1857. The Royal Pagoda popularly known as the Kuthodaw, was given the official title Maha Lawka Marazein. It was modelled on the Shwezigon Pagoda of Bagan. This pagoda is often called "the largest library in the world" because it is surrounded by 729 small stupas each protecting a marble stone slab inscription, a total 729 inscriptions comprising the whole of the Buddhist canon, the Tipitaka as checked and approved by the Fifth Great Synod which King Mindon convened to mark the 2400 years of the Buddhist Era. This unique collection is often consulted by Buddhist scholars from all over the world.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who I am ?
My name is thuya and I am from BAGAN . in 1996 , when I finished basic education , I start working at hotel as receptionist in bagan and in 2000 I left my native village and come to Yangon to discover more …Yangon is the Capital of Myanmar , where you can see all good & bad things. When I arrive Yangon , first I go to Alliance Francaise to study French and the same time , I attend some English speaking class and visit some libraries ( British council , American centre , University Library ) when I have free time . AT present , I am working at French Travel agency call Gulliver Travels and still learning French and English and travel in my country when I have a chance and trying to do something good for my friends , new generations from BAGAN , because simply I love BAGAN .

Why ?
THIS TIMES ( 1996-2000) , you have NO PLACE TO LEARN AND POLISH YOUR KNOWLEDGE in bagan . In Yangon , I see a lot of youth who spend their time at library and learning vigorously … I feel pity for my friends who was still in Bagan and spend their time at local tea shop (waste) as they have no facilities to learn or extend their knowledge. Since this time, I am thinking to found the library in my place for youth, public & students. We have no library since ever.

How ?
First is to register the library,to set up some organization Non government or whatever , is not easy in Myanmar .They ask me to organize with somebody from USDA on the top of the organization and control all books not to be misguided on the junta So , I prefer to stay outside of this story and try to make small book shop and distribute all sort of books (from YANGON) under the name of IRRAWADDY BOOK SHOP and I am ready to transform it to library as soon as I have a chance.

Who is inside? What I need?
For the organization, I will base in Yangon to find fund/ contact for the library and do some miscellaneous. One of the teachers from BEHS (basic Education High school) will take care about the management of the library and organization of some events from time to time when we have a chance. Mr.Herve Flejo (Gulliver Travels) will be main sponsor for our library. But, we still need some contributor / donor to keep run this Library for ever.

Project or Promise.

To distribute the books, journal, news paper
To practice and encourage the reading habit.
To be a source where public can access easily for learning & knowledge.
To make formal educational information more accessible to youth.To organize symposium / conference as much as possible
To organize summer class (English speaking class, computer basic and some supplement course for who working in tourist Industry etc)
To create a well-informed linkage among youth of different professions.To extend the library with multimedia equipments as soon as we have enough courage
To sponsor the education for some orphanage ( co-operations with local women affairs association )

Contact :

For further information on this project :

You can contact to me ( win thuya ) – wthuya@gmail.com
or Mr.Herve Flejo- mailto:herve.flejo@gmail.com

Or
IRRAWADDY BOOK SHOP
NEW BAGAN
Email- nanopost@mail4u.com.mm

Kuthodaw Libray was open to the public at 10aug06

2006-09-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

This is the old building where i rent to open library .

House Owner will clean and make it proper before we make a contract.
For the moment , we agree to rent it for 5 years and one year payment will be settled when the contract is signed. Mr.Herve Flejo from Gulliver Travels contribute the renting charges for this first year ( one year from August 2006 ).

This is the most proper and easy accessible place for everyone .it was just at the coner of market and middle of the village, surrounded with some teashop where most of the young pass their time

In 10 August 2006, Libray was open to the public

with a lot of courage from all my friends and under the remark of ‘no objection' from local authorities’.

At opening we have no electricity yet, we have only 2 long tables a bench as library own material. We had a round 800 books (500 novels, and 300 journals & magazine) all is in Burmese. Local friends donate 2 book shelves.

I have 2 library staff; we open daily except Monday .from 09h00 to 17h00

I collect some books, journals & magazine from all possible sources.

In the first week of September, we will have electricity at library.

My idea is to have media room, computer room etc, I have enough space but not enough finance yet. I will do in coming season.

Happy New Year 2007

2006-12-21T10:07:00.000-08:00

Invitation to seminar, 05 & 06 Feb 2007 at Kuthodaw library

2007-01-31T08:53:00.000-08:00

FIRST TIME IN BAGAN

Invitation to seminar/conference

Writers from Yangon

Saya PeMyint , Saya KyawWIn & Saya Khin Maung Toe (Moe MEik )

Topic- Benefit of Reading & How to be successful in life

Date and time

05 Feb 2007, Monday @ 18h00 onward

06 Feb 2000 , Tuesday @ 18h00 onward

Place

City Hall , Myole Pagoda, New Bagan

We, Kuthodaw library have the pleasure of inviting you to attend a best practice seminar on 05-06 Feburary2007 at city hall ( Myole pagoda) , New Bagan

The seminar aims at promoting the reading habit.

We are looking forward to meeting you at the seminar, which we hope will provide an excellent opportunity to meet and exchange experiences.
More information about the event and library are available at

http://kuthodaw-library-bagan.blogspot.com/

Contact person, Bagan:

Ko Nge , Ma Phyo

Irrawaddy Bookshop

North wing of Central Pagoda

New Bagan

Email- nanopost@mail4u.com.mm

Thuya , Yangon : wthuya@gmail.com