“We’re headed to the library,” we’d say. “Wanna go?”
“Go ahead,” he’d answer. “Waste your time.”
But now, when I told him my idea of building a
windmill that would produce power—and then showed him what I’d built so far—he
saw things differently.
“Cool! Where did you get such an idea?”
“The library.” (The Boy Who Harnessed
the Wind by William Kamkwamba & Brian Mealer)
The book The
Boy Who Harnessed the Wind was an interesting book about a young African boy
whose family was unable to pay the fees so he could go to secondary school. It
was during a difficult time in Malawi’s history but there was a small library
nearby, so William spent his time there. From there he studied and invented his
own windmill so his family could have electric lights.
The book is a difficult read at times because of the
living conditions but it is also inspiring because it reminds us that a library
can be important during difficult times. Sometimes that is when we need a
library the most. He craved learning so he searched for it. He eventually will
be recognized for what he does, and he changes not only his life but the lives
of many in his small African village. At
his first inventor’s convention he is asked about how he did it. He said, “I
went to library and I get information about windmill…And I try, and I made
it.”
What do you need to learn? What could make your life
better? Are you looking for skills for a new job? Starting a new
hobby? Your local library may have the resources you need to expand
your world in more ways than you could imagine.
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