Embracing and supporting new and emerging authors in Barbados will continue to be a mantra of the National Library Service (NLS).
This was alluded to by Acting Deputy Director of the NLS, Beverly Archer today as she accepted 10 copies of a new book entitled Embracing the Valley from Publishing Consultant, Asante Murrell, on behalf of Barbadian author, J. Nadia Headley, who is also Founder of SEED [Small Enterprises for Education and Development].
The presentation was held at the Main Library branch located at Fairchild Street, The City.
Ms. Archer, in welcoming the text, said: “It is key that such persons are encouraged to utilise the services of the library in creating and showcasing their work.”
Applauding Ms. Headley for making the right moves and bringing her work to the national front, she remarked: “As the awareness of the Legal Deposit is emphasised it is important for authors to deposit their work for posterity and safeguarding our intellectual heritage.
“The Legal Deposit Act requires that all authors and publishers submit a copy of their published work to the designated depository which is the Public Library.”
Meanwhile, Publishing Consultant, Asante Murrell, said that as a charity focused on the development and education of young people, “SEED was pleased and honoured to make the donation to a national resource which has served youth in Barbados for decades, with books and programmes which enable them to gain knowledge and receive the support needed to pursue learning and their education”.
Ms. Murrell, noting a copy of the book would be placed at each library across the island, said Embracing The Valley “is a journey through the ups and downs of life with a reminder that there is purpose to it all”.
“Author J. Nadia Headley takes readers through the transformational process of shifting defeatist mindsets into powerful determinants of the future, depicted by real stories about women and their experiences with trials and hardship and by providing simple tools to recognize the purpose of the valleys in life, see the good and focus on the beauty our stories,” she revealed.
Pointing out that SEED was established as a charity in Barbados in 2011, Ms. Murrell stressed it recognised the need to support education as a life-long learning process; holistic youth development as well as entrepreneurship as three key ways to advance social development in the Caribbean.
She added that to date, it had placed over 75 interns, ages 15 to 21, in more than 20 organisations across the island and its future plans include using more online training tools and facilitating mentorship between interns and young professionals throughout the Caribbean Diaspora.