Dialogue Worksheets Group 6
Issues:
- Limited income causing problem of purchasing
- Limited availability of books
- Orienting the students on where to purchase the books that are availability
- Different levels of the books
Definition of the problem: There is a lack of affordable, accessible Pentecostal and other textbooks and library books at different educational levels.
Ideas (Brainstorming):
- Technology must be a part of the answer – downloading from the internet
- Not everyone has computers
- Print materials onsite much as Cuba is doing
- Must be done in local languages
- One site to do cheap publishing
- Reproduce or create & place in libraries for student use
- Copyright violation problems
- On-demand printing (part of our future)
- Open source writing culture among missionaries and nationals for training
- Life Publishers can do short runs on demand if you have a book you are willing to sacrifice
- Downside of photocopying a book is students get idea of inferiority of our
product
- School can buy up textbooks and students check them out for a time
- School can incorporate cost of the textbook into the cost of the tuition
- Subsidized textbooks
- Publishers will allow you to scan a book (w/permission) if they know it doesn’t exist in your country…then you can sell at cost
- Digital libraries
- Make anthologies of CONOZCA articles
- Ask missionaries what they need exactly
- Need a list of good websites
- Africa Theological Library Services
- National church initiative is crucial
- Encourage national writers through writer seminars
- Install internet access at the Bible school library
Strategies:
1. Orient educators and students about how to access internet resources.
- a. Get SEC & CRA and similar ministries to inform educators about internet and/or other resources.
- b. Include a course in computer technology in Plan Basico.
- c. Encourage FACULTAD & ISUM to include training in technological resources.
- d. Develop an educators’ electronic resource center: chat room and/or blog, bulletin board.
- e. Develop a listserve so that cool stuff can be shared among educators.
2. Promote the acquisition of equipment for, or adoption of, on site/demand printing in each country in as many places as may be feasible.
- a. Encourage ICI office to move ahead on setting up its office.
- b. Access Speed the Light funds for purchasing printing equipment for Bible
schools.
- c. Explore national public means of reproduction of materials.
- d. Make missionaries more aware of LALS.
3. Recommend the acquisition of textbook stocks that can be rented or borrowed from the schools.
- a. Encourage auxiliary groups within the local church to sponsor/provide textbooks.
- b. Encourage local churches to donate books to institute libraries.
4. Reinvigorate the culture of Pentecostal writing among missionaries and nationals and encourage an open source copyright-free policy.
- a. Request SEC reinstitute the writers’ workshop.
- b. Revive CONOZCA.
- c. Develop a website for e-publishing A/G writing.
Pitfalls to be avoided include:
- Avoid starting a new “Vida.”
- Don’t oversubsidize with U.S. funds.
- Don’t forget to pray.
The following can best provide leadership to further development and implement this plan: SEC (Spanish), CRA, FACULTAD, ISUM, Global, STL, CST (Caribbean), LALS, and National Churches.
The missionary’s involvement should be as a liaison between the above mentioned ministries and the national church.
The plan should be implemented as soon as possible, with a major progress within the next two years.
