Cataloguing training - Oct 2000

Catalogue training without a common language - Oct 2000

Adelino and Anibal working with the Athena online cataloguing and circulation system.

Neither had previous computer experience, nor had the used an online system. Neither spoke English. The software and manual are all in English. The volunteer could speak neither Bahasa Indonesian nor Tetum.

Despite these hurdles they learnt fast. We used diagrams, dictionaries, gesticulation and, for a while, an interpreter who'd had only one month of English classes. We also used a certain degree of levity - leading East Timorese political figures borrowed all manner of bizarre books!