Maia Lekow and Christopher Kings”How to build a library” might be more aptly titled “How to Game the System.” This is not meant to be derisive, but simply the reality faced documentarys central figures, Angela Wachuka and Wanjiru ‘Shiro’ Koinange, work to raise money, cheer and reshape traditional library practices to create a decolonized space for Africans young and old to grow, learn and connect. However noble their pursuit may seem, after five years of making inroads with politicians, many of the values they held at the beginning of film not necessarily remain intact by its conclusion.
“How to Build a Library” begins in 2017. Shiro and Wachuka are a writer/publisher duo who join forces to form Book Bunk, a “social impact company” built on the mission of revitalizing the McMillan Library in the central Kenyan capital. city, Nairobi, as well as nearby branches in Makadara and Kaloleni. While the latter two libraries and their transformations are showcased throughout the film, the McMillan remains the main focus, both for its size and central location, but also because of its history.
Built in 1931 by white settlers, the McMillan was not allowed to be used by Africans until 1958. The Nairobi county government had operated the large stone-pillared building since then, but allowed it to fall into disrepair over time. As Shiro and Wachuka tour at the beginning of the film, they notice bookshelves held up by tree trunks, newspapers, chairs and desks piled everywhere, no toilets, but more than anything else, a complete lack of Kenyan culture and history. Instead, relics of colonialism adorn every wall. Most of the books on the shelves are by white authors and many have dated references to the African population.
The entire space serves as a perfect metaphor for a forgotten interest in education, but also for the empire’s grip on generations. Being black women in the literary world, Shiro and Wachucka have a vested interest in changing this and turning the McMillan into a premiere venue for African historical and cultural exchange, but when they get into the nitty-gritty of getting contracts signed and commitments made, That building a library is more about making others feel that they are in charge.
“They don’t look at the bigger picture of developing minds,” the chief librarian says at one point during a meeting with Shiro and Wachuka to discuss how to work with the government. With this knowledge, the two fearless young women realize that their strategy must revolve around making those in power believe that it was their idea to give this library a new lease of life. At gala events held at McMillan to raise money, they make sure to shine the spotlight on individuals in government, from an executive councilor for education to the governor of Nairobi himself, all of whom clearly like to take the credit, but who really only in it for fancy parties and photo ops.
What’s simultaneously impressive and disappointing is how good Shiro and Wachuka become at playing the game. Maybe it just comes as a result of the many delays lawyers and others create for them or the general what-is-it-for-me attitude both are forced to contend with, but as their journey progresses and the fruits of their labor begin to blossom , it is clear that this would have been impossible were it not for their willingness and ability to work within an incredibly self-committed system. Often this work comes at the expense of their own health and ultimately their entire values, as the work they do to revive the neighboring branches proves so successful that it attracts the attention of British royalty. King Charles himself visits one of the libraries during his visit to Kenya and while many of the staff want to draw a line in the sand to stop this event, Shiro and Wachuka know it could threaten their ultimate goal.
Despite the initial intent of their mission, the empire’s continued grip on not only this institution, but on the individuals who seek to care for it, presents a troubling juxtaposition. Even librarians who are to work with Shiro and Wachuka to modernize how libraries should organize their collection cannot help but feel tied to the Dewey decimal system, which prioritizes European perspectives over African ones. As ironic as their defense of this system and struggle to adapt to a new one may seem, it also speaks to the thematic nature of change that the film as a whole aims to capture. When we see what Shiro and Wachuka have managed to create – a home for African stories to be told by Africans – it’s hard to be concerned about how this came to be more than just touched, it managed to happen at all. Not only do children now see themselves reflected in where they come to learn, but adults are also given the opportunity to come and share their story and add to the archives Book Bunk is working to transform.
In terms of how the story is told, Lekow and King work hard to remain as objective as possible while still centering Shiro and Wachuka’s personal journeys. Sometimes the presentation reminds of Spike Lee documentaries such as “When the Levees Broke” and “NYC Epicenters 9/11 -> 2021 1/2,” both in its use of a horn score that evokes Terence Blanchard and how it draws on archival material and imagery to augment what is being told in the present.
Ultimately, while Kaloleni and Makadara complete their constructions, McMillan’s renovations remain unfinished at the end of “How to Build a Library”, even though money was raised and the governor approved the plans. Meanwhile, in 2024, large protests erupted in Kenya over rising taxes and corruption. Ending the film this way, with no resolution and another conflict potentially blocking Shiro and Wachuka from seeing their vision, mixed with the complicated undertones surrounding Shiro and Wachuka being part of the very system their compatriots protest, leaves tragic enough viewers in murky territory that confuses the overall intent of the documentary.
Grade: B-
“How to Build a Library” premiered in 2025 Sundance Film festival. It is currently seeking distribution in the United States.
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