The Beijing Rotary Donate Thirty-Nine Libraries
The Library Project – October 2010
Books of all kind play a critical role in a child’s development. Unfortunately, very few books beyond basic textbooks are found in most urban migrant elementary schools in and around Beijing. Many of these children grow up without access to the educational tools and resources many of us take for granted. The Library Project, an American charity based in Xi’an, China, and the Beijing Rotary are breaking this cycle one book at a time.
The Beijing Rotary has committed over 310,000 CNY to provide 39 libraries to migrant communities throughout Beijing over the next year.
“Rotary’s mission is to make our Beijing home a better place. Educating children is key to improving the quality of life for everyone in Beijing. Libraries are the key to education,” said Rotary Club of Beijing Board Member & Public Relations Chair Mr. Kevin Fong. “Rotary Club of Beijing members volunteer and contribute funds to help those in need. We do our best to make a difference.”
“We are extremely thankful for the support from the Beijing Rotary,” said Tom Stader, Executive Director and founder of The Library Project. “Thousands of children attending migrant elementary schools in Beijing are going to have access to improved educational infrastructure in the form of a safe and friendly reading environment and quality Chinese language children’s books for them to read.”
ABOUT THE LIBRARIES
Each migrant elementary school will receive a wide range of high quality children’s books, from educational ones on history and science to entertaining books such as comics, fairy tales and short stories. The students will also receive reference books as well as a full set of children’s encyclopedias for older students and pinyin language books for the younger children just beginning to learn to read. The Library Project also provides colorful child-safe tables and chairs, fresh paint, posters and a world globe to all libraries.
In addition to receiving new books and furniture, every elementary school takes part in The Library Project’s Librarian Training Program. Since many migrant elementary schools have never had a single book in their ‘library’, each new librarian learns the logistics of library management. From day one this program gets the librarians up to speed on how to run a successful library. “Libraries put children in the driver’s seat of their education,” says Tom Stader, founder of the Library Project. “Library books are different from textbooks. Kids may be inspired by the teachers in lessons and then explore their interests further in a library. With a library their imagination gets involved."
Education is change, and The Library Project with the generous support of the Beijing Rotary are creating change in the simplest way possible, by giving children the resources to learn and grow. If you are interested in getting involved, please visit The Library Project’s website at www.library-project.org or contact Tom Stader at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Our website contains a wealth of information about each of the libraries we have donated in China to date as well as prospects for future libraries.
