The Challenge

Books of all kinds play a critical role in children’s development. Unfortunately, there are very few books beyond school textbooks found in most orphanages in Asia. It’s a terrible thing for a child to grow up without having access to books. Having additional books available helps to encourage independent learning, intellectual curiosity, and a lifelong passion for reading. Orphanage headmasters and school administrators often lack the expertise and resources to establish small libraries in their orphanages, resulting in libraries that contain little to no books of interest to children. Children’s books are a luxury to have in Asia and are a rarity in most orphanage and elementary schools.

As the study of English gains popularity across Asia, all students are beginning to study English from a very early age. However, many students, schools, and orphanages have very few English language books available to them. If there are no books to engage children and help and support their English study, their curiosity, motivation, and ability to learn English are all but lost.

The Library Project Approach to Orphanages

The Library Project establishes bi-lingual libraries for small orphanages in China and Vietnam. These libraries are filled with colorful English books and local language books that are either purchased in-country or acquired through local community based book-drives. The reading area is designed to be a safe and accessible place for the children to feel comfortable. Colorful posters, games, furniture, and mats for the floor make the orphanage libraries an inviting and happy place for the children to learn and grow.

During both types of projects we involve the local community and the children as much as possible. We do this through local community based book-drives that raise awareness of the issues surrounding orphanages and underprivileged schools. The children are involved in many aspects of a library’s development and construction by helping to unpack the books, set up mats, and clean the new space. As a reward for the children’s assistance, a small party is arranged with educational games, balloons, and crafts.

Books

We have donated over 6,000 books to schools and orphanages in China and Vietnam. We have a goal of donating over 200,000 books by the end of 2008. It is a large but attainable goal.

The vast majority of our books are acquired through community-based book-drives. This not only gets the community involved, but also raises awareness of the realities of countryside schools and orphanages. Ninety percent of the books we donate are in the local language and the other 10% have been in English, Korean, Japanese and Russian. In China as with other developing countries, the study of a second or third language begins at a very young age. Our libraries aim to help children become proficient in both native and regional languages.

The Library Project Results

To date, The Library Project has established 5 libraries in China and Vietnam. Over 80 libraries are planned in China and Vietnam by the end of 2008. Some of our libraries are small and others are large, but all of our libraries help to improve the education of each and every child that touches their many colorful books.

How You Can Help

Place a Donation — Make a donation towards one of our libraries in a particular country, to the program in general, or leave it up to The Library Project to best allocate your contribution.

Adopt a Library — Sponsor the establishment of one or more libraries.

Volunteer — Learn about volunteer opportunities with The Library Project.

Email Updates — Sign up for our monthly newsletter to get updates on the organization, our programs, and more.