Our Work in Mongolia

In Mongolia, The Library Project provides free Reading Rooms, Book Donations, and Literacy Programs to rural elementary schools. These programs support children and youth living in rural communities by expanding access to books, strengthening school-based reading opportunities, and helping students build the literacy skills they need to continue learning.

Our Reading Rooms help schools create dedicated spaces where students can read, explore books, and develop stronger reading habits. Our Book Donations provide additional reading materials to rural schools, helping students gain access to age-appropriate books that support learning inside and outside the classroom.

The Library Project also provides Capacity Building for local literacy nonprofit organizations in Mongolia. This support is free of charge and may include one-on-one mentoring, planning tools, fundraising guidance, program development support, and access to practical resources. By strengthening local organizations, we help build long-term, community-led literacy impact.

Literacy in Mongolia

Mongolia has made strong progress in expanding school access, but many children still face challenges in developing strong reading and learning skills. According to the World Bank and UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 39 percent of children in Mongolia at late primary age are not proficient in reading, after adjusting for children who are out of school. The same brief reports that 38 percent of students do not reach minimum reading proficiency by the end of primary school.

Rural children, including children from herder families, can face additional barriers to learning because of distance, limited access to early childhood education, and uneven access to learning materials and technology. UNICEF reports that 20 percent of children ages 3 to 5 in Mongolia do not have access to early childhood education, with particular challenges for children of rural herders, children with disabilities, and children from low-income families. UNICEF also reports that grade 6 literacy proficiency was only 34 percent in 2022.

Reading is the foundation for learning across all subjects. The World Bank describes foundational literacy as a gateway to learning, noting that children who cannot read with understanding are more likely to face barriers as they progress through school.

The Library Project’s work in Mongolia responds to this need by supporting rural elementary schools with free Reading Rooms, Book Donations, and Literacy Programs, while also strengthening local literacy nonprofit organizations through Capacity Building. Together, these efforts help create more reading opportunities for students and support long-term, community-led literacy impact.