Indonesia
Our Work in Indonesia
In Indonesia, many children face significant barriers to education, especially those from marginalized or vulnerable backgrounds. The Library Project supports these children by helping them build the foundational reading skills they need to stay in school or re-enter formal education. Through local partnerships, we provide support classes and remedial reading programs that give students extra time, resources, and guidance to strengthen early literacy skills.
Our work reaches children living or working on the streets, young migrants, children affected by HIV or emergencies, and those who are out of school or unemployed. Parents and caregivers are actively involved, ensuring that learning continues at home and within the broader community.
This holistic approach creates safe, supportive environments where children can develop confidence, rebuild learning pathways, and gain the skills needed to thrive. By working closely with families, local organizations, and community networks, we help ensure that every child has the opportunity to read, learn, and build a brighter future.
Local Partnerships
By working through local partners rather than establishing large field offices, The Library Project keeps operating costs low and directs more donor funding into programs that benefit children, teachers, and families. This partnership model ensures resources are focused where they matter most: providing books, building libraries, training educators, and supporting parents at home. Our partners also benefit from more than twenty years of experience, including operational support, program monitoring and evaluation, and access to international fundraising capacity that is often costly for smaller organizations to develop. Together, we reach more communities, strengthen local literacy ecosystems, and create lasting change for children around the world.
Myanmar
Our Work in Myanmar
In Myanmar, many children face significant barriers to education, especially those from marginalized or vulnerable backgrounds. The Library Project supports these children by helping them build the foundational reading skills they need to stay in school or re-enter formal education. Through local partnerships, we provide support classes and remedial reading programs that give students extra time, resources, and guidance to strengthen early literacy skills.
Our work reaches children living or working on the streets, young migrants, children affected by HIV or emergencies, and those who are out of school or unemployed. Parents and caregivers are actively involved, ensuring that learning continues at home and within the broader community.
This holistic approach creates safe, supportive environments where children can develop confidence, rebuild learning pathways, and gain the skills needed to thrive. By working closely with families, local organizations, and community networks, we help ensure that every child has the opportunity to read, learn, and build a brighter future.
Local Partnerships
By working through local partners rather than establishing large field offices, The Library Project keeps operating costs low and directs more donor funding into programs that benefit children, teachers, and families. This partnership model ensures resources are focused where they matter most: providing books, building libraries, training educators, and supporting parents at home. Our partners also benefit from more than twenty years of experience, including operational support, program monitoring and evaluation, and access to international fundraising capacity that is often costly for smaller organizations to develop. Together, we reach more communities, strengthen local literacy ecosystems, and create lasting change for children around the world.
Kenya
Our Work in Kenya
We partner with schools and communities across Kenya to expand access to books and strengthen children’s literacy. Our programs include Reading Rooms, Reading Corners, Literacy Bags, and Book Donations, giving students the resources and encouragement they need to read, learn, and succeed. By pairing new books and welcoming library spaces with teacher support and simple tools for families, we help turn access into daily reading and measurable learning gains.
The Need
In Kenya, children enter school eager to learn, but face significant barriers that prevent them from becoming confident readers. According to the 2023 Flana report, 3 in 10 Grade 6 learners and 2 in 10 Grade 8 learners cannot read at a Grade 3 level in English. Challenges include under-resourced classrooms, frequent language transitions between the mother tongue and English, and limited access to age-appropriate books. These factors contribute to a learning gap that often follows students into higher grades and beyond. Compounding the problem, only 23% of public primary schools in Kenya have libraries, with rural and peri-urban schools being the most disadvantaged.
With the transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, literacy is increasingly recognized as a foundational life skill that can be developed through practical, engaging, and learner-centered activities. CBE shifts learning away from rote memorization toward fostering competencies such as problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking—skills that are best nurtured through a love of reading. These competencies align with the vision of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which positions education as a key driver of a fair, inclusive, and sustainable world.
Our programs directly address these issues by donating quality storybooks, establishing school libraries, distributing Literacy Bags, and providing training to educators and parents. Through these efforts, we aim to support children both in school and at home, enabling them to develop foundational reading skills, feel confident in their learning, and thrive in their educational journey.
Our Local Partner
Start A Library Trust
We are proud to partner with Start A Library Trust, a Kenyan charitable organization dedicated to putting a library in every public primary school and inspiring a love of reading among learners. Their work bridges educational gaps by making quality storybooks accessible and nurturing a reading culture through school libraries and activities.
Start A Library Trust transforms underutilized classrooms into vibrant, welcoming, and safe library spaces that inspire curiosity and foster a love for learning. By equipping schools with high-quality, locally authored books, they empower children to see themselves in the stories they read, making learning more relatable and meaningful. Through comprehensive training and continuous support, they equip teacher-librarians, administrators, and Junior Reading Champions with the skills and knowledge needed to maximize library resources and foster a strong reading culture. Their advocacy efforts amplify the voices of children and communities, ensuring that their stories and needs drive meaningful change.
The Library Project is proud to partner with Start A Library Trust to help them achieve their goal of every school in Kenya having a library.
Global Partnerships
By working through local partners rather than establishing large field offices, The Library Project can keep its operating costs low, directing more donor funding directly into programs that benefit children, teachers, and families. This allows us to focus resources where they matter most — providing books, building libraries, training educators, and supporting parents in fostering a love of reading at home.
Our Work in Kenya
We partner with schools and communities across Kenya to expand access to books and strengthen children’s literacy. Our programs include Reading Rooms, Reading Corners, Literacy Bags, and Book Donations, giving students the resources and encouragement they need to read, learn, and succeed. By pairing new books and welcoming library spaces with teacher support and simple tools for families, we help turn access into daily reading and measurable learning gains.
The Need
In Kenya, children enter school eager to learn, but face significant barriers that prevent them from becoming confident readers. According to the 2023 Flana report, 3 in 10 Grade 6 learners and 2 in 10 Grade 8 learners cannot read at a Grade 3 level in English. Challenges include under-resourced classrooms, frequent language transitions between the mother tongue and English, and limited access to age-appropriate books. These factors contribute to a learning gap that often follows students into higher grades and beyond. Compounding the problem, only 23% of public primary schools in Kenya have libraries, with rural and peri-urban schools being the most disadvantaged.
With the transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, literacy is increasingly recognized as a foundational life skill that can be developed through practical, engaging, and learner-centered activities. CBE shifts learning away from rote memorization toward fostering competencies such as problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking—skills that are best nurtured through a love of reading. These competencies align with the vision of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which positions education as a key driver of a fair, inclusive, and sustainable world.
Our programs directly address these issues by donating quality storybooks, establishing school libraries, distributing Literacy Bags, and providing training to educators and parents. Through these efforts, we aim to support children both in school and at home, enabling them to develop foundational reading skills, feel confident in their learning, and thrive in their educational journey.
Our Local Partner
We are proud to partner with Start a Library, a Kenyan charitable organization dedicated to putting a library in every public primary school and inspiring a love of reading among learners. Their work bridges educational gaps by making quality storybooks accessible and nurturing a reading culture through school libraries and activities.
Start a Library transforms underutilized classrooms into vibrant, welcoming, and safe library spaces that inspire curiosity and foster a love for learning. By equipping schools with high-quality, locally authored books, they empower children to see themselves in the stories they read, making learning more relatable and meaningful. Through comprehensive training and continuous support, they equip teacher-librarians, administrators, and Junior Reading Champions with the skills and knowledge needed to maximize library resources and foster a strong reading culture. Their advocacy efforts amplify the voices of children and communities, ensuring that their stories and needs drive meaningful change.
The Library Project is proud to partner with Start a Library to help them achieve their goal of every school in Kenya having a library.
Cambodia
Our Work in Cambodia
The Library Project first started working in Cambodia in 2015, donating two Reading Rooms to rural elementary schools. These initial libraries offered thousands of high-quality, age-appropriate books, comfortable furniture, and dedicated spaces that encouraged children to read daily. Both Reading Rooms are still in use today, serving the 800 students they were meant to support.
Today, our work in Cambodia has grown through a strong local partnership with Friends International, a nonprofit organization that supports children facing significant barriers to education. Our work focuses on helping children develop the foundational reading skills needed to stay in school or re-enter formal education. Support classes and remedial reading programs offer additional time, resources, and guidance for students who struggle with early literacy. Parents and caregivers actively participate, helping to ensure progress continues at home and in the community.
Our focus is on children and youth from marginalized or vulnerable backgrounds, including those living or working on the streets, young migrants, students affected by HIV or emergencies, and those who are out of school or unemployed. Our approach is holistic. We do not support children in isolation; instead, we work closely with families, communities, and local organizations to create safe, supportive environments where every child has the opportunity to read, learn, and thrive.
Local Partnerships
By working through local partners rather than establishing large field offices, The Library Project keeps operating costs low and directs more donor funding into programs that benefit children, teachers, and families. This partnership model ensures resources are focused where they matter most: providing books, building libraries, training educators, and supporting parents at home. Our partners also benefit from more than twenty years of experience, including operational support, program monitoring and evaluation, and access to international fundraising capacity that is often costly for smaller organizations to develop. Together, we reach more communities, strengthen local literacy ecosystems, and create lasting change for children around the world.
Hong Kong
Supporting Literacy Where It Matters Most
The Library Project is a registered nonprofit organization in Hong Kong, and all donations made locally are tax-deductible. Our work in Hong Kong focuses on increasing access to books and empowering both teachers and parents to build a strong foundation for children’s literacy.
We partner with local literacy-focused nonprofit organizations, schools, and community groups to implement Book Donations, deliver Teacher Training, and provide Parent Support Programs. Together, we strengthen reading culture in elementary schools and homes, creating learning environments where children can develop the confidence, curiosity, and skills to thrive.
Our Programs in Hong Kong
Book Donations
We donate high-quality, age-appropriate books to elementary schools that need additional reading materials. These books expand existing collections, encourage curiosity, and make reading a joyful part of every school day.
Teacher Training
We support educators through workshops and hands-on training that help them integrate literacy into daily lessons and inspire students to read more independently and enthusiastically.
Parent Support
We believe that reading at home reinforces learning at school. Our parent engagement programs provide simple, practical tools that help caregivers nurture children’s reading habits in a supportive home environment.
Where We Work
Our work in Hong Kong focuses on elementary schools and families, particularly in communities where access to diverse, high-quality reading materials is limited. By working alongside local partners, we ensure that every program we deliver is tailored to the needs of the schools and families we serve.
United States
Our Work in the United States
The Library Project is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Phoenix, Arizona. All donations made in the United States are tax-deductible. Our programs across the country focus on increasing access to books, supporting teachers, and engaging parents to create a culture of reading both at school and at home.
We partner with local literacy-focused nonprofit organizations to identify communities and schools most in need of resources. Whether in an urban or rural school, our goal is the same — to help children discover the joy of reading and develop the literacy skills they need to succeed.
Book Donations
We provide new, high-quality books to schools that are in need of additional reading materials. These donations refresh collections, expand access to diverse stories, and help teachers connect students with books that inspire learning and imagination.
Teacher Training
We equip educators with the tools and confidence to integrate literacy into daily lessons and inspire a love of reading in every student. Training focuses on practical strategies that can be adapted for classrooms of all sizes and levels.
Parent Support
Reading at home reinforces reading at school. Our family literacy initiatives offer parents and caregivers simple ways to create supportive reading environments, even in homes with limited resources.
Where We Work
The Library Project supports both rural and urban schools throughout the United States, with a focus on communities where access to quality reading materials remains limited. From small towns to large cities, our programs are designed to meet local needs and build lasting partnerships that strengthen literacy nationwide.
The Need
What the data shows (K–12)
- Reading achievement has fallen nationwide. In 2022, average NAEP reading scores declined at both 4th and 8th grade, with Grade 4 reaching its lowest level since 2005; 2024 results show additional state and district declines from 2022. 
- Two-thirds of U.S. fourth-graders (68%) were not proficient readers in 2022, up from 66% in 2019. 
- Early proficiency matters: children not reading on grade level by the end of Grade 3 are four times more likely not to graduate on time.
Challenges by grade band
- Kindergarten & Early Grades (K–3): Limited print in homes/classrooms and fewer read-alouds constrain vocabulary and decoding practice during the critical “learning to read” window.
- Upper Elementary (4–5): Students shift to “reading to learn” as texts get denser; gaps widen without abundant, level-appropriate nonfiction and fiction. Overall proficiency remains low.
- Middle School (6–8): Content growth outpaces text access; schedule constraints and staffing shortages reduce sustained reading time and support.
- High School (9–12): Persistent reading gaps correlate with lower graduation odds; cuts to certified librarians weaken research, media-literacy, and independent-reading supports. 
How The Library Project’s Book Donations Help
We expand access where students already are. Book donations refresh school libraries with high-interest, diverse, age-appropriate titles, strengthening daily reading in urban and rural schools alike (especially where collections are thin or outdated). This directly counters book-desert dynamics and supports the K–8 shift from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”
We complement teachers and families. New print choices enhance independent reading and read-alouds; paired guidance helps teachers integrate books into lessons, and take-home sets encourage family reading—mitigating digital access barriers at home.
Book Donations
Even the best libraries need to grow. Through our Book Donations, The Library Project provides additional, high-quality books to schools that already have libraries but lack the resources to keep their collections current. These donations refresh existing shelves with new titles that reflect children’s interests and align with their educational needs.
By expanding the variety and relevance of books available, we help teachers and students continue to engage with reading in meaningful ways. Every book donation strengthens a school’s ability to inspire curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.
Book Content Core Values
A meticulously curated selection of children's books.
Quality Children's Books
Local language and age-appropriate children’s books.
STEAM Education
Books focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths.
Inclusive Programming
Libraries that promote equality and female empowerment.
Teacher Training
All schools receive comprehensive in-person and online teacher training.
Monitoring & Evaluation
94% of our libraries are used on a daily-to-weekly basis after the first year.
Our Book Content Core Values
Our book content core values guide everything we do at The Library Project. They shape the libraries we build, the literacy programs we deliver, and the training we provide to teachers and parents. Each book we select reflects these values, helping children explore diverse ideas, think critically, and discover the joy of reading.
Our Core Values
- STEAM Education – Encouraging curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving through science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
- Inclusion & Diversity – Promoting empathy and understanding by celebrating different cultures, abilities, and perspectives.
- Protecting the Environment – Inspiring children to value and care for the natural world around them.
- Girls’ Education – Supporting gender equality and empowering girls through access to education and knowledge.
- Promoting World Peace – Encouraging kindness, cooperation, and global awareness through the stories children read.
- Nurturing the Heart & Mind – Building emotional intelligence and compassion alongside intellectual growth.
Children’s Literacy Programs
Once a library is established, it becomes crucial to introduce students to the enriching world of books. The primary goal of our literacy programs is straightforward: ignite a passion for reading among children. These programs are also designed to educate teachers and administrators on the best practices for engaging children with their new library resources.
Our literacy programs focus on engagement, training, and sustainability. We create an enthusiastic atmosphere by making reading an exciting activity and encouraging children to explore their new library from day one. We also recognize the crucial role of educators in this process, equipping them with the skills and techniques needed to maintain this excitement and engagement, ensuring that the libraries remain active in the educational environment.
Our literacy programs are integral to why our libraries achieve immediate use and continue to be a vital resource in fostering literacy and enhancing educational outcomes.
Teacher Training & Ongoing Support
At The Library Project, we recognize the critical role educators play in the success of our libraries. We offer comprehensive training and ongoing support to ensure that teachers and administrators are well-equipped to make the most of the resources provided.
Our approach includes librarian training, on-site training, online training, and ongoing support. This multifaceted strategy allows us to address various needs and preferences, ensuring that every educator receives the guidance and tools necessary to manage their new school’s library well.
Through these comprehensive training and support initiatives, The Library Project ensures that educators are prepared and continually supported in their efforts to foster a culture of reading and learning in their schools. This holistic approach enhances the effectiveness of our library donations and maximizes their impact on students’ educational journeys.
Where We Donate Reading Rooms
Rural Elementary Schools
The Library Project partners with rural elementary schools to provide essential educational resources through Reading Room donations. These libraries are stocked with high-quality, age-appropriate books in the local language to improve reading proficiency. Our initiatives also include children’s literacy programs and teacher training to enhance the educational experience and ensure sustainable use of the Reading Room. We aim to bridge the resource gap for students in these remote areas by addressing the need for educational materials. Our efforts ensure every child has access to the tools needed for a quality education.
Community Centers, Orphanages, and Children’s Hospitals
The Library Project donates Reading Rooms to community centers, orphanages, and children’s hospitals, enhancing literacy and education. We provide libraries with educational books, conduct literacy programs, and offer administrator training to ensure sustainable use and foster a reading culture. These initiatives create supportive environments that aid children’s educational and emotional development. By integrating our resources into these institutions, we offer essential support to children and families, promoting knowledge, inspiration, and well-being.
Teachers & Parents
Introduction
A library filled with books is powerful, but it needs champions. Teachers and parents are the bridge between access and lifelong literacy. When educators are equipped and caregivers are supported, children flourish in reading, learning, and growth. On this page, we explore the challenges teachers and parents face, show how The Library Project works with them, and invite you to partner in their journey.
Teacher Training & Support
Teachers are the gatekeepers of literacy; the ones who bring books to life and help students become confident readers. In rural contexts, many teachers face large class sizes, limited materials, weak access to ongoing professional development, and isolation from peer networks.
At The Library Project, our Teacher Training program provides workshops, classroom coaching, and mentoring to build teacher capacity in guided reading, book handling, and creating a print-rich environment. We focus on practical methods: read-aloud strategies, small-group reading, book selection, and literacy integration across subjects. Our trainings are contextualized to rural realities so teachers can apply them immediately in their classrooms.
Because we know that learning is continuous, we also offer refresher sessions, peer learning circles, and monitoring visits to ensure quality and sustainability. By investing in teachers, we increase the likelihood that libraries become vibrant places of reading, not unused book repositories.
Parent & Family Support
Many rural families face serious barriers when it comes to supporting their children’s literacy journey. Parents often contend with low literacy themselves, limited time (due to agricultural or labor burdens), scarce reading materials at home, poor infrastructure (electricity, lighting), and digital divides that make accessing resources difficult. In rural areas, lack of access to education and transport further compounds this, keeping families isolated from support systems. 
A study on rural literacy programs notes that while reading programs in schools can raise performance, lasting gains depend heavily on community and parental engagement, for instance, through reading dialogues at home or simple print materials shared with caregivers. 
As UNESCO puts it: “Disparities based on location and household wealth are more pronounced … rural and poorer families experience greater disadvantages.” 
To address these challenges, The Library Project supports parents through family reading workshops, simple reading guides, take-home materials (to accompany our Literacy Bags), and community events. These efforts help caregivers grow confidence in reading with children, even when their own education was limited. Over time, we aim to transform homes into literate environments that reinforce what children learn at school.
Partnership & Synergy
Teachers + Parents + Libraries
Teachers and parents working in tandem is where real, sustainable literacy takes root. Libraries provide the resources and space, teachers bring those books to life, and parents reinforce the habit of reading at home. When these components align, children benefit most.
Our model includes built-in collaboration: teacher trainings help educators communicate effectively with parents; parent engagement programs share simple reading strategies that complement classroom instruction.
By strengthening both sides of the literacy ecosystem, we create momentum. A child who reads at school, receives encouragement at home, and sees books at hand is more likely to grow into a lifelong reader, making the library’s investment pay off across generations.
Global Literacy Partnerships
We also work beyond our core program countries through Global Literacy Partnerships. By partnering with NGOs, schools, and governments worldwide, we adapt teacher training and parent support models to local languages, curricula, and contexts. Each country’s literacy challenges differ, from multilingual settings to policy constraints, and we collaborate with local experts to ensure relevance and lasting impact.
Literacy
Opening the Door to Opportunity
Literacy changes everything. It helps children learn, connect, and dream beyond the classroom. Yet for millions of children around the world, learning to read remains out of reach. At The Library Project, we believe that literacy is more than a skill; it’s a human right and the foundation for a brighter future.
The Challenge
In many rural communities, children attend schools with few or no books. According to the World Bank, seven in ten children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple text by age ten. Without early access to reading materials or guided instruction, many students fall behind, limiting their ability to learn across all subjects.
The challenge goes beyond access. Teachers often lack training and resources to teach reading effectively, and many parents don’t have the tools to support learning at home. This creates a cycle where children struggle to build literacy skills, even when they are eager to learn.
Our Approach
The libraries we build solve the challenge of access, giving children a place to explore books and discover the joy of reading. But our commitment goes further. We strengthen literacy through children’s reading programs, teacher training, and parent engagement.
By training teachers, we ensure libraries are not just rooms filled with books but dynamic learning spaces led by skilled educators. Teachers are the gatekeepers of every library; their ability to inspire students turns access into achievement. Meanwhile, by supporting parents, we help create literate homes, environments where children see reading as part of daily life.
Our approach connects classrooms, libraries, and families to ensure that literacy becomes a community value, not just a school goal.
Building a Culture of Reading
When children have access to books, teachers have the tools to teach, and parents have the confidence to support them, literacy flourishes. Through our ongoing programs, we cultivate reading habits that last a lifetime. Each book, activity, and training session builds toward a shared goal: helping children not only learn to read, but love to read.
You can learn more about how we measure and sustain these outcomes in our Our Impact and Measuring Our Impact pages.
Global Literacy Partnerships
Our commitment to literacy extends beyond our program countries. Through Global Literacy Partnerships, we collaborate with organizations around the world to build libraries, share resources, and adapt programs to local contexts. Each country faces unique challenges, from language diversity to curriculum differences, and we work alongside partners to ensure our shared goal of children’s literacy fits each community’s needs.
Libraries
Building Spaces for Learning
Libraries open doors to possibility. For many children in rural communities, a library is the first place they’ve ever had access to books. It’s more than shelves and stories; it’s a space where curiosity grows, creativity is encouraged, and a love of learning begins.
At The Library Project, we build libraries that meet children and communities where they are. Each library we create is designed to inspire reading, strengthen education, and support teachers and parents in nurturing lifelong learners.
Why Libraries Matter
Around the world, millions of children attend schools with no access to books or safe, dedicated spaces to read. According to UNESCO, literacy is “the foundation for lifelong learning,” yet in many low- and middle-income countries, seven in ten children cannot read and understand a simple story by age ten (World Bank, 2022).
Libraries make learning possible. They provide essential reading materials, encourage exploration, and empower teachers to make reading part of everyday classroom life. By investing in libraries, we’re investing in stronger schools, confident readers, and thriving communities.
Our Library Types
Every community is different, and so is every library we build. From full Reading Rooms to compact Reading Corners and take-home Literacy Bags, each library is designed to meet children and teachers where they are, creating spaces that make reading accessible, joyful, and sustainable.
Reading Rooms
Reading Rooms transform existing school spaces into bright, inviting libraries filled with books, tables, chairs, and shelving designed for children. Working with local education departments, we repurpose unused classrooms into inspiring learning spaces that serve the entire school.
Reading Corners
Reading Corners bring books directly into classrooms and community centers, giving children and teachers access to diverse, high-quality titles. Each Reading Corner creates a welcoming place where children can explore, learn, and grow every day.
Book Donations
Book Donations strengthen existing school libraries by providing new, high-quality books that keep collections fresh and engaging. Each donation helps students discover new stories, explore new ideas, and continue their journey as lifelong readers.
Literacy Bags
Literacy Bags give children their very own collection of books to take home; their first personal library. Distributed through schools and local partners, these bags help families build a reading culture that continues beyond the classroom.
Our Book Content Core Values
Our book content core values guide everything we do at The Library Project. They shape the libraries we build, the literacy programs we deliver, and the training we provide to teachers and parents. Each book we select reflects these values, helping children explore diverse ideas, think critically, and discover the joy of reading.
Our Core Values
- STEAM Education – Encouraging curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving through science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
- Inclusion & Diversity – Promoting empathy and understanding by celebrating different cultures, abilities, and perspectives.
- Protecting the Environment – Inspiring children to value and care for the natural world around them.
- Girls’ Education – Supporting gender equality and empowering girls through access to education and knowledge.
- Promoting World Peace – Encouraging kindness, cooperation, and global awareness through the stories children read.
- Nurturing the Heart & Mind – Building emotional intelligence and compassion alongside intellectual growth.