December 10, 2010

Brady Corporation donates $150,000 over three years

Books of all kind play a critical role in a child’s development. Unfortunately, very few books beyond basic textbooks are found in most rural elementary schools in China. 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 Brady China are breaking this cycle one book at a time.

Brady China has committed $150,000 USD to provide ninety libraries to elementary schools throughout China over the next three years.

“Brady China never forgets its social responsibilities and spares no efforts in China’s charity projects. We have already donated 3 hope schools in China’s remote rural area and the 4th one is on the way now. We see the Library Project is the right fit to our guiding value and our continuing efforts in supporting education and children in China. ” Said Welson Zhou, Brady’s North Asia Vice-president and member of Brady China Foundation Steering Committee.

“We are extremely thankful for the support from Brady China,” said Tom Stader, Executive Director and founder of The Library Project. “Thousands of children attending elementary schools 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 elementary school and community center 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 Brady China 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 tom@library-project.org. 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.