Mobile libraries from Asia Foundation

The Asia Foundation is launching a new mobile library initiative aimed at helping an estimated 80,000 families and children who do not have access to the existing library services in four local authorities.

Many of these communities were devastated by the tsunami, and schools and libraries are still in the process of being rebuilt. The mobile library initiative is being launched with support from the AIG Disaster Relief Fund and Give2Asia, an organisation founded by the Asia Foundation to promote philanthropy in Asia.

The Asia Foundation has retrofitted buses to become mobile libraries, which are stocked with books selected by each local authority, a laptop computer, a multi media projector, and educational DVDs.

Books are available in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages and will be highly useful for schoolchildren, university students, and teachers. The mobile libraries will also have text books from the O-level and A-level reading lists. Stationed at different points, these mobile units will cover the entire geographic area of each participating local authority.

"We are pleased that the contributions of so many AIG employees can be used to bring books and learning to these families and children", said Edward Cloonan, Vice President for AIG's Disaster Relief Fund. "Education is a critical part of building communities and reaching the goals of our fund".

At a ceremony at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) on September 7, the Asia Foundation Country Representative, Nilan Fernando and the Minister of Local Government and Provincial Councils, Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, handed over the mobile libraries to the representatives from the Hambantota Pradeshiya Sabha, Hikkaduwa Pradeshiya Sabha, Kattankudy Urban Council and Thirukkovil Pradeshiya Sabha.

The four Local Authorities were selected based on their commitment to increase citizen's access to library and information services. Each Local Authority has established citizen advisory committees and neighbourhood "Reading Circles" to get public feedback about their library services.

The Asia Foundation's popular Books for Asia Program provided books for the libraries.

Books for Asia distributes approximately 100,000 brand new, high-quality text books and children's books per year in Sri Lanka and is now further widening its reach through the launch of these mobile libraries.

At the AIG Disaster Relief Fund's request, the mobile libraries were donated to tsunami-affected local authorities, which are still grappling with reconstruction and recovery activities, including the restoration of schools and libraries.

Working alongside the Asia Foundation's other tsunami recovery programs, Books for Asia has distributed more than 100,000 books to local schools and libraries in the tsunami-affected Eastern, Southern, and Northern Provinces of the island.