Spreading the joy of reading

Filed under: Fun — marcia at 9:50 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2007
book mule

I’ve never actually seen a bookmobile in real life, but I like the idea. Reading is important, blah blah children society. OK, now I can get to the awesome part: bookmules and bookcamels! Children! Excited about books! All right, no more exclamation points.
About bookmules in remote areas of Venezuela:

Anyone who was not out working the fields – tending the celery that is the main crop here – was waiting for our arrival. The 23 children at the little school were very excited.

“Bibilomu-u-u-u-las,” they shouted as the bags of books were unstrapped. They dived in eagerly, keen to grab the best titles and within minutes were being read to by Christina and Juana, two of the project leaders.

“Spreading the joy of reading is our main aim,” Christina Vieras told me. (read entire story on BBC website)

About bookcamels:

The actual Camel Bookmobile brings books to semi-nomadic people in Northeastern Kenya who live with the most minimal of possessions, suffering from chronic poverty and periodic drought. I visited the region during a period of drought and made several hours-long walks through the African bush with the bookmobile. I cannot describe how moving it was to see the people, particularly children, crowding around as the traveling librarians set up straw mats under an acacia tree and spread out the books. The excitement is palpable. (get more details, including how to donate books, from Masha Hamilton)

Links via Kevin Kelly

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