Why Mobile Library?
Many children living in and around Tiruvannamalai do not have access to books other than their school textbooks. This limits their education to a narrow range of school subjects. The mobile library stifles their curiosity and awareness of what the world has to offer.
Goal
We hope to instill a love of reading in children, giving them a productive way to spend their time, enhance their knowledge, and encourage their passion for learning.
Where?
Government schools in and around Tiruvannamalai, evening schools of Regenboog, and many other places in Tiruvannamalai.
How?
Regenboog distributes books to children in two ways. First, through a Mobile Library Vehicle, and then via five Motor Cycle libraries. This project includes a collection of approximately 23,000 books that are delivered during the day to 103 government schools. In the evenings, the Motor Cycle Library provides books to our Evening Schools and other neighbourhoods. Every student is given a membership card, and the entire library system is automated, making the whole procedure more time efficient.
These six vehicles visit each of their designated places every alternate week, hence the children are able to check out and return books every two weeks. Regenboog staff members ensure that the children are involved in discussions about the book they read, what they learned, and what they would like to study next.
Impact
In the 2023-24 academic year, the mobile library project distributed over 87,541 books, a testament to how much they enjoyed reading. A children have other testament is watching the children's eagerness and happiness when they see the mobile library coming!
To know the up to date data of the project click here Arunachala Mobile Library Dashboard
Fridge Libraries
People in India have to wait for long periods of time for their needs to be met at government offices and hospitals. While they are waiting for longer periods of time, we thought it would be a good idea to give them the opportunity to read a book, so we launched a new initiative called 'Fridge library.' Refrigerators that had previously been discarded were purchased, refurbished, and converted into mini library bookshelves. These fridge libraries will be placed in various locations such as government hospitals, courtrooms, police stations, and other public gathering places in order to encourage the public's reading habit. When we approached the officers to place these libraries on their premises, they were very appreciative of this one-of-a-kind effort, which motivates us to go further.
