laolitproj.htm

A Tour of Selected National Libraries of Asia

National Reading Promotion Project
A Project of the National Library of Laos
(with the assistance of Nissan & the Government of Japan)

The aim of this project is to promote literacy and reading among children and their families in Laos, especially in rural areas. It was started in 1989, and is wholly funded by foreign aid.

Components of the Project:

Provision of books to rural schools.

Boxes containing 500 books (200 titles) are delivered to rural elementary schools.
Books are delivered by library personnel who also conduct seminars for teachers,

who often have little training, on "how to use the portable library," along with reading promotion strategies and the basics of library science.

The Library Caravan project started in 1998.

Wordless paperback picture books, produced by National Library staff under the direction of Chief Librarian Kondeuane Nettavong form the basis of a travelling puppet and reading promotion show. The story on which the book is based is a re-tellings of aclassic folktale, with an "environment-friendly" message.
Large, life-size puppets of the characters in the book are made by childrens' services staff at the National Library.

These shows are "taken on the road" after the rainy season ends in November. A team of 10 put on 58 shows in villages throughout Laos in 1998, travelling in National Reading Promotion Project (NRPP) truck-caravan or one of two four-wheel drive jeeps owned by the project. All the children from an area, and their families, attend these performances.
Each child is given their own free copy of the book on which the puppet play is based.

The NRPP also promotes writing of picture books for children in Lao.

Since the program started approximately 10 years ago, 140 picture books have been published.
Writing projects for children between the ages of 6 and 14 have been initiated.

Thanks to the efforts of many people, and especially Kondeuane Nettavong, the NRPP has been very successful. Initially, the objectives of the project were to have been achieved by 2000. Due to the success and popularity of the project, and the demand for its continuance and expansion, the new expectation for project completion is 2010.

Cover art for The Adventures of Noi, a wordless picture book produced by the National Library of Laos as part of the National Library Reading Promotion Project.