Since 2005, Libraries of Love has opened libraries in 23 schools in Uganda, including this one in 2010 at Ugandan Martyrs Primary School. Our libraries now serve about 30,000 students.
Our continued partnership with these schools includes restocking and providing supplies, which is the primary focus for 2012.
Trudy posts to Libraries of Love travel blog
Libraries
of Love Executive Director Trudy Marshall returned to Uganda on March 6. She
will remain in Uganda for the next 5 months and post periodic updates on the Libraries of Love travel blog.
April 4, 2012 - The container has ended it's "vacation" in Freeport, Grand Bahama, and has arrived in Durban, South Africa. Next stop is Mombasa, Kenya.
March 17, 2012 - Latest Update: Our shipment is in the Grand Bahamas. Next to Durban, South Africa, and then onward to Mombasa, Kenya. Last overland to Uganda. They must have decided to skip trying to get past the Somalia pirates this time. Alright!
February 29, 2012 - Today 930 boxes of books began the 2-month trip to Uganda. The books packed into the container at left will go by truck from Austin to the port of Houston, where they will be shipped to Mombasa, Kenya. They will finish the trip by truck from Kenya to Uganda. Pallets are marked for Mbale or Kampala. Each box is identified with
the type of books inside, like NF for non-fiction, and bright stickers
with the school name. These books will be used to restock our older libraries. In addition, 47 boxes of braille books are going to Nkoyoyo Primary for blind children, and 543 medical books donated by members of the Travis County Medical Society will be put in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.
Book cabinets arrive for schools in Mbale
The final 60 book cabinets have arrived and been placed in the
three primary schools in Mbale that received new libraries last summer. The cabinets are like those carried by students above in 2010. Now, all Libraries of Love primary schools have a book cabinet in each classroom. This allows
students to have reading time every day, and books can then be taken home on the
weekends. The cabinets are needed because classrooms hold 85-200 students. After
returning from the library, the students didn't have a place at their desks to put books.
Thanks to publishers for recent donations
We appreciate the kindness of book publishers and suppliers who help make scenes like this possible in Libraries of Love libraries at 23 schools in Uganda, serving about 30,000 students. The following have donated for 2012 projects:
Mackin Educational Resources
Rainbow Book Company
Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc.
The Penworthy Company
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Hachette Book Group
Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Rosen Publishing Group
Sylvan Dell Publishing
Capstone Press
Final boxes prepared for 2012 shipment
February 10, 2012 - Scott and Tracy Porter, volunteer coordinators, are pictured with the final boxes prepared for the 2012 shipment.
Next we'll pallatize the more than 900 boxes and place labels on each designating the receiving school.
Shipment is scheduled for Feb. 29. Then, time off until after spring break - and we'll start the process again for 2013.
Thanks to high school student volunteers
Thanks to students from Interact (Rotary) Clubs from Hendrickson High School and Westlake High School who worked on Saturday, Feb. 4, preparing books. We appreciate their volunteer spirit. Pictured are Hendrickson students.
What an astonishing Summer 2011! Libraries of Love has completed four new
beautiful, well-stocked libraries serving 5,000 students. We are now providing books to over 30,000
students in 24 schools, thanks to our wonderful donors, volunteers, and
supporters. The librarian and headteacher (principal) meetings were an
amazing time of bonding. Plus, an unbelievable amount of
learning/teaching took place. Total successes! Walking onto campuses and
seeing children in classes, and sitting around the grounds reading
books, has been a joy. Those kids may never realize the immense amount
of time and effort required to provide those books, but they do
understand that they have books because people in America love them. Read more about the 2011 Libraries. Watch a video about the 2011 libraries.
Libraries of Love has created libraries for 23 schools serving about 30,000 students. We are an all-volunteer organization that relies on the
community to help create libraries in Ugandan schools.
April 4, 2012 - The container has ended it's "vacation" in Freeport, Grand Bahama, and has arrived in Durban, South Africa. Next stop is Mombasa, Kenya.
Thanks to students from Interact (Rotary) Clubs from Hendrickson High School and Westlake High School who worked on 
