Kenya Libraries Go Digital!
Today, we’ve got big news to share about our work in libraries.
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of LEAP 2.0 
(Libraries, E-Reading, Activities, Partnerships) in partnership with Kenya National Library Service (knls). LEAP 2.0 will bring digital reading to all 61 public libraries in Kenya with the ultimate goal of improving access to books for students, librarians, teachers and patrons and positioning these libraries as major contributors to Kenya’s development. Funded by Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the two-year project will reach 500,000 people with 580,000 English and Kiswahili books.
LEAP 2.0 was born out of Project LEAP— groundbreaking pilot program implemented in 2014 in partnership with eight public and community libraries in Western Kenya, and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The LEAP pilot aimed to increase the availability of reading materials in Kenya’s libraries with the provision of e-readers filled with relevant books. Ultimately, these learnings served for the creation and now realization of a national government-backed digital reading program for libraries in Kenya.
Access to e-readers alone does not improve reading and literacy skills–patrons also need to be surrounded by an environment that empowers them to use the e-reader as a tool to build reading skills and further their education. That’s why Worldreader will be providing comprehensive capacity building for librarians to ensure the success of the program.
Worldreader is passionate about the power of providing education through digital books. We do this through our reading apps and e-reader programs in schools and libraries, partnerships, teacher trainings, community engagement initiatives and so much more! Libraries are pivotal parts of communities everywhere around the world and we could not be more proud to help African libraries meet the needs of their 21st century patrons and continue with our quest to create a world where everyone can be a reader.
Learn more about Worldreader’s work in schools and libraries and how you can get involved.
