How we will utilise these books

The Community Libraries are free and open to all. The libraries serve children and adults from low income and low literacy backgrounds. They act as the bridge in providing access to books beyond school curriculum. The primary methodology for promoting reading is the dozens of read-alouds that members and volunteers conduct throughout the week. The read-alouds demonstrate reading as thinking; readers move from their limited utilitarian understanding of reading to a more expansive one that is pleasurable and empowering. Children share with volunteers the responsibility for the day to day operation of the library - carding donated books, cleaning and dusting the library and running the circulation desk. Through the development of critical thinking skills and through ownership of their library, our members are developing an understanding of themselves as empowered citizens of their society. We have recently opened doors of our newest library, housed in Agrasar NGO in Sikanderpur village. A complete set of Pratham books will be highly useful in demonstrating reading is thinking model to our new members. We currently have a limited collection of Pratham books, mostly donated by our benefactors. These books have been much loved by our members for their illustrations, concept of story and the joy of thinking they provide during read-alouds. We are also looking to replenish and replace the old, worn out set of Pratham books at The Community Library Project - Deepalaya. Your support will help us bring back the much sought out collection of books that have become a huge success in our libraries.