Digital Bookmobile – Uganda
The Digital Book Mobile project applies print-on-demand technology to distribute books to people of all reading levels in Uganda, including children affected by war. The Internet Bookmobile is based at the Caezaria Complex Public Library.
The Uganda digital bookmobile, based at the national library of Uganda in Kampala, travels to rural primary schools in Buikwe subcounty, Mukono district, where children and adults can request books from a digital database. They participate in the printing and binding process and receive books freshly printed via print-on-demand technology. The project aims to boost reading levels and adult literacy, circulate teaching materials and create jobs.
The Uganda digital bookmobile, based at the national library of Uganda in Kampala, travels to rural primary schools in Buikwe subcounty, Mukono district, where children and adults can request books from a digital database. They participate in the printing and binding process and receive books freshly printed via print-on-demand technology. The project aims to boost reading levels and adult literacy, circulate teaching materials and create jobs.
Communication Strategies
The Internet Bookmobile carries a database of hundreds of public domain books to rural areas of Uganda. Most of the titles are in English, which is the language of instruction in Ugandan schools. Some titles in Ugandan languages have been made available by the government of Uganda and the Minds Across Africa project.
A scanning station has been established at the National Library of Kampala to boost the amount of Ugandan material to be scanned and digitised for the Bookmobile, thereby promoting local languages. There will be job opportunities for Ugandans to manage the Bookmobile and the scanning and digitisation processes.
Visiting over 20 locations, the bookmobile created approximately 5,000 free books in its first six monthsof operation. The cost to the project is estimated at USD 1 per 150-page book.
The organisers say: "The current literacy rate of Uganda is 63%. This represents a literacy rate of 51% for women and 77% for men. The National Household Survey revealed that about 5.5 million women and 1.4 million men were illiterate. The government of Uganda has established a target of 1.2 million nonliterate adults to be made literate by 2008. The fact that the Bookmobile will regularly visit rural villages should make a big impact in making books and reading resources available to adults."
A scanning station has been established at the National Library of Kampala to boost the amount of Ugandan material to be scanned and digitised for the Bookmobile, thereby promoting local languages. There will be job opportunities for Ugandans to manage the Bookmobile and the scanning and digitisation processes.
Visiting over 20 locations, the bookmobile created approximately 5,000 free books in its first six monthsof operation. The cost to the project is estimated at USD 1 per 150-page book.
The organisers say: "The current literacy rate of Uganda is 63%. This represents a literacy rate of 51% for women and 77% for men. The National Household Survey revealed that about 5.5 million women and 1.4 million men were illiterate. The government of Uganda has established a target of 1.2 million nonliterate adults to be made literate by 2008. The fact that the Bookmobile will regularly visit rural villages should make a big impact in making books and reading resources available to adults."
Development Issues
Children, Youth
Key Points
Anticipated improvements that may result from the project include:
- Reduced dropout rates
- Improved scores on achievement tests
- Improved overall literacy rates
- Better prepared, and thus more effective, teachers
- Improved overall learning in the classroom due to relief of resource pressure
- Improved participation of girls and women in education processes
- An increase in secondary education enrollment
- An increase in non-agriculture enrollment
Partners
Internet Archive, Uganda Library Association, Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), National Book Trust of Uganda (NABOTU), National Library of Uganda.
Sources
Anywherebooks website on June 10 2004.
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