On January 7th 1903, when a new library was opened at Mount Vernon Square, Washington, accolades poured in for Andrew Carnegie, a steel baron and somewhat controversial benefactor. It was the first desegregated public building in Washington and served as the main library for the capital city until 1972.
In total, the Scotland-born steel tycoon donated more than $40 million for the construction of 1,679 public libraries across the United States, according to an article in the American Library Association Bulletin by historian George S. Bobinski. According to Carnegie, " the wealthy should use their riches to improve public facilities that would enable the deserving poor to help themselves, because this kind of philanthropy is best calculated to do . . . lasting good.' And the library should be the ''literary centre of every community, a source of inspiration and profit to all, a place where every citizen can feel at home and at perfect liberty to enjoy its advantages." Libraries do lasting good to everyone in the community!
Dolly Parton the country music crooner seems to have fully bought into Andrew Carnegie's philosophy! From 1995 Dolly Parton began her Imagination Library which is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until they begin school, no matter their family’s income in USA, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia.
According to Dolly Parton, every child has a dream to be someone great or to do great things. And importantly "the seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” By February 2018, Dolly celebrated giving out the 100 millionth book!
Totally, completely awesome!
Today, literacy is still a challenge for most African countries. Children can't read where there are no books. Many parents cannot afford school texts talk more of titles outside of the approved reading lists. That's why we need functional, stocked African libraries with librarians trained to help our young people dream big dreams and achieve.
As we get ready to celebrate another World Book Day on April 23rd, African public libraries are determined to enlighten the continent on why we must have public libraries for every Community. But who will hear us? Who will help us? Who wants to leave a lasting legacy that does good to everyone in the community? Who? Who?
I believe that if Dolly Parton can help improve literacy across countries and continents, our African celebrities can too!
The African Library & Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA) @AfLIACon aflia.net the umbrella Body and trusted voice for African Libraries is willing to partner with Africans of high worth to drive the Literacy campaign in Africa.
