Lubuto Library Partners

Lubuto Library Partners continues to provide exciting opportunities for children in Zambia with access to educational, cultural and recreational programs and activities. We thank all our volunteers and donors to help make everything possible. We couldn't do it without You!

Libraries can be one of the most important centers in a community. What I have seen from the activities of the Lubuto Library Partners, it has become an essential part of the community. I have been very impressed by the director and dedicated volunteers.

Lubuto Library Partners, the nonprofit, founded many years ago, had the vision and mission to establish libraries in Zambia and today, Lubuto is still operating strong to provide excellent books and literacy programs to vulnerable African communities.

In the summer of 201O, as a Children’s librarian volunteer, I had the privilege to visit and work in the Fountain of Hope Lubuto Library in Lusaka, Zambia. I witnessed community children come with their siblings to browse through and select books from the full library shelves. The satisfying looks and concentration on the children’s faces, as they experienced the joy of reading, is unforgettable! I saw children enthusiastically rehearse and perform the story of Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren to an appreciative audience and on several occasions, I watched children come together in the sharing circle, to be recognized by their peers, as they expressed their personal thoughts and hopes. The children’s visits to the Fountain of Hope Library became the highlight of their day and became a beautiful memory I will never forget.

In 2024, the nonprofit, Lubuto Library Partners continues to be an effective group of worldwide, knowledgeable, dedicated and passionate workers and supporters, who live up to their mission to help others.

Well run, strong program that really changes lives! I fully support and trust their mission and leadership!

Lubuto Library provides much more than open-access libraries: while offering comprehensive collections of carefully selected books and technology resources the libraries offer youth and communities safe spaces where they can choose to read, play and engage in other activities such as drama and music. Impressively, the spaces have an open-door policy, allowing children to always have a place to go to, where they have the opportunity to engage in educational and stimulating activities throughout the day. In communities that are generally underserved and where children do not have a safe place to go to that is not their home or their school, this is priceless, and definitely an excellent way of ensuring that children are protected and inspired to read, write and explore art, technology and drama. Their early childhood centres are a gem, offering the very young ones and their parents/caregivers, an array of options for learning about their community, surroundings and nature in general. The themed play areas are a true delight. They are populated with contextually relevant teaching and learning materials offering a stimulating learning environment where children can play, learn and thrive.

I made an early contribution to Lubuto Libraries after learning about the work from a close friend who was a librarian at the World Bank, I have continued to support it ever since because I have continued to be impressed with its founder’s dedication and its mission, and the way she has continued to run an efficient organization that seeks to build for the long term.

I have contributed to the Lubuto Library efforts for more than 16 years because it helps young people in Zambia with reading and learning about their culture and the world. It is well managed and creative. It works with the government and local population to be responsive to their needs. I think they make a difference in our world.

I have been a supporter of this unique library project for the past fifteen years. They provide a broad range of services to the communities they serve in Zambia, including literacy programs, story times, art, and drama programs. In the United States, many of us take public libraries for granted. However, in many African countries, public libraries and the services they provide are non-existent. Lubuto provides many vital programs to help families thrive.

I feel confident that every dollar I have contributed to Lubuto makes a huge difference in the lives of children and the future of their communities. It's on the top of my list for annual contributions!

I’ve donated to Lubuto for 15 years. I trust them implicitly. I earnestly believe every penny is used to the utmost for enriching the lives of the children they serve. It is an honor to able to assist them in their work.

Lubuto Library partners is an amazing non-profit which is making an immeasurable impact on the lives of young people in Zambia. In our troubled world of today, Lubuto is a beacon of light and hope and deserves our support. I have been very impressed by the dedication and commitment of the individuals who work tirelessly to provide real support and hope to those who need it most.

I first heard about Lubuto when I was at UMD for grad school. I couldn't afford to be a donor then, but have been a very proud donor for a few years now and I love getting the monthly updates. Easy access to education is so important and I'm really grateful that there's an organization like this I can support.

I am so impressed with Lubuto! They are providing opportunities and education to kids who otherwise do not have that support. The most impressive thing, from a librarian's perspective, is that they have high standards for the books they provide, making for quality collections. In addition, they make a point of supporting local/indigenous authors and publishers. They are really opening doors!

I have known about and donated to Lubuto Library Partners for about 13 years. I want to see its efforts continue to succeed and expand when possible. The access to books, classes and performances, and support are so important to the development of the vulnerable children. I hope to someday be able to visit the libraries and see the programming that is engaging the children with the support of their community, which extends miles beyond where they live.

I applaud the work of Lubuto Library Parnters in bringing life, light, and libraries to Zambia's most vulnerable youth.

Lubuto continues to serve a vital, transformational role for young people. I have been familiar with Lubuto for many years, having provided volunteer support since 2015, and I have made several donations over the past few years. Lubuto has faced severe challenges in recent times, including a fire that destroyed one of their main libraries, and--of course--the many challenges that the COVID pandemic created for reaching young people. They have shown incredible resilience, resourcefulness, and dedication to their mission despite those difficulties, and it has made a real difference in the lives of so many Zambians. As a communications professional, I am routinely impressed by Lubuto's top-notch storytelling. In particular, the "Voices of Lubuto" series does an excellent job at really connecting donors to the real people impacted by their work.

This is an impressive organization that uses innovative and creative ways to educate and provide other services to at-risk children and youth in Zambia, who may be unable to receive these services if Lubuto did not exist. It's important that these services continue to be provided through the library system established by Lubuto Library Partners. Information about the services provided is available at the excellent website maintained by the organization. I am a huge fan of the Lubuto mission and hope that the organization continues to receive support.

I have been following the important work that Lubuto Library Partners provides for many years now. The individual and community impact that Lubuto has is critical to so many and truly is life changing to the children involved. It is amazing to see how access to education and resources can change how a child feels about themselves and how that in turn helps their community. As a donor I am impressed by the hard work of the dedicated staff and volunteers and look forward to continuing to monitor their progress.

I first learned about Lubuto many years ago when I attended the Special Libraries Association's annual conference. I watched a film they had created and I also heard Jane Kinney Meyers speak there. As a librarian, this organization and it's mission just spoke to me. What better way to improve the lives of so many children in need than through libraries?
After that conference I connected with Jane and learned much more about Lubuto, the mission and Jane's unbridled passion. For several years while I was working, we celebrated National Library Week by collecting donations for Lubuto. Jane eventually asked me to be on the board, where I happily served for several years.
Although I have not been to any of the Lubuto libraries, I am hoping that some day I can go to Africa and see them for myself. Lubuto has changed so many lives, and I am still in awe of what they have done and continue to do. It is not easy to have such an incredible vision and to make it come to life, but that is exactly what Jane Kinney Meyers has done. I will always be a proud supporter of Lubuto Library Partners .

I became involved with Lubuto Library Partners over ten years ago. I had organized book fairs and reading activities at all levels for many years. Lubuto and its objectives were my own.

I have been lucky to visit several Lubuto libraries in Zambia. I witnessed first hand the beautiful buildings, the impressive book collections and the selfless enthusiasm of the amazing staff. But most of all, it was the many, many children, Lubuto’s patrons, who moved me the most. They love their libraries!

Lubuto offers so much to these kids, not the least of which is a safe place to learn.

I’m very proud to be a supporter and donor.

As a donor and volunteer I have nothing but praise for this marvelous organization. Its vision and practical approach to serving a needs of children are outstanding. The libraries are beautiful, a great mix of modern and traditional design. The staff in the USA as well as on the ground in Zambia are dedicated and diligent. I have supported this organization for 10 years and look forward to continuing for many more.

Lubuto works compassionately and intelligently with local governmental and policy interests in Zambia. But beyond that, the services Lubuto provides local young people build from a model in which youth (and not adult agendas and interests) drive library operations. This is a vision of youth library services rarely executed in the US. In the courses I teach on youth librarianship I use Lubuto as a progressive exemplar.

As an avid reader, I feel that reading can make a huge impact in one's life. In addition to providing libraires in Zambia, Lubuto also serves girls through:

A makerspace where community members can learn skills like sewing, pottery, carving, technology, and coding—equipping married and unmarried girls with skills that will increase their economic independence

Role-model mentoring for adolescent girls and young women that focuses on overcoming discriminatory gender norms, equipping girls with HIV and sexual and reproductive health information and access to services, and fostering girls' resilience and determination to succeed

The Lubuto Libraries continue to provide a unique response to the needs of many Zambian children. It is true that libraries around the world have long since ceased to be just repositories of books to be lent, read, and returned. But the Luboto Libraries have moved far beyond that model to where they consider and reach the well-being, growth, and development of Zambian children. They are truly Libraries Plus.

I came back home after university abroad and joined Lubuto in 2015 as a volunteer and a full time employee in 2016. I love any organisation that serves children and youth and Lubuto has that at it's centre. It allows young people to express themselves as they are and at the same time, empowers them with fun, educational programs. Libraries. I had no idea how a library can serve so many needs in one setting. Yes, it serves information and literacy needs but it's a place for children to be free, to open up, to find their talent, to laugh and to smile. Giving children a space and opportunity to learn can affect their future. The children I served at Lubuto have grown up but we still keep in touch. I learnt that children are also people, they also have feelings and want to express themselves. I learnt a whole lot being at Lubuto. The best decision I made was to volunteer at Lubuto.

I am proud to be a donor to Lubuto Library Partners (LLP) because of its successful track record serving the children and youth of Zambia. While it was created to serve AIDS orphans (1 in five Zambian children is an orphan), it has developed diverse services that reach throughout the communities and across generations. The creative, resilient and committed LLP leadership and staff have expanded and modified services to address special needs during the COVID pandemic. Add to that finding ways to build back better after the April fire that destroyed the Model Library Reading Room and I think this is an organization deserving support.

Donors are important because we cover what grants do not. We can provide unrestricted funds to keep that talented staff member or new program going if there is a gap in grant funding. As a librarian who worked in an international aid organization for over 30 years, I know this funding challenge. Continued donations will allow LLP to build on its past and on-going success.

As a librarian and development professional it has been my pleasure to be a proud donor to Lubuto for 10 years or more. I first learned about Lubuto before it even existed when Jane Kinney Meyer's told me of her dreams and plans for it. Since then it has been such a joy to watch as the libraries have been built and the activities they were engaged in grew and diversified. I was particularly excited about the DREAMS project and the continuing work with girls to keep them in school, out of child marriages, and AIDS-free. I also admire the Zambian language literacy, drama, and music programs. Seeing how each child is heard and appreciated is something that you don't find in all development organizations and NGOs. The Lubuto libraries do so much for vulnerable children and their communities that it is hard to focus on just one thing. I am proud to support such passionate, innovative staff and volunteers and hope to do so for many years.

It was an honour to have been part of the team developing such lessons! My heart melts with deep joy to see they have reached 7000 lives in learning how to read! What a joy!
My contribution in making such lessons was integrating art images, recorded sounds, and curriculum information into one package using the designated software, into lessons useful in learning how to read. It was a grand privilege that will live with me always, to see the far reaching work that this organization is doing! Thanks Lubuto Library Partners for that privilege to have helped in that project!

I became a volunteer with Lubuto Library Partners in 2015 at the Model library in the Garden neighborhood. I was instantly drawn by Lubuto's positive and life-changing impact on the children in the community. I loved the safe and positive space provided for children to read, do homework, play games, socialize, and participate in Lubuto's many programs (Art, Drama, Mentoring, Reading programs, etc). I also enjoyed working with the staff, including the president and founder Jane Meyers. Their commitment and dedication to serving the children and providing much needed resources are inspiring. I'll always be a huge fan of Lubuto and proud to be a volunteer and donor!!!

I joined Lubuto Library Partners in 2016 as an Outreach Coordinator under the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, Safe) project. I was twenty-one, straight out of University, with little or no experience working with adolescents and tasked with leading the all-girl mentoring program.
The DREAMS project allowed me to mentor over 1000 adolescent girls and young women who visited the library and interact with vulnerable girls living on the street. This rare privilege enabled me to see things from the perspectives of the vulnerable girls we serve. An experience that continues to live with me and has turned me into a well-informed advocate even in my role as an official DREAMS Ambassador for adolescent girls and women in Zambia.
The libraries serve as a safe haven for most girls. When young girls come to the library, they are introduced to a world of possibilities through books. Besides reading, the mentoring programs and ICT lessons run at the library help girls expand their worldview.
Looking back now, I believe I performed at my optimum in my role because of the camaraderie among staff members and their passion for serving vulnerable children and girls. To me, Lubuto Library Partners will always feel like home.

Lubuto: An example of excellent development practice

Libraries enrich and change lives. They also provide resources and impetus for national development. What could be a more laudable undertaking than helping establish libraries in developing countries? Many library development projects are launched by well-meaning donors and volunteers in wealthy countries. But many fail. As a researcher in international and comparative library and information studies, I have studied library development in many countries. As a teacher in library schools, in teaching it, I have frequently cited Lubuto Library Partnerships as an example of excellent practice.

Here are some “precepts” that I have inferred from what I have seen failing and working. Each precept is a manifestation of respect:

[√] Respect the potential of the recipient patrons: they deserve quality, not hand-me-down book donations. Maintain rigorous selection criteria.
[√] Respect the recipient community. Embed the library in the community. Make sure you get buy-in from community leaders and officials. Employ local staff and develop their capacity to take over leadership roles.
[√] Respect the authorities and institutions of the recipient country, especially the national library, library schools and institutions, and the education system: build collaborative, mutually supportive relationships.
[√] Respect the national developmental context: a successful library is not a stand-alone agency. It functions within a developmental socio-economic context and contributes to addressing larger problems affecting the society.
[√] Respect the country’s book chain and seek synergy with it: Authorship/Creation, Publication, Production (printing), Distribution (bookselling, etc.), and Reading, bearing in mind that flooding the local market with cheap or free books can damage the local book industries. Conversely, contribute to growth by promoting authorship and readership.
[√] Respect local languages and cultures: support language development by encouraging writing, book production and reading in local languages. Allow the library to evolve along local lines. If it takes root and grows, it will end up looking different from what you initially had in mind.

No doubt one may formulate more precepts, but I think respect is a good starting point.

I’ve drawn six boxes. Lubuto ticks each one of them.

I first learned of Lubuto libraries in 2009 when, as a library grad student, I helped a chapter of the Special Libraries Association collect books for this extraordinary organization. I've recently had the privilege of volunteering again to help LLP produce a virtual event to communicate updates about the recent model library fire. The spirit of each person involved is unflinchingly resilient in the face of what could be considered to be a severe blow to the organization. Instead, Jane Kinney Meyers and her incredible supporters here and staff in country have accomplished a transformation of hope in the face of the children's despair. The library continues to be a real lifeblood to the community and it serves, as do so many libraries, needs and causes that far exceed literacy alone. As a professional who has worked in the international development field, I am encouraged and astounded to see so many similar initiatives to establish health, well-being and personal development readily provided by this unique and caring staff. I look forward to continuing to support Lubuto Library Partners.

Lubuto Library Parters is a great nonprofit. They have dedicated volunteers and board members who commit themselves to their mission. Having access to a public library and a multitude of books is so vital for a child's educational growth and development. Lubuto is giving these children access to such a valuable tool and I cannot emphasize how important this nonprofit is!

Lubuto Libraries fosters a culture of family literacy and community by providing free instruction, access to materials, and mentoring for these at-risk children and youth. The Lubuto Libraries partner with existing regional services to increase not only the health and well-being of the community but also the odds of escaping the intergenerational cycle of poverty. As a donor, I am privileged to give the gift of reading, my childhood passion, and the joy of going to the library, selecting the next adventure, and getting lost in the pages of a book.

This non-profit changes lives. Whether it is through improved literacy, providing a safe place to learn, or through their dynamic music and drama programs - Lubuto has touched the hearts and minds of thousands of well-deserving children. The team is infectiously passionate about Lubuto's vision and that shows in their spirit for the kids.

In the summer of 2019, I served as an intern at Lubuto Library Partners' model library in Lusaka. My primary responsibility was working with the Family Literacy program coordinator to create an Early Childhood Education/Early Literacy curriculum that focused on movement, music and STEM activities for the library's youngest patrons. I was fortunate enough to work closely with the staff to plan activities, present programming to the children and document our work in a curriculum that will become available to Lubuto's other libraries. The most significant piece of my daily internship responsibilities was building relationships with the staff and library patrons, therefore learning the value of the library for this community.

This experience was a fantastic introduction to the field of international librarianship. I was able to see the daily operations as well as the extensive administrative and international development knowledge it takes to run a community library in an African country through an American non-governmental organization. Professionally, I was given space to grow my knowledge around early literacy and early childhood education and put it into practice with young patrons. I was also challenged to present programming in English, the official but non-native language of Zambia, and either work with a translator/co-presenter or use other teaching techniques to present the information clearly.

One of the most rewarding parts was working directly with a Lubuto model library staff member, Brendah, and learning from her. We both brought activity ideas to the table, tried them together with kids and made decisions on what to include in the curriculum. Watching Brendah get as excited about the "magic milk" experiment as me, helped to form a connection right from the start. It was great to see her utilizing her Early Childhood Education coursework. We both learned a great deal from one another.

Another rewarding part was a daily occurrence - instances of observing children truly benefitting from the presence of this library. Whether it be during a STEM program, storytime or just reading/playing in the space, there were constantly children and youth engaged in language/reading development and learning. I received questions from teens about post-secondary steps. I observed children working together to solve a computer game puzzle. The library was even available to provide physical engagement and development in the form of soccer games and dance classes to support the kids' interests. Everywhere you turned someone was enjoying their time in the library.

Lubuto library partners has helped contribute positively to the community in Zambia with the low rates of reading culture among young people, the libraries help by reaching out to the community by providing free library and literacy programs to both young and adults. I hope to see more libraries been built in different communities so that young people can develop a reading culture. This may in turn help reduce on the high prevailing rates of drug abuse and illiteracy levels among young people in Zambian communities.

This organization focuses on utilizing public libraries to not only encourage literacy, but also connect under-served and vulnerable youth with services and community. Lubuto Library Partners has a strong connection to the communities it works in and engages local individuals to ensure that the libraries are sustainable and truly meet the community's needs.

I've known about Lubuto for almost two years now and in the time that I've been aware of them and following their work, I've been continually impressed. Their mission to bring enlightenment to vulnerable children in Africa is admirable, and the work that they do at the libraries fulfills that mission. More than being just books in a room, the opportunities Lubuto provides for vulnerable populations make a huge difference in the lives of those kids, and they are continuously striving to do even better. I'm very careful about which nonprofit organizations I support, and I wholeheartedly believe that Lubuto is doing incredible work.

Lubuto Library Partners is an incredible organization that supports, celebrates and empowers young people in Africa in countless ways. The libraries provide children with a home where all are welcome and offer a variety of transformative programs, such as mentoring, literacy and coding. From fighting HIV/AIDS to working to end child marriage to most recently providing vital resources and opportunities for enrichment during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lubuto has been there for the past 15 years to help tackle the most pressing issues. So many children who would have otherwise slipped through the cracks in society have been lifted up by Lubuto's caring staff and volunteers, who are extremely engaging and passionate about what they do, and who serve as truly inspiring role models. As a former employee I was lucky enough to have the chance to go to Zambia and visit three Lubuto Libraries. They were all buzzing with energy, and the children were so proud of their libraries and eager to make full use of all of the opportunities offered. Thanks to Lubuto so many young people now see their dreams as attainable.

Lubuto Library Partners is a deeply impactful organization. Its genius is not just serving as a building containing books -- many buildings have books -- but that it is a convening force, a safe space for kids in and out of school, and one that offers services in health, and education, and vocational training, and and and and and. I'm deeply proud of the work they do, and grateful to play a small role in supporting their efforts. 5/5 recommend.

I am a librarian with knowledge of the challenges faced by countries just developing public library services and I have been a supporter of Lubuto Library Partners for a long time. The organization focuses on the most vulnerable children in Zambia and offers them so much. I have been impressed with the range of services, beyond reading and books, including mentoring, art and drama, and a variety of other skills training. Lubuto is an organization with an amazing reach. I joined the Board to help Lubuto continue its amazing work.

I have known Lubuto Library Partners for over a period of five years now and have been privileged to conduct an evaluation report on their behalf in the year 2017. Last year, 2018, my students, who were studying for Bachelor of Arts and Library and Information Science at the University of Zambia, conducted a survey of Lubuto Model Library titled An evaluation of children and youths usage of the Lubuto Model Library services. This was their fourth year project.

Lubuto libraries offer unique facilities, resources and services to our underprivileged children and youth. These libraries have proven to be safe havens where our children and youth are provided with opportunities to rediscover themselves, develop high self-esteem, get reconnected to their families, communities and education systems. The facilities, information resources, and services provided by Lubuto libraries are oases that satisfy the various needs of the children and youth, thus enabling them grow in all spheres of life including the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains. The youth are empowered with survival skills which are critical in the face of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, high levels of unemployment, and increasing hostile environment.

Whenever I have an opportunity to visit a Lubuto library I marvel at the high degree of enthusiasm, passion, engagement, and enjoyment displayed by the children and youth; there is no room for idleness; there is no dull moment. How I wish every village and community in every corner of this country had a Lubuto library! Lubuto libraries are a national heritage and as such need to be cherished and supported.

I salute and highly commend the Lubuto staff for their unparalleled level of commitment and professionalism.

Lubuto changes children's lives.

I've seen first-hand the incredible impact that Lubuto makes on the lives of street kids. I poignantly remember a boy of about 10 living in an abandoned car with several other boys who were about 13. I met these boys during one of Lubuto's outreach walkabouts. We read to them and told them about the Lubuto library where they could participate in programs and find access to the help they needed to get off the streets. The older boys asked us to take the "little guy" to the library to help him. We did and we found him the help that he needed. A life changed.

There need to be many more Lubuto libraries. The thousands of children who flock to the existing libraries provide daily evidence of their ability to lift children out of the grit of their daily lives into the world of larger ideas, creativity, and empowerment -- keeping teenage girls in school and HIV/AIDS-free, coding camps, helping to prevent child marriages, supporting literacy acquisition, storytelling for the hearing-impaired and deaf, mentoring, outreach to marginalized children, art and drama programs...The wonderful postings on Voices of Lubuto (www.lubuto.org/voices-of-lubuto) show the extraordinary range of knowledge and support that this organization brings to the children the libraries serve. Every child in southern Africa should be able to call a Lubuto library their own.

I have known about Lubuto and supported its efforts for more than ten years and have serve on the Board for many of those years. The thing that sets Lubuto apart from many other organizations is the steadfast vision provided by Jane Meyers and translated into the myriad of Board members, volunteers, professional staff and those in advisory roles who work to support and extend that vision into practical, effective programs. While remaining true to the central vision of helping children, especially vulnerable at-risk children, use books, art, literacy and mentoring programs to reach their potential, Lubuto has been remarkably effective and flexible in adapting to opportunities and circumstances as they present themselves. Partnering with global, national and local programs to provide high quality libraries which model programs and behaviors that meet and exceed the highest standards found anywhere in the world.

The energy, optimism, quality and vision of Lubuto Library Partners is an exemplary model which can and should be exported widely across Africa and in other parts of the globe where the intrinsic power of libraries as a community resource can enact powerful change.

The AIDs epidemic in Africa has left so many children neglected - if their parents are alive and unable to care for them - or orphaned - if their parents have died. In addition, girls and disadvantaged youths are often ignored or held back for any number of reasons. Lubuto Libraries create a safe and caring environment for constructive learning. This is a necessity and thankfully Jane Kinney Myers and the Lubuto Library Partners are putting their hearts and souls into keeping this amazing organization alive and well for children and youth in need.

I am a development specialist working in the education sector and I have known of Lubuto since 2010. I first visited a Lubuto Library in 2011 and I was impressed with the concept and more so that they were located in the "belly" of a community whose needs they were serving. Over the years I have been impressed with the steady expansion of the organisation without losing its focus on the most need and vulnerable.

More recently, I have become a board member of Lubuto Library helping to strengthen the capacity of the team to manage the programme. This new role has given me insights into the nature of the organisation and particularly the work that volunteers do to raise funds to keep the work of Lubuto in Zambia going. This is humbling as the communities that are served would never have the opportunity to access the high quality services they receive. Lubuto is a development concept which awakens communities in slumber and gets them noticed.

For many years, I have been following Lubuto Library Partners' work remotely as an educationist and through my contacts with Jane. Now that I am working closely with them as the first chairperson for the Local Board, I have had the opportunity to look from the inside and see first hand and get deeper understanding of the amazing work they do. I find the LLP model to be unique in the sense that it is based on partnership with government and local communities for sustainability and cost effectiveness and that it targets excluded children such as those with disabilities, orphans and street children.
My first direct contact with the library was when we held the first meeting for the local board in the Ngwerere Library located at Ngwerere School right in the heart of the under resourced Garden township. I was awed by the number of children inside and around the library area, an indication that there was a force/magnet drawing the children to the area and going inside the library, there was no doubt in my mind as to why this was the case. The conducive and welcoming atmosphere reflected in the sparks in the children's eyes as they held books in their hands some of the them for the first time. In my interactions with the children, I learnt that most of the children came to the library because in addition to reading, they had an opportunity to work on a computer, listen to stories told in their local language, watch videos and to play and just be children. The libraries are therefore more than just places for reading. They are community centers providing safe spaces for programs to keep children out of mischief and a platform for keeping them in school. I am excited at the opportunity to chair the local board of this robust and credible organization which is contributing to reducing illiteracy and improving learning outcomes the reading culture of vulnerable children and youth. I congratulate the staff and the volunteers for their dedication and commitment to supporting the work of Lubuto.

Lubuto Library Project-Partners is a valuable initiative which provide access to information to the vulnerable children in Zambia who would under normal circumstances not have had a chance to gain access to information due to deteriorating library and educational services in Zambia. Lubuto provide this information by taking the information services to the door steps of such children. All Lubuto Public libraries are located in carefully selected places where they are needed most. I recently visited one of the Lubuto Libraries in Garden Compound in Lusaka and was thrilled by the conducive environment provided by the library to the young underleveraged children whom seemed to have been more at home at Lubuto Libraries than any other place. The young people were playing, reading and doing all sorts of activities which go a long way in improving their educational standards in the process keeping them away from illicit activities. It is not an exaggeration to say that Lubuto Library partners are indeed contributing to raising a responsible generation of young people in Zambia. Well done Jane for these services as Zambia looks forward to more such public libraries build.
Benson Njobvu
Past President of Library and Information Association of Zambia, Past Head of Department at the University of Zambia Department of Library and Information Science and currently Lecturer in the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Zambia.

I have been supporting Lubuto Library Partners (LLP) for many years, and have become more aware of the breadth and scope of their activities as a Board member over the past two years. LLP supports many activities to reach the underserved and vulnerable children and adolescents in its libraries in Lusaka and rural Zambia. I continue to be amazed at the creativity of the LLP President, LLP staff and LLP organizations in Zambia as they implement new activities. For example, LLP uses the library as a meeting place to expose these children to their own culture (e.g. storytelling and literacy skills in seven local languages) and to new ideas with access to computers and computer skills. LLP has extended its reach to deaf children by offering sign language training so that deaf children are not left behind. LLP Mentoring Program provides opportunity for vulnerable Zambian children and adolescents to meet successful Zambian professional to help them to expand their horizons as to their future. I believe that the investments that LLP is making in Zambia are truly making a difference.

Lubuto Library Partners is an inspirational organization! Thoughout my five years on Lubuto's Board of Directors, I have been so impressed by Lubuto's unwavering commitment to serve vulnerable children by providing opportunities for kids to continue to grow, learn, and thrive. I am consistently awed by the deep respect for the rights of all children sits at the heart of Lubuto's mission. Thanks to Lubuto's dedicated and talented staff and volunteers, the libraries consistently offer high quality programs that meet the needs of the kids we serve - through carefully-designed books collections, participation in drama and art, and building computer skills. Lubuto means "light", and Lubuto changes lives.

Having volunteered at Lubuto Library Partners the past few months, it has be an amazing experience because i have had a chance to work on various activities which include my favorite hobby which is photography, i was given the opportunity to practice my photography by taking pictures at the various activities which happen not just at the library but also at schools where Lubuto had running programs. Aside from that i was given a chance to work with adolescent girls for a book club that happens at the Model Library. Lubuto gave me chance to learn how to work with a different computer program for data entry which in turn helped me acquire a new skill. Lubuto is doing an excellent job in improving literacy levels and among boys, girls and young mothers and allowing them to express themselves and become empowered and i am happy to be part of such a big project that continues to change the lives of people in communities and a learning process for me as an individual.

I have worked as a volunteer for Lubuto Library Partners under the DREAMS Family Literacy Program since May 2017, an experience I will cherish forever. As a fresh graduate with no prior work experience, I never thought that I would be given an opportunity to work as a volunteer for such a huge project. For the past one year, I have gained experience that I would probably have never gotten from any other organisation. Lubuto Library Partners is doing an amazing job in the lives of many young mothers who had lost hope after getting pregnant while in school. However, many of them now have the motivation they need to go back to school and finish their high school and all this is thanks to Lubuto Library Partners.

During a career break in 2009 I contacted Jane to enquire about volunteering opportunities. Within a few hours we were chatting on the phone and soon after I was on my way to Lusaka! I had the privilege to work in the Fountain of Hope branch (the only Lubuto library at the time) for a few months and witness first hand the impact of the programs on children's lives. Jane was (and still is) a visionary leader, and her passion is a common thread throughout the organization. Since 2009 I have been in awe of the successful growth and expansion of Lubuto Partners. The innovative ideas abound - Lubuto Libraries are right on trend with what we do in my area! This is an amazing nonprofit that is doing everything right. I support them since 2009 and continue with no hesitation every year because the important work they do is done so well.

The actual books are only the surface of Lubuto. Behind every book is a heaping respect for the needs of the children who read them. Every book that Lubuto offers is deliberately researched and chosen to match the developmental stages of the children. And Lubuto offers more than books, providing a community that responds to the interests and needs that present themselves.

I have been following Jane Meyer’s dream for her Lubuto Libraries almost from its inception. Her overarching concern from the start was to make her dream one that would blend in with Zambian culture. This included the staffing and other personnel resources, the architecture, the books and other media, the specific needs of the communities the libraries are serving. Education in many forms has also been a driving force and her accomplishments, and those of the skillful staff implementing all the creative ideas generated are reflected in the success of the children who avail themselves of all that is offered. One of my favorite outcomes is the current librarian working in one of the libraries who once was a student there—proof positive that the Lubuto Libraries are fulfilling the original dream of Jane Meyers. I am happy to be a donor and will continue to be as long as I can.

In their new book, Our Towns, James Fallows and Deborah Fallows write that "[in]side public libraries…you see the people, programs, problems, and answers that offer a genuine look in to the heart and soul of a town." This quote resonates when I think of Lubuto’s mission and the inspiring work it has done to strengthen and empower communities in Zambia. It’s been privilege these past few years to help bring the uplifting stories and images from Lubuto to an audience around the world and illuminate the common threads that unite us all.

What I appreciate most about Lubuto Library Partners is that the founder, Jane Kinney Meyers, is a librarian. She knows how to effectively use donations not only to build physical structures, but to imbue those structures with the people, materials and processes that can transform libraries into community centers offering tools for health, education, inspiration and healing.

Lubuto Library Partners has proven to be a flexible, adaptable model that shapes its services around the needs of the community. One of the things that stood out to me the most as a volunteer was the emphasis placed on technology. Even in the rural libraries, Lubuto strives to provide computer access and valuable technology skills to the community. This technology has been used as a vector for providing online literacy lessons in native Zambian languages, breaking traditional gender norms, and expediting equity in the community. I am beyond thankful for the impact Lubuto has made on many Zambian communities and to have been a part of this impact myself.

A wonderful nonprofit that takes care to engage with the communities around their libraries, learning how to best serve each location.

Lubuto libraries are extraordinary! They are constantly learning and growing to meet the needs of the children and youth that they serve. In doing this, they help marginalized children to grasp their humanity and youth from the community to join together, gaining life skills and joy in programs ranging from drama and art to computers and chess. Lubuto's programs are also keeping teenage girls in school, supporting the development of career goals, and keeping them HIV/AIDS-free. Lubuto libraries save lives and help create a better future.

I recently started volunteering at Lubuto Library Partners. From the moment I viewed their website, I was in awe. I am amazed by their mission and their holistic view on education. Lubuto Library Partners educates children in Zambia through their accessibility to children's books, visual arts, and technology. I have found great promise for the growth and enlightenment of the children in Zambia through the work of Lubuto Library Partners. As I searched through the photographs online, I noticed the genuine smiles of the children in Zambia. Their expressions share a love for learning. I highly respect this nonprofit organization and am excited to see what they have planned for the future.

I have worked in children's libraries for a long time now and from experience I can tell you that from the book selection process to what programs Lubuto is providing to the children of Zambia that they are doing things right. The children in Zambia and helping them in long lasting ways that will change each individual child's future is absolutely their focus and they are achieving amazing results.

I have seen what Lubuto Libraries are doing in Zambia for vulnerable children most especially at Ngwerere Library. They provide free access to information resources and in addition provide literacy lessons free of charge to children and youth needing the service. One special offer is that no membership fee is paid to use the services and this is great for vulnerable users. In addition, LLP has worked closely with the Library and Information Association of Zambia to ensure that we build capacity of public librarians in Zambia on how to provide quality library services to children.

Lubuto is great! The work they do with children is amazing. They provide a space for children to gather, create, and learn and they provide the mentorship necessary to help the students thrive.

From scholarships to classes to books, Lubuto Libraries does it all. And a special shout out to volunteer Ed, who is one of the greatest resources that Lubuto Library Partners has. The children love him, he mobilizes volunteers, raises money, and teaches the students everything from music to life skills to just being a good person. To put it simply, Ed is great, as is Lubuto Libraries.

A few months ago, I decided to volunteer at Lubuto, not knowing much about the organization except that they worked with children. But with the help of the open, understanding librarian, it did not take long before I felt a part of the team, and felt equiped to contribute. You learn quickly that it is more than just a library as there are a lot of social issues that the employees have to deal with. The persistence and resilience in the children is so inspiring. By the time I was leaving, I recognized the important role that this organization plays. The library is a place for the kids to learn, to be creative through art and drama, to learn good attitudes to life, it is a safe place, it allows children from different backgrounds to interact(kids from the community with homeless children), the children get to expand their imagination of what they are capable of and what is available for them in the encouragement from staff and the ideas from the books they read. The awesome librarian helped the children with homework, helped them prepare for tests, advised them when they were naughty, tried by all means to convince the ones that wanted to drop out of school to stay!.... I am eternally grateful for the eye opening experience

I have come to know Lubuto Library as a nonprofit organisation that offers massive opportunities to the underprivileged children and out of school youths as well as all disadvantaged young people have access to knowledge and information by establishing Library services. they provide extensively broad, lifelong benefits through out Africa.

I continue to be impressed by this organization and the impact they are making. The staff of Lubuto is devoted to the mission and they never forget the individuals and communities they are serving. Lubuto Libraries are truly unique places and become destinations wherever they are built. I love the section on the website called Voices of Lubuto because it gives me a chance to see and hear directly from the patrons themselves and confirms that the work of this organization is making a huge difference. The dedication and vision of the leadership is a constant source of inspiration.

Lubuto is doing libraries are supposed to do: not just serve. Solve! This organization and its leadership are committed to solving tough issues facing Zambia's marginalized children ever-vigilant to respect and uplift the local culture. It is truly a great nonprofit!

I serve as a volunteer for Lubuto Library Partners. I enjoy the community of volunteers and Board Members, and recall even receiving the insight of the actual architect of the libraries in Zambia once at our gathering. It is a joy to label and catalog the books in an ever improving database system and to place the books into delightful categories. The organization continually strives to utilize top professional lists of library books so as to have the best of the best for the children and young mothers in Zambia. In addition, the many activities at the libraries in Zambia engage the youth in unique ways to build community.

In May 2016, I visited a Lubuto Library in Lusaka, Zambia. I was pleased to witness the important role these libraries play in poor communities, particularly among vulnerable children. They provide a supportive environment for learning and recreation. They also give hope to communities that may not have access to good libraries.
Lubuto libraries play an important role in the dissemination of HIV/AIDS literature, and providing community based support to affected groups. The needs are huge and the number of vulnerable children continues to grow. A better resourced Lubuto Library will certainly provide better support to vulnerable children.

That is a wonderful job!!!
It was a great privilege to have had the opportunity to help this nonprofit cataloging books for collections needing updating in Zambia.
May God continue to bless this great work of Lubuto Library Partners!

I recently began volunteering for the Lubuto Library Partners in DC helping to process materials. It is a privilege to be able to help prepare all of this wonderful children's literature for the Lubuto libraries. The Sunday afternoon volunteer group is a pleasure to work with and I am awed by everyone's dedication and knowledge.

Shy smiles and big grins: It's a pleasure to see pictures of the children who, though they might have experienced a lot of bad luck in the past, now enjoy some very good luck: they have access to one of the libraries and community centers that Lubuto has built and furnished. For many of these young patrons, this is a life-changing experience. Books! Computers! Art! And in beautiful traditional buildings designed just for them. Lubuto exemplifies a small non-profit that is a great non-profit, able to do amazing things.

I've been a volunteer with Lubuto for about three years to gain cataloging experience and fill time during a job search period. Although work and other life demands often keep me from doing as much as I'd like, I continue to come back to Lubuto because of the wonderful service it provides to the children of Zambia. Reading the stories of the children Lubuto Libraries help shows the importance of libraries as places of learning, community, and opportunity. Lubuto truly embodies what libraries are for, and I'm privileged to be able to help in the small ways I can.

I have been volunteering with Lubuto for the better part of this year, working on the Zambian Heritage Library project, in particular. One of the things that struck me the most when I first began volunteering was the commitment to ensuring that the youths at the libraries had access to local language materials that were culturally relevant. An assurance of content is not something you see with most library projects. Furthermore, a commitment to the preservation and access of endangered cultural heritage materials is truly going above their call of duty - but it is much needed and appreciated.

I started volunteering with Lubuto a year ago because it sounded interesting, and I thought it would be a good way to gain some cataloging experience (to supplement what I'd learned in classes). I kept volunteering because I was immediately struck by the genuine nature of the organization. Their goals are important, their methods are well-thought-out, and their warm welcome of new volunteers is impressive. I'm proud to help out with Lubuto and look forward to continuing to do so for the foreseeable future.

I had the good fortune to volunteer for Lubuto Library Partners (LLP) briefly in 2015, as part of a fieldwork assignment for library school. LLP is a labor of love, but founder Jane Meyers brings to the work many years of experience in libraries and in Africa.

As a result, LLP's libraries are engaging, meaningful, and relevant to Zambians. The facilities are welcoming spaces based on traditional Zambian architecture, and are stocked with new volumes already cataloged according to the customized Lubuto Classification System. LLP carefully recruits and trains local staff, who provide programs based both on local tradition and modern educational theory.

LLP would not exist, let alone thrive, without Jane. Even as a student volunteer working a handful of hours, I felt like a valued member of the LLP team. This is a testament not to my awesome talents, but to her powerful leadership skills. She understands that one person can accomplish far more by connecting many people with common interests. I feel honored to have worked with Jane and I hope I can continue to help LLP in the future.

I first learned of the Lubuto Library Project through a colleague who, like me, worked on Sub-Saharan Africa and was rather familiar with the lack of access to reading materials and education. After supporting Lubuto with donations for a number of years, I agreed to join the Board. This is a great opportunity to work directly with others committed to make a huge difference in the lives of children at the community level in Africa. I have come to meet a small army of enthusiastic volunteers, some of whom are spending considerable time in the field to advance the project, develop new programs adapted to the interests and needs of the kids and make the Lubuto libraries true community centers that nourish tradition such as story telling, as well as open eyes to different worlds for so many kids, giving them the tools and opportunities to make a difference down the road.

This is an organization that is truly making a difference to an underserved population - the youth in Zambia, some of whom have been orphaned by the AIDs epidemic. By providing libraries in various locations throughout the country, Lubuto Library Partners has created a safe place for children to come and learn, to participate in arts activities and to engage in their community. The libraries themselves are designed with these purposes in mind and fit beautifully in their surroundings.

I’ve had my eye on Lubuto since a colleague pointed them out to me 7 years ago. I was just beginning my career in libraries following my Peace Corps experience in West Africa and I knew I wanted to be involved. Working in a developing country, I’ve lived through the daily problems and failed solutions these communities face. I’m incredibly impressed with the way Lubuto has taken all these factors into consideration in their sustainable approach to helping vulnerable youth through library services. Education and access to information is crucial for social, economic, and personal development, and especially for children at such a young age who have no other resources to turn to for help. Lubuto’s high quality and relevant materials, locally focused youth programs, and indigenous buildings help to breathe new life into these young people who are in dire need of support.

I interned for Lubuto last summer and it was one of the best learning experiences. The founder and program associate, as well as all other members of the Lubuto family, care so deeply for the youth and communities they are serving. I was amazed by the thought and detail that went into each decision, and their ability to put themselves in each child's shoes in order to see what they would want. Lubuto also works hard to stay on top of technology and new opportunities for growth. I really cannot imagine a non profit that cares more deeply for its cause and executes its plans with intention and kindness.

As a professional librarian I can wholeheartedly recommend Lubuto Library Partners and the work they do. One thing that is unique about this organization is the carefully selected collections that they make available to vulnerable children. African children, and let me say ALL children, deserve a library of books that are relevant to their lives. They need a safe and caring environment where they can read for pleasure or have their information needs met. Lubuto does all of that!

Lubuto Library Partners demonstrates powerfully the ability of books to transform lives, one child at a time. The libraries serve out of school children in Zambia living in great need and insecurity. Each of the three (soon to be four) libraries provide a place for these kids to experience new possibilities - whether through reading the books in the collection, looking up information on the computers, participating in (or just watching) a drama group, or simply hanging out with their friends in a building that is designed to bring people together. I support Lubuto because it aims not just to lift individual children beyond the limits of their circumstances, which are often unimaginably difficult, but because it aims to strengthen and anchor entire communities. Whether you donate a single book or enough to build a whole new library, by supporting Lubuto Library Partners you will take a concrete step to enlarge the world of a child and a community in a way that is meaningful and enduring.

I'm so proud to be a Board member of the Lubuto Library Project. A lot of organizations work in Africa, but Lubuto is different. Lubuto is all about giving children the keys to their own future. In Zambia, elementary education isn't universal and charges fees after a certain age, so thousands of children who could otherwise continue to learn and thrive just can't go to school. Lubuto provides them a warm, welcoming place to continue to learn, grow, and be safe. The libraries themselves look like indigenous buildings; the staff are locals, some of them formerly homeless youth themselves; and the programs are full of bright, eager, beautiful children who don't have anywhere else to get these kind of opportunities. Through books, literacy, art and drama, the Lubuto libraries are building up the youth of Zambia (and hopefully other nations soon) to provide a better future for their community and nation.

Lubuto Library was one of our first round grantees as part of the All Children Reading Grand Challenge for Development competition. While observing their success mostly from afar, I was delighted to have a chance to visit their site in Lusaka as part of a recent family work vacation in Zambia. I met enormously dedicated staff working on the project, but was simply awe-struck by the carefully and creatively laid out open space "library" site and enthusiasm of their multitude of visiting patrons from all ages. As our "grant" to Lubuto Library funded technology-based interventions to accelerate early grade reading, I was really exited to visit their co-located computer building/room /lab with a number of youth using several laptops running educational software produced and adapted by their program. What really brought it home to me about opportunities of access to knowledge which Lubuto Library is supporting in its centers throughout Zambia was seeing a young boy (aged 6-7?) standing outside of this lab waiting for his turn to use the technology and who was wearing a tattered Stanford U sweatshirt. You never know what will turn the key to open doorways for that or other young person's future life pathways. Keep up the great job! Tony Bloome, Senior Education Technology Advisor, USAID

I spent one month in Zambia working for Lubuto and it was a real eye opener for me. The illiteracy, poverty and the boys living at the shelter really got to me. No one should have to live like that. What a life struggle for the children and the people living in the areas where the libraries are located. Everyday, I would go to these libraries and I would think about what Jane Meyers has done by establishing these libraries and how she's changing their lives.

I visited Lubuto Library in Lusaka, Zambia. It is truly a community library, a little bit of everything for everyone. If you're an out-of-school youth, you can use the computers to practice literacy skills. If you're an aspiring artist, there are mentors there to help. If you want to bring a child to oral story time, this is the place. IF you want to look at some original texts of Zambian literature the Lubuto Library project has preserved it in a form you can use easily. If you want a children's book in local languages of Zambia there are many books to choose from. If you want help from a qualified librarian, you're in the right place. IF you want non-fiction from President Obama to dinosaurs, you can easily find one. I've been to libraries all over the world. This is one of my favorites. Christie Vilsack,

Lubuto Library Project serves an essential need for youth in Africa with very positive results. This is a social service that benefits all - youth and families.

I've been involved with Lubuto for several years now and it's been such a pleasure to watch it grow and to see all the wonderful work that they do. Lubuto Library Project is an exemplary organization with a fully comprehensive model that involves the communities they're in and builds beautiful library spaces and collections with library users in mind. The programs and services offered by Lubuto make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable children.

Lubuto Libraries is a shining example of what being human means - "the God in me greets the God in you." Jane Meyers saw a need and was uniquely qualified to fill that need. Accident? I think not. Her passion and energy has never flagged and have become contagious, as do all good works.

I have donated to Lubuto for five years after meeting the executive director, Jane Kinney Meyers. I enjoy receiving their very information e-newsletters. Since I began donating they have made great strides in building new libraries and providing literacy services for the youth of Zambia. For a small non-profit like Lubuto, I feel my relatively small donation is making a huge impact on Lubuto's mission to give hope to African youth by providing them access to books and increased literacy. Lubuto has succeeded in working with local government agencies and pairing with local resources to leverage their impact.

Here is a small nonprofit making a huge difference in Africa!

Lubuto Library offers a unique approach to development. By embracing a strategy that includes a " full range of preservation, reading promotion, educational and social service activities" ; helps to reach out to children in need. I worked in Zambia for a children's project for over 7 years; including 2 years in rural farm blocks where reading books were scarce. Lubuoto Library Project reminds me of how valuable a simple book can be between learning something or nothing. I've witnessed children smile and paint images of what they have read/learned from books, one particular image will for ever remain with me ...is from a young orphaned boy at Twashuka Center in Zambia who drew of an imaginary father reading to him a book while he (the boy) lay in bed before falling a sleep. A symbol of how not only books can bring learning opportunities; but can unite family households. Congratulations for the great work in Zambia!

I volunteered for Lubuto Libraries while living in Lusaka, Zambia from August - December 2012. I wish I could have stayed in Zambia longer, as I definitely would have continued to volunteer with Lubuto and become more involved. As it was since I was there temporarily, I mainly helped with cleaning and on-going shelving at the Ngwerere Library -- though I also visited the Fountain of Hope library as well.. It was wonderful and heartening to see such an enormous pile of shelving to be done each and every time I went -- because it meant the books were in constant use. Zambia is a country of extreme poverty and unbelievably high unemployment. Many children don't have the opportunity to go to school, so Lubuto is their light and their hope. Not only is the library in constant use, but Lubuto's other programs (drama, art, mentoring, laptops, etc) are literally the only opportunity many street children and orphans have. I had the privilege of working directly with Stacy, Nikki and Eleni in Zambia, and also met with the founder, Jane, while I was living in Washington DC. I am so impressed with their efforts, the fact that they are able to fundraise in the States and physically build libraries in Zambia. The Lubuto libraries are a gathering place (architecturally designed in the traditional Zambian style), a place of learning, of community -- so much more than "just" a library. They are contributing real, tangible and measurable hope and learning to a country so very much in need. I wish I could have stayed longer in Zambia!

Colette
Professional Librarian
Washington DC/Senegal

Zambia may be poor in economic resources but it's children are blessed with energy and curiousity and a willingness to learn. Lubuto's contribution in promoting literacy is not sophisticated yet plants seeds of potential in the minds of the young that can mould generations yet unborn. I know because many years ago, I was once that Zambian child, ready to take on the world armed only with a desire to grow beyond my circumstances and a library card. Thank you Lubuto for all you do!

This passionate group of librarians and child advocates is truly moving mountains. I have watched this group go from one person's dream (with no funding) to an intenational movement that serves kids, their families and their communities through one of life's most fundamental activities - reading together. I am in awe of what Jane, her colleagues and the Lubuto movement have achieved, and what they continue to aspire to.

In October 2012 I was in Zambia,to set up a school library with Seeds of Hope Children's Ministry at their children's home in Ndola . Before leaving for home in Canada, we visited the Lubuto Library at Fountain of Hope. Nikki Packer warmly welcomed us and gave us a tour. She happily answered our many questions about the library. The children were reading books in small groups around the library, other children were working on the computers. I love the concept of the story circle in the middle of the room. I have visited Zambia many times and understand the absolute lack of books and information in the country and am pleased to see the great benefit that the Lubuto Library is to needy children in Zambia.

As a volunteer for Lubuto I was impressed by the degree of dedication that all who contributed to the Project gave to making it successful. I worked mainly on acquiring, selecting and classifying books, and was proud that these were of the highest quality.The Lubuto Library Project shows a deep respect and compassion for the children and youth who come to the libraries. I believe that Lubuto is a strong presence for good in the world; its unique focus and devotion to those who use the beautiful libraries brings light to a world in desperate need of it.

I was lucky enough to be able to spend time at one of Lubuto's libraries in Lusaka when I visited Zambia last September. I had no previous experience of visiting anywhere like Lubuto, but if I'm honest, spending time at the library was one of the highlights of my trip! It was wonderful to see how much the children visiting the library enjoyed spending time there and their enthusiasm for the different activities on offer (drama groups, use of the laptops, reading together, board games to name but a few) was infectious. The Lubuto Library Project provides a great resource; it was humbling to see how much the children got out of their visits, and their acceptance of me as a visit was very touching. The staff on site were brilliant: welcoming and warm, engaging enthusiastically with the children; organising/ participating in games, dancing competitions, art and craft activities and more! In addition, the staff all took time with individual children, encouraging and teaching them to read, helping with homework or just listening if the child just wanted to talk.
As I say, I really enjoyed my visit to Lubuto in Lusaka, and hope to return!

I first met Jane Meyers, president and founder of the Lubuto Library Project at a Special Libraries Association International reception held at the Zambian Embassy in 2009 in Washington, D.C. As a Zambian librarian working in the DC area, my interest was piqued after hearing Ms. Meyers speak with so much verve about her organization. I quickly became a donor but it was not until May of 2012 that I began volunteering for Lubuto.

For one to truly appreciate what Lubuto Library Project is doing to provide information and literacy services to disadvantaged youths (homeless or street kids as they are called in Zambia) and communities, he or she has to be aware of the dearth of such services in Zambia. The few public libraries there are ill equipped and lack up-to-date and appropriate materials due to inadequate funding and for the most part serve as study spaces for students preparing for exams. What is remarkable about Lubuto is its focus on serving the vulnerable and disadvantaged, most of them orphaned children who lost their parents to HIV-AIDS, thus finding themselves homeless. Apart from information services, Lubuto also provides capacity building programs such as its visual arts workshops which help the youths acquire skills to earn a living through their arts and crafts.

My work with Lubuto mainly involves cataloguing children's books in the local languages of Zambia. Not only do local language books help to preserve culture, they also generate more reading interest as the kids tend relate more with the book characters. I thoroughly enjoy my work with Lubuto Library project and I hope it illuminates the lives of these unfortunate children and lives up to its name. PS: Lubuto means light.

Mwangala

I have been volunteering through VSO with the Lubuto Library Project in Lusaka for over a year now. I can honestly say that every day I am challenged, inspired and humbled by the work that Lubuto is doing with vulnerable children in Zambia. I have seen children learn to read by themselves for the first time; gain confidence through the LubutoMentoring program and start to change their behavior for the better; jump up and down with excitement because they have been given a speaking role in a LubutoDrama performance; start to enjoy reading together in local languages thanks to the LubutoLiteracy program; create their own music videos using LubutoLaptops; and create professional looking works of art in the LubutoArts program (which they have sold, thus earning the money to feed their families for a week). I work alongside young adults who are employed to help run Lubuto's programs, and who have been given fantastic career and personal development opportunities through Lubuto's training and support.

Lubuto really does reach out to the most vulnerable children in Zambian society and give them the opportunity to learn in a way that is holistic and innovative. There is no underestimating the potential value in Lubuto's services.

I came across the Lubuto Library Project as a prospective virtual intern for the San Jose State Library and Information Science Program. I noticed this organization first thing, and wanted to participate in helping them in anyway I could. I was able to speak with Jane Meyers to establish how I could potentially help them in various areas, over the course of this semester (Spring 2013).

I have come to greatly appreciate the time and efforts that the entire staff of the Lubuto Library Project has put forth, and continues to put forth in the pursuit of providing a myriad of services and programs to the children of Zambia and beyond. In working with them, I have gained considerable knowledge as to the extent of which the organization plays a crucial role in the development of libraries and information access to a location that does not have much of that type of infrastructure. Each of the staff members that I have worked with have been incredible humble yet confident in their abilities to push this fantastic organization to new heights. I am incredibly thankful that I was able to aid them in establishing a social media strategy to pursue as many digital relationships as possible on multiple platforms. Above all, I believe the Lubuto Library Project is one of the most, if not the most pertinent organizations that exist to help others. The incredible amount of hard work, time, organization, and staffing, clearly shows in how much they truly care about the children, and the development of information professionals to Zambia and beyond. I could not have asked for a better experience with the Lubuto Library Project. I look forward to helping them in any capacity I can even after my internship is over.

Even though I am just an intern, aiding them in several virtual tasks, I can feel the impact the organization has on the children and the people of Zambia. In the pictures, videos, and stories found on their various social media platforms, you can really get a grasp of what the Lubuto Library Project is all about. They are a shining example of what is right in the world today!

Jameson Rohrer.

Lubuto is all about the kids. Providing them with a safe and welcoming place where they can learn about their culture, connect with others, escape isolation, dream, imagine and have hope. Lubuto Staff and volunteers work tirelessly, on a shoe string budget, getting the most out every penny, and delivering results. Great model to scale-up. We need 1000 LUBUTO LIBRARIES In 10 years. Please also read the first comment under "public".

In between a day job at a large non-profit in DC that focuses on the U.S., and a growing family, I found time over the last three years to help Jane Meyers at the Lubuto Library Project infuse appropriate technology into her libraries in Lusaka.

First we grappled with remote tech support of the One Laptop per Child XO laptops donated to us by Nicholas Negroponte and the OLPC Contributor's Program. Then a plan was hatched to use the open source authoring tools on board the laptops to empower the children, teachers and staff involved with the libraries to create their own digital language literacy lessons. Two grants and 700 lessons later, the rich collection of multi-language content is now being extended to add more interactivity and adapted for use on mobile devices such as cellphones and tablets.

My involvement in the most recent grant afforded the incredible opportunity to go to Lusaka to train the children and staff at the second (newest) library for 2 1/2 weeks in February 2013. I have now seen FIRST HAND not only the successes that the Lubuto Project has been able to effect in the poor neighborhoods of Lusaka, but also the day-to-day challenges. At the end of my visit, I was able to confidently say that powerful, portable computing devices connected to the internet will be a new "lubuto" (light) in the lives of the children. Along with books, they see these technologies, used in good measure, as tools to unleash their imaginations and connect them to the rest of the planet.

I hope to return to my new Zambian friends soon!

Lubuto continues to thrive, fulfilling its mission to serve orphan and volunerable children in sub--Sahara Africa. We continue to expand our program offerings to this underserved population in the world with enriching education, mentoring, arts, drama and reading. Soon, Lubuto will be building it third library complex in Zambia. These libraries are FAR MORE than just a book collection. If you haven't already taken a moment to see these amazing libraries and the smiles and joy that they bring to the kids that use them (and that function more like community centers for these kids), you MUST visit www.lubuto.org.

As a Zambian who grew up in a village just on the outskirts of Lusaka, I appreciate what Lubuto is doing with the libraries. As a kid I loved reading and there were no Libraries in our village so the only time I read something was when grandma came back from the city and brought some old newspapers. I could read them before they were used for various things. That is why I was very happy to learn about what Lubuto was doing and I hope they can expand to reach as many kids. I know that in Lusaka the library situation is at crisis level. I may not have the numbers or the data, but I know that we do not have libraries for young people around. We easily have bars and taverns but not libraries. I am away for now, but I plan to be involved in Luboto projects as much as possible when I go back home. For some of the kids, having to read a book can make a whole life changing difference!

I have watched the growth of this organization since its inception, and am continuously impressed with the commitment and passion of its leadership. It offers a wonderful service, not only to the children directly but by helping families and communities raise their children in a safe and productive way.

When I was first introduced to The Lubuto Library Project I was very impressed with its scope and accomplishments. Lubuto has built sustainability into its structure by working closely with the Zambian government and Zambia Library Services. This collaboration is essential for a successful program.

The key to Lubuto's success is the vision it has for the vulnerable children of Zambia and their need for a safe haven. All of us who work with Lubuto embrace that vision. The importance of a safe place to read, to play, to study and to perform is central to the growth of each individual.

An exciting component of Lubuto is the use of virtually indestructible laptops by the children to aid with their learning to read. Reading programs have been translated into the several Zambian dialects by Zambian teachers so that the children can learn in their mother tongue.

As a retired middle school librarian/teacher I am thrilled to have discovered Lubuto Library Project and look forward to a long association with it. I encourage others to join me in volunteering.

I had heard about Lubuto's work before I traveled to Zambia, but after actually seeing the country for myself, I knew that the work the Lubuto Library Project does could be a game-changer for some of the neediest and yet overlooked in the country. I met many children in my own travels who are absolutely hungry for knowledge, and I toured schools that have all of the best intentions, but they struggle to accommodate full-to-overflowing classes of disparate age ranges with very few resources. Libraries are a perfect fix: they encourage community; they provide marginalized groups with inspiration, tools for learning, and much-needed skills; and they provide a window to the rest of the world in the diversity of their collections that many Zambian children seem to seek out. Jane Kinney Meyers and the Lubuto staff are dogged in their pursuit of such spaces for Zambian communities. In assisting with the cataloging of collections, I found people committed to a thoroughness and big-picture view that will help these libraries to become foundations for their communities. I also have been extremely impressed by Lubuto's commitment to quality resources in their libraries, as opposed to truly second-rate books and materials that send a message of lesser value to those who will use them. I think Lubuto would benefit of course from increased funding and also from a campaign for greater exposure. If more people know about this inspired project, they will be moved to support it.

I had the privilege of helping with the deployment of the One Laptop Per Child laptops for the Lubuto Library Project. I was drawn by Jane Meyers' enormous empathy, energy and passion to make a difference in a seemingly intractable situation: HIV Aids orphans abandoned to the streets of Zambia. I stayed as I saw how a simple vision – empowering children with a sense of their own worth by teaching them to read and express themselves – could grow into a sustainable, replicable program - a network of community center/libraries as a vehicle for bringing a lost generation of children into society. Jane Meyers has an extraordinary ability to connect people with a vision and instill a sense of great purpose – whether connecting volunteers to the gains made by the children helped by the Lubuto Library, the Zambian Government to a way to tackle a country-wide project, or Zambian librarians to the need to staff the growing libraries – to create systemic change.

As a masters student in Library and Information Science, I first volunteered on a Sunday preparing books for the Ngwerere Lubuto Library. The following Monday I went into the Washington DC office and next thing I know I am helping with this organization on a daily basis. This organization allowed me to learn and witness first hand how a library can be such a central part to any community. The Lubuto Library Project is an organization vested in enriching communities to build up individual members within that community.

Jane Kinney Meyers is doing amazing work on behalf of orphaned and vulnerable children in Zambia. What appears to have started as a community service effort of reading to street children while she was living and working in Zambia, it is now an impressive non-profit organization working at great speed. She has the successful combination of library science and development skills coupled with an entrepreneurial spirit.

Jane's passion was the first wave I encountered but what really had an impact on me was seeing the effect on the children in Zambia as documented by Lubuto's videos. After seeing the videos I was so impressed by the opportunity Lubuto had created for these kids. I have worked with students for years as a middle school teacher in Washington, DC and I cannot help but see the experience through their eyes. The video made me realize how powerful it has been for them. Jane and the Lubuto Library Project have created a very rich experience for the out-of-school, vulnerable children of Zambia that respects them as learners and envelops them as part of humanity.

Lubuto Libraries are connecting children, books and communities through a wide variety of activities supporting literacy and development. Since the opening of the Lubuto Library in Garden area of Lusaka children have been regular and consistent users of materials, participated in theater and art programs and taken to the one-laptop-per-child computers. I've watched the children teach themselves and each other. During their time in the library they are enjoying the learning and exchanges with each other.

As a librarian, I know the importance of books and reading in the lives of all human beings, especially children. Jane Kinney Meyers and the Lubuto Libraries provide a wonderful service to the street children of Zambia who have so little. Having visited the first Lubuto Library in Lusaka, I saw for myself how this place changes lives, builds esteem and provides hope to those who need it most. This is the most wonderful charity that I am aware of and positive in every way.

What a wonderful organization with an important mission serving the children most in need. I have never been to Zambia or even Africa but I feel connected through this organization. I participate in volunteer book cataloging on weekends. In return, I am made to feel a part of the important work of Lubuto Library Project. We hear amazing stories and see the results of our efforts in children who not only survive but thrive and succeed through Lubuto services. Lubuto expands the concept of "library" to its fullest expression in serving children in need. A Lubuto library is a sustainable library providing high quality services to children in need -- a concept and a reality worthy of greater support and expansion...

I remember when the Lubuto Project was conceived. I was volunteering in Zimbabwe in 1999 and Jane Meyers sent me an email saying that she was reading to Street Children at the Foundation of Hope in Lusaka. She quickly went from reading under the trees to setting up the first container library and then to establishing the Lubuto Project. It’s a beautifully-designed development project that actively engages all kinds of stakeholders from Zambia’s former President to student volunteers in the US. Its libraries and programs are carefully designed to reflect and respect local customs which will enable them to be sustainable.

I was fortunate to meet Jane Meyers at a library association meeting in January 2011; our introductory conversation featured 10 seconds of small talk and suddenly we were talking about books, children, and the international arena. I was so taken with her enthusiasm and passion for this organization that I began volunteering with the Lubuto Library Project the next week. As the months have passed, I've learned much more of this organization's history and mission, and am so proud to be associated with it. In my experience, a danger in international development is for a well-meaning project to attempt to install another culture in place of the one that benefits from outside assistance. Beyond the warmth, camaraderie, and dedication of the volunteers I have worked with in DC, I am most impressed with the respectful position the Lubuto Library Project takes towards its host culture - not just "Zambian" culture, but recognition of all the smaller societies that make up a country. The efforts of the full-time volunteers in Lusaka is a tremendous boost to the efficacy and forward vision of this organization. Management of the actual libraries in Zambia is a local enterprise; who better than established community members to facilitate community outreach? I hope to have a chance to experience these sites in person; even if that doesn't happen, I hope to be associated with Lubuto for years to come.

I had the most fortunate opportunity to spend 10 months with Lubuto as a full-time volunteer in Zambia. To say that my time there was a life changing experience would be an understatement. Lubuto and the children and youth it serves are unique, special and vital to the development of the country. In addition to providing a comprehensive and quality book collection, the things that make Lubuto are its programs and local partnerships. With a profound respect and appreciation for Zambian culture and experts, Lubuto strives to connect “lost” children with their roots and community. The beautiful buildings provide a safe haven for children living amidst urban sprawl as well as connecting them with adults who care. Through drama, visual arts, storytelling and computer literacy, Lubuto’s programs allow often voiceless children a vehicle for self-expression and discovery. Each library is hosted by a community organization whose staff is directly responsible for the management of the library, ensuring local ownership and involvement. It is impossible to spend time with Lubuto’s children and not fall in love. I have seen first-hand the difference this organization has made in encouraging the extraordinary youth of Zambia to improve their educational opportunities and to find their voice.

I assist with volunteer recruitment at Lubuto Library Project. Additionally, I worked with a cross-functional team to coordinate the rollout of the One Lapto per Child (OLPC) laptops to the patrons of the library in Lusaka, Zambia.

I designed and maintained a wiki for Lubuto volunteers contributing to the OLPC project and collaborated with the team to create a user friendly manual to help with the introduction and ongoing maintenance of the computers.

I thoroughly enjoy working with Jane Meyers and the other volunteers. This experience has allowed me to develop my communications, social media and usability skills in a professional environment. It has also been valuable meeting and working with other professionals in the library and information science community of practice.

The Lubuto Library Project (LLP) attracted my attention as a worthy organization the first time I learned of the culturally sensitive approach to bringing libraries to Sub-Sahara Africa. The clients are the street children (orphans) and other vulnerable children. The power of this clever approach, using indigenous style building construction and individually selected relevant books, is remarkably simple and effective.

I had to join the group the same night that I heard a presentation by the inspired LLP president, Jane Meyers. Jane is a dynamic and motivated leader thoroughly committed to LLP. I have worked with her frequently and her focus is clearly, intently and usually on LLP.

I have helped with fundraising and cataloging books and I enjoy my socially relevant work on behalf of a worthy cause. This is not work when the effort is uplifting.

Several years ago, I learned about Lubuto completely by chance - a Google search that led me to an amazing organisation that I'm so proud to be a part of. I've had the chance to see firsthand the impact that the libraries have on the children in Zambia who use them. Their enthusiasm, the passion of those working with Lubuto, and the support of the local communities and the Zambian government are evidence that Lubuto Libraries are something incredibly powerful.

What I find most inspiring about Lubuto is that children who have lived their lives in the margins suddenly find themselves at the centre - and learn that they deserve to be there. The vitality, openness and beauty of the libraries is such a stark contrast to their daily lives.

Lubuto, like the best libraries around the globe, isn't just about books. The libraries are places of learning, of empowerment – of light. In this environment, children learn – through reading, of course, but also through storytelling, through drama and arts, through motivational mentoring, through computers, and most of all through being in a place that nurtures their creativity, self-confidence and connection to the world.

I was a new librarian, interning at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, when I first heard of Lubuto Library Project. Jane presented to staff on the work of Lubuto; her dedication and innovative work, apparent during her presentation, compelled me to volunteer. It's been about a year since I started helping with the email newsletter. It is the most fulfilling volunteer job I have ever had and am so honored to work with Jane, Lubuto staff, and other volunteers.h

From the first time I heard Jane Kinney Myers speak at the national meeting of my librarian association, I could tell "Here's someone who has taken the essence of what libraries nurture - imagination, self-guided learning, a sense of community - and figured out how that can help address a crushing social problem in an innovative way." Lubuto is an inspiration for all those who share her librarian profession, as well as anyone who values the role of the social entrepreneur in addressing the big issues of our time.

The Lubuto Library Project concept is highly unique, in that it incorporates not just a print library collection, but also adds a collaboration with the One Laptop Per Child organization to provide electronic resources to the children who use the libraries. In addition, the Lubuto Libraries serve as community centers, and involve a number of unique projects such as art shows and drama performances by local artists. I am thrilled that thousands of Zambian children have been able to benefit from all of the great services provided by the Lubuto Libraries!

Several years ago I met Jane Myers at a children's book fair at the Kennedy Center. Her enthusiasm about her project to build sanctuaries for street children in Zambia in the form of libraries captivated me. She invited me to come and see what she was doing. I was so impressed, I have been volunteering on Sunday afternoons to help sort and categorize books ever since. Her vision of what can be and endless commitment to its fulfillment is inspiring. It is a great joy to be a part of this project.

I've been volunteering with the Lubuto Library Project for over 3 1/2 years now, and it's been amazing to watch this organization flourish over that time. Seeing Jane Meyers's enthusiasm for helping the children of Zambia has been inspirational. This organization is truly unique in what it does. Rather than only providing books and a room for these children, Lubuto develops comprehensive programming and standards to really help improve the lives of those it serves.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to work as a volunteer for the Lubuto Library Project. I feel honored to be a part of this wonderful nonprofit organization that is bringing smiles to so many young faces! Long live LLP!

I am a long-time fan of Jane Kinney Meyers, President of the Lubuto Library Project, and have followed her career working with underserved populations in Africa with great admiration. The Project is obviously succeeding and will be able to accomplish even more in the future. I have had the honor of representing the Lubuto Library Project at a Combined Federal Campaign kick-off event and saw how its concrete successes really resonated with attendees.

I first learned about the Lubuto Library Project when the Founder/President made a presentation in a Special Libraries class taken for my M.L.I.S. degree at Catholic University. I was so deeply impressed by the organization's mission that I immediately became a volunteer for it.

One of the highlights of my career as a school librarian in Washington, D.C., occurred this past July, when I traveled to Lusaka to complete an inventory of books at Fountain of Hope [FOH] Lubuto library. I saw self-motivated children come to the library to read their favorite stories and eagerly participate in group read alouds. One of my favorite moments in the library came on Tuesdays and Thursdays when Kenny Hau, Director of Performing Arts, would appear like the Pied Piper of Hamelin with 40 or 50 enthusiastic children following behind him to rehearse for a Pippi Longstocking play. Whether it be reading books, performing plays, painting, writing computer games or being mentored on meaningful topics, the Lubuto library programs provide children with a strong sense of community that they have come to cherish and depend on in their daily lives. My Fountain of Hope Lubuto Library experience was filled with fond memories of the people who work and live there. I returned home as a "true believer" that the Lubuto Library must be sustained for it's positive impact on the lives of the children.

I've been associated with Lubuto almost since its inception. I've been amazed at the success the organization has had over the past several years in tangibly helping the children we serve in Zambia. Our library has become not only a safe and welcoming place where children can look at and read books, but also learn about their world through access to laptops, local arts and culture and life skill lessons. Lubuto is a center for the community.

I first learned about Jane Kinney Meyers and Lubuto at a presentation I attended during a Special Libraries Association conference. The video presentation literally moved me to tears. It so brought home the message that one person can make a difference, and thanks to Jane's vision and energy, Lubuto really is making a difference in young people's lives.

Before learning about Lubuto, I did not realize what a real library (e.g., more than just a collection of random books on a shelf)could do for a community in need. Lubuto libraries not only help to increase literacy and educational opportunities but also create positive and safe communities for orphans and vulnerable children. Children are able to explore their talents through drama, art and writing, amon other things.

The Lubuto Library Project is exactly the kind of user-driven, quality library that I had been unable to find in my time in Africa. It has a mission and vision that will hopefully become the standard for building libraries for under-served populations world-wide: driven by demand rather than supply, sustainable, and community-owned.

When I was president of the library science association, I coordinated 200 man-hour bibliographic research project on behalf of Lubuto, which was used for collection development. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I've had as a librarian. I have consistently been i pressed with the quality of Lubuto's management. I have absolute confidence that any efforts done with or on Lubuto's behave are not wasted. I presented a poster presentation on Lubuto's behave at the 2008 IFLA Conference in Quebec, and librarians from around the world were completely impressed with what Lubuto does.

I am a former board member of Lubuto, who got involved because I'd seen firsthand how valuable its first library was to the street children of Lusaka. The Lubuto Library has become a library/drop-in shelter/art classroom/general place to learn and be mentored in the area, and is beloved by the kids who hang out there, to the point that some of them went on to finish their high school exams and chose to come back to Lubuto to help other kids. Other NGOs have bigger marketing budgets and higher profile supporters, but Lubuto is one of the few places I've seen that looks in-depth at what its users need and designs its offerings accordingly, rather than catering to whatever is the charity flavor of the month in North America. It's a first class operation and very deserving of support.

Luboto Library Project has a fabulous formula for enriching the lives of some of the neediest kids on the world's poorest continent. I first learned about the organization from the DC Catalog for Philanthropy, which highlights solid, effective organizations working on many causes. I was looking for an international group to support. Lubuto is ideal because its founder has deep experience in Zambia, is a librarian, cares passionately about children living in poverty, and has boundless energy and integrity. The group operates with little infrastructure, so more of my gifts go straight to the kids. The formula is pretty simple. Build a "green" library to serve orphans and other poor kids, stock it with professionally-selected materials, provide library staff, and let the kids find the magic of learning. A Lubuto Library is a safe, enriching, and even joyous place for kids with enormously difficult personal lives. The book drives are effective because from the donated materials, librarians create a coherent library collection, not just a motley assortment of cast-offs. An entire collection for the second library was recently shipped at no cost, through the enormous generosity of an international shipping company. That's another example of how Lubuto operates with low overhead! A recent initiative involves locating traditional stories that may have been lost to the culture and sending them "back" as part of the country's heritage. In sum, I feel that supporting Lubuto means enriching the lives of kids whose lives and needs are hard for me even to imagine. I admire the group's vision, volunteer can-do spirit, and effectiveness in changing the world!