Fostering a Culture of Reading through School Libraries: Room to Read’s Experience in India

Abstract

Since 2003, Room to Read, an international education NGO, has been working in India to help foster a culture of reading in schools through the establishment of over 1500 school libraries. This paper outlines the evolution Room to Read’s Reading Room program in India as an example of how school library programs can address the reading challenges of children in developing countries. The focus of the paper is on Room to Read India’s Primary Reading Enhancement Program (PREP), which will be piloted in the Reading Room program in 2008. The goal of PREP is to have a significant impact on the way reading is taught in primary schools in India. Details are provided on the approach, materials, activities, parent and community participation, government participation, and student assessments that make up the core components of the PREP design.