Creating Room To Read by John Wood

In 1999, John Wood left a lucrative job with Microsoft to start an organisation to help equip remote Nepalese schools with libraries. In the years that have followed, the mission has expanded into 10 countries in Asia and Africa, providing the funding for building not just libraries but also schools, funding for teacher and librarian training, scholarships to enable girls to receive an education, and funding for the publishing of local language and English language children’s books.

In Creating Room To Read, Wood describes all the ups and downs experienced during the organisation’s 12 years of growth including the celebration of the opening of the 10,000th library in 2010. The book is filled with stories of Wood’s interesting interactions with people from all walks of life, from presidents, sheikhs, and billionaires to the children of the poorest of the poor. He is obviously proud of what his organisation has achieved, but he never fails to give credit to all the staff and volunteers that have made his dream possible.

An inspiring and heartwarming read, especially for a librarian.

Posted by Jessie

Catalogue Link: Creating Room to Read

More about the Room to Read project  http://www.roomtoread.org/