Celebrating Twenty Years!

In 2024, we restocked 23 libraries with hundreds of books each. The libraries are the oasis in the schools, very organized and beautiful. Libraries of Love has 42 school libraries and 3 prison libraries in Uganda, plus 6 school libraries in Kenya. The first library was provided in 2005. They are all constantly checked to ensure students are borrowing books each week. Librarian meetings are held each year to do training and have fellowship.

Here is this year’s story told in photos from from Executive Director Trudy Marshall. She travels to Uganda and Kenya for six months each year. She keeps everyone up-to-date with posts on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LibrariesOfLove. The following are in chronological order as they were posted.

Jan. 18, 2024 – I have arrived back in Maasai land. Home sweet home!

Jan. 30, 2024 – You know it’s time to buy chairs when you are in a girls’ high school that has one of our libraries and they don’t have chairs. It will happen!

Feb. 1, 2024 – Happy kids! The principal at Najili Primary said his school ranked second in the county because of the library. The students have learned to read and write well so they do better in all subjects. I enjoyed visiting the kids.

Feb. 6, 2024 – Our shipment has left Austin. The container will be placed on a ship, and our executive director will meet it in Uganda in about two months. Included are about 12,000 hardback books that have Dewey spine labels plus pockets and cards for borrowing for our libraries. There are 40 extra boxes of books that are donations that will be given but are not for libraries. Cheers to Jim Matthews for arranging shipping! As you can see, he’s excited about the departure.

Feb. 10, 2024 – Carrying books to their classroom!

Feb. 14, 2024 – Libraries of Love is very grateful for forty two boxes of new books that just arrived donated by Mackin Educational Resources! The students always love Mackin books. Because of publishers and other groups that donate books, we have been able to provide fifty-five school libraries located in Uganda and Kenya. May God bless these donors as they partner with us in promoting literacy.

Feb. 16, 2024 – Nice to have our Ugandan and Kenyan supervisors,
Herbert and Joseph, together with Kenyan librarians. We visited each other’s libraries, reviewed best library practices, sang together, and had good food. Good day in Kenya!

Feb. 23, 2024 – We are still repairing and painting chalkboards in our schools in Uganda. Normally they mix sweet potato leaves and charcoal then have students use that for paint. In Kenya, we have provided a ceiling, painting, and lights in libraries. Plus we have provided classroom lockers for books. I wish all our classrooms looked like the one below but 😔

Feb. 23, 2024 – It is fun to watch the excitement of the students as they enjoy the three separate pieces of playground equipment provided by Kent Bohls and Joan Bohls. Five schools received the equipment in honor of their six grandkids. One school had a huge population so received two sets. Blessings to the Bohls!

Feb. 26, 2024 – Our librarian was teaching this second grade class how to write the date of return, their name, and their class on the cards before borrowing books.

Feb. 27, 2024 – I had a great time visiting with this 7th grade class in one of our libraries today. We had lots of laughs! Because the classes run 150 or more in one classroom, the girls come first to the library followed by the boys. This is Kasubi Primary. 8th grade starts high school.

Feb. 28 , 2024 – First, the students tore out the old ‘carpet’. Next, they swept the floor. Last, we put new ‘carpet’ in our library at Namagoona Primary. The kids were great helpers! Herbert Segujja collected the carpet on a boda from downtown Kampala!

March 1, 2024 – We had plenty of fun today as we learned, sang, and enjoyed food. Then all twenty librarians, plus Herbert and I, boarded a large van and visited several of our libraries. We concluded at this beautiful library, which was previously a church, at Kings College Secondary school. Our librarians are a family!

March 2, 2024 – A Libraries of Love librarian meeting was held yesterday. Twenty Kampala area librarians came together for training. Our librarians didn’t grow up with libraries and few have degrees. We do constant teaching on the organization of the library and instructions to give students about books and borrowing. Of course, we also have singing, good food, and lots of laughs!

March 7, 2024 – It’s a wrap! We have held librarians meetings now in Kenya and in Uganda. The meetings in Uganda were held in Kampala and then today in Mbale. I’m so thankful for Herbert Segujja who helps lead the meetings. They understand his English much better than mine.

March 8, 2024 – Show me your books!

March 11, 2024 – When ten librarians said they needed brooms, mops, mop buckets, cleaning rags, light bulbs, etc., it made sense to just buy all of them. Next, I had Tony bring an extra boda, and off we went for delivery.

March 13, 2024 – Library time! The students are taking turns selecting books. The teacher is sitting on the floor reading as he waits for them.

May 1, 2024 – Libraries of Love has provided funding for the repairing and painting of all classroom blackboards in our schools with libraries in the Kampala area. Thanks to Peter Biwire for doing an excellent job!

May 2, 2024 – The truck arrives tonight with about 13,000 books! We will hand out boxes to Kampala area schools tomorrow, then leave to distribute to three other towns, The work then begins! Thousands of books must come off shelves to organize the new with the previous books – Dewey Decimal order!

May 4, 2024 – It’s a wrap! Today we restocked adding 1,100 new books to the library at Prime Junior School. There are twenty-one more school libraries that received new books that will need to be organized. It will happen!

May 11, 2024 – When thousands of books arrive from Texas each box is labeled with a school name and the type of book, such as fiction or nonfiction. Every book is hard cover and has a spine label for organization, plus a pocket and card so the students can borrow. Cheers for the Texas team that prepares the books making the work here and in Kenya much easier.

May 13, 2024 – Seven school libraries restocked and organized with hundreds of books each, plus one prison library. Thirteen more schools to go!

May 14, 2024 – Being a former teacher and librarian, I love looking at the books as we restock our libraries. Today we restocked and organized three more. I’m happy that every school has an ‘African’ book section with books featuring African kids, villages, and animals.

May 19, 2024 – Eighteen libraries restocked with hundreds of books each. Only three more to go to finish 2024!

June 5, 2024 – Prime Junior School. The students were taught the different types of books and how to borrow. At the same time a new librarian listened and took notes as she was trained.

June 5, 2024 – I was visiting libraries today but popped in to sing songs with this 1st grade class. They definitely made me laugh.

June 8, 2024 – Kenya kids love their books. Kenya schools have a maximum of 45 students in a classroom. Uganda schools can go up to 200.

June 12, 2024 – Enjoyed time in our libraries today. This class had 136 students. I went to the teacher and asked her next time to send the girls first. When they return with books the boys should come.

June 14, 2024 – Tomorrow I leave Uganda for Kenya. So so difficult to leave my village- the kids, the God squad, the libraries located in various towns, and those who work with us here. It is difficult to live in three countries and each is home.

June 15, 2024 – This little one welcomed me with a smile to my Kenyan Maasai village.

June 17, 2024 – In case you need goats, cows, sheep, or anything else, come to the Maasai market any Monday.

June 25, 2024 – Students love reading in Uganda and Kenya. From having no books to having hundreds to choose from seems a miracle to these young people.

July 8, 2024 – Enjoyed visiting Kipeto Primary library today even though it is remote – three hours over terrible roads. They aren’t used to mzungus visiting the school. The first time I went they all took off screaming and running from me. We have gotten much better.

July 8, 2024 – Driving back now from visiting libraries! Geez!

July 25, 2024 – The work continues. Seroma Secondary moved to a new building and received hundreds of new books. I’m thankful for Herbert that helped move and sort the older books in with the new books, plus trained new librarians.

July 26, 2024 – The end result! ❤️Restocking Seroma Secondary with 1,200 new books.

July 27, 2024 – I stopped by to tell my tailor, James, goodbye as I moved through the village playing the accordion. I can see why he has three wives – nice man☺️