Free Public Library

Libraries are a great repository of knowledge. They have the potential to become cultural hubs that anchor the surrounding community and draw disparate groups to one space. They provide a conducive environment for learning, growing, networking, etc. Moreover, it also serves as a disciplined and safe area to study – away from the disturbances and distractions of home. And yet, so few libraries exist in Nepal. Even in Kathmandu, the capital city, there are only about 10 working libraries, each with its limitations. Every community needs a library to foster its youths. And it has to be accessible to all – not just a particular group of ethnicity, race or caste. Otherwise, it will only exacerbate the already existing socio-economic gap and representations in different levels of positions of power. Thus the primary objective of the library project is to progressively overcome the lack of opportunities resulting from the difficulty faced by the unprivileged students and locals in having easy access to information and technological resources. With the current unregulated use of the internet in Nepal by the kids, and especially after the COVID pandemic lockdown, we have found that many students are addicted to their smart gadgets. We believe that our library can contribute to diverting their attention to reading and spending their time more productively.

The proposed project is a modest effort to provide access to knowledge, information and non-formal education to the youths of Nepal, especially those places lacking such facilities. The project will encourage youths of the locality to spend their free time productively by using the easily accessible library.