The Libraries for Development Programme (LDP) is our first programme. By focusing on an existing communal institution not usually included in development initiatives, the LDP aims to develop the intellectual infrastructure and social capital of our beneficiary communities, and contribute to their economic development.
More specifically, the LDP has two goals:
- to support foreign-language acquisition, in particular English. The LDP contributes significantly to our beneficiaries' efforts to become active participants in the global knowledge society, while increasing their capacity for web-based entrepreneurship. It also allows them to enjoy enhanced professional and academic opportunities; and
- to foster a reading culture, as a means of developing the ability for all to learn continuously. This view to the longer term helps our library users to deepen their engagement with the global knowledge society and enhances their ability to remain competitive in their individual professional environments. It also encourages our beneficiaries to share a desire to learn in younger generations.
To achieve these goals, we support or establish foreign-language partner libraries so that they may become agents for positive change within the communities they serve. We approach these ventures from five different angles: libraries as functional organizations; libraries as resources; libraries as active learning centres; links between libraries; and sustainability.
We are currently implementing a pilot project in Salamieh, Syria.
