The Bookery

Über uns

Since we started in 2010, the Bookery has set up more than 95 school libraries in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Gauteng.

Our vision is simple. We create dynamic school libraries that inspire a love of reading, break barriers and change lives.

Our goal is to create school libraries that are well-stocked with age-appropriate books and other resources. Each library is staffed by a paid, effectively trained and well supported librarian or library assistants.
By creating dynamic libraries that are embraced by schools and communities, we can inspire a love of reading, break barriers and change lives.

Aims of the Bookery
• Set up school libraries filled with contemporary and diverse content that is local and global, with fiction and non-fiction to inspire young readers of all ages and languages.
• Recruit, train and support librarians and library assistants to ensure the Bookery’s libraries are vibrant, loved and safe spaces for learners.
• Partner with the host schools to ensure the sustainability and growth of the Bookery’s libraries.
• Build local and international partnerships to drive literacy and reading in South Africa, to provide school libraries with books, computers and IT facilities, and to promote innovative uses of school libraries.
• Achieve a nationwide reach through well managed and anchor-funded growth.

What we do
We identify schools that need libraries, and we partner with them to build vibrant and well-stocked libraries for their learners. We seek funding to help cover the costs of setting up the libraries and recruiting an unemployed youth; we stock the libraries with a range of fiction, non-fiction and reference books with help from professional librarians; and we employ trained library assistants to care for and grow the libraries.

Lunga Nqadolo is the Managing Director of the Bookery.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.