Libraries on the Move: By Land, By Sea, and By Air

Abstract

Libraries are critical to literacy development, particularly in developing nations where literacy rates are low, poverty rates are high, and resources are limited. School libraries in developing nations often suffer from inadequate resources, staffing, and facilities. Mobile libraries have been delivering resources and services via land and water routes to communities in developing nations, though their support of school children may be limited. Emerging technologies in the form of digital mobile libraries offer the potential to bring high quality resources and services to schools and communities. In this paper, the authors discuss/explore myriad mobile libraries, particularly in developing nations, the state of school library programs in developing nations, and the potential of digital mobile libraries to transcend the physical walls of libraries to better foster literacy for students and their communities.