Social challenge 1: How to improve the quality of libraries in rural China?
Why is this important?
Libraries provide a gateway to knowledge for rural population
Background
Most people who live in rural areas lack access to good libraries due to lack of government funding. Libraries that do exist often have poor infrastructure and are not well managed.
Status Quo
Non profits have donated money to rebuild rural
libraries. However most resources are put into building hard infrastructures,
rather than improving the quality of the libraries. Rural libraries often lack
access to good quality books, and
librarians lack professional training.
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Response from Group 4: Cranswick
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Goal |
Provide mobile library services in rural villages and provide incentives for people to read |
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Solution |
• Start with a pro bono research on the needs of rural libraries
• Mobile libraries to send books to
rural villages
• Driver of the mobile library will
also be the librarian
• Accreditation program to
encourage everyone to read more, e.g. for every 10 books read, one can
exchange for chocolates/ dental services, etc.
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