Books drive: THIRTY community libraries in marginalized areas will benefit from a donation of 18,000 books to help boost literacy levels.
Through the initiative dubbed Adopt-A-Library, the organisers of Moto Books and Arts Festivals are calling on authors, publishers, book sellers and the general public to participate by donating books.
The book donations is part of the activities that will happen during a four-day book and arts festivals to be hosted at the Village Market to mark the World Books and Copyright Day.
Moto Books and Arts Festivals Director Mercy Kibira says the initiative will see several publishing houses and authors adopt any of the 30 libraries across the country by donating their titles to the community-based resource and information centres.
“We are targeting 18,000 books and we have already secured 9,000 from Maktabas. For every library adopted we will be donating 300 books,”
says Ms. Kibira.
Maktabas is a non-profit organization whose mission is to bridge the literacy gap between school children, the youth and adults from marginalized communities , and the rest of the world by making books of all kinds accessible to any child or adult with an interest in reading.
Those willing to participate can drop the books at the Village Market where the festival will be held or send via parcel delivery services.
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The inaugural MOTO Books and Arts festival will be held from 21st – 24th April to re-ignite interest in books, reading and enhance the impact of arts and literature in the country. It will bring together local and international authors, publishers, illustrators, book sellers, artists and brands to showcase their work and share emerging literature trends.
It will be graced by world acclaimed Ghanaian writer and blogger Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah. Nana has authored the bestselling book, The Sex Lives of African Women.
Ms. Kibira disclosed that Nana who is the keynote speaker at the festival will be participating in the Adopt-A-Library initiative. Two libraries in Nairobi’s slums of Mathare and Kibera have already been identified for her.
“The Moto Books and Arts Festival is an initiative that will help to connect like-minded people, who are enthusiastic about books and the creative scene, and who also appreciate the hidden gems in the world of art and theatre,” says Ms. Kibira. HalfPriced Books Limited and Village Market are the anchor sponsors of the event.
The celebrations will include an exhibition that will provide top publishing brands, authors and book dealers the opportunity to showcase outstanding books, art and culture.
The exhibitors will be drawn from publishing houses, bookshops, licensing and intellectual rights agencies, learning institutions, illustrators, editors, authors, online content creators and media houses. Other highlights of the event will be a master class hosted by local authors and a key note address by a leading international author.
The World Book and Copyright Day was initiated by UNESCO on 23rd April 1995 as a worldwide celebration of books and reading and is marked in more than 100 countries around the globe.
It is aimed at encouraging children and young people to read for pleasure through its work with authors, illustrators, publishers, bookshops and libraries.
