center
Dream Corps is "one of the first of its kind in the U.S. academy, an academic activism at its best."

— Professor Ralph Litzinger, Director of Asian/Pacific Studies Institute of Duke University


Summer 2008 Program Application

Home » Projects » Project by Sites

Jiangxi Site


Desheng central elementary school Dream Library

江西省黎川县德胜镇德胜中心小学梦想图书室

History
The potential for a successful Dream Corps project Desheng elementary school was first discovered by the 2005 Jiangxi team during a short three day visit to Desheng village. In the summer of 2006, a second team of volunteers initiated a school library in Desheng with only 500 books, and with the generous donation from a local book rental, a rather professional electronic library management system. All teaching staff and children from grades 3-5 were given personal library cards and the library was given full access to them twice a week. In the summer of 2007, a third team of volunteers arrived in Desheng and to assess performance of the electronic system, add more than 1000 new books and to run reading programs. The funding for these new books were raised by the Dream Corps Canada U of T Chapter in the spring of 2007.
library
Desheng central elementary school library
Desheng Dream Library

library Electronification
Upon communication with the librarian and the children, the electronic system had greatly simplified library operations and helped stimulate good borrowing and returning habits. The software could give important statistics such as the percentage of all books that were checked out at least once (around 60%!). The “hit-list” of most borrowed books revealed that the all time favorite was a translation of the popular Japanese comic Chibi Maruko. The cost of converting a pen-and-paper library management system to an electronic one is around 100USD plus the cost of the computer, which can share other administrative purposes. This library will serve as a prototype in future Dream Corps libraries where "electronification" is allowed.

Future plans
When the volunteers are not on-site, frequent communication with the principals and the librarian maintained to understand the current needs and difficulties in its operations. Dream Corps plans to continue the summer volunteer participation in Desheng elementary to add more books and conduct reading programs. Also, a three year plan in expanding the library to the nearby Desheng middle school, where most of the Desheng elementary graduates attend, is in progress. 		library

 

Lichuan Community Dream Library
-in collaboration with the Tu family



History
The potential for a successful Dream Corps project Desheng elementary school was first discovered by the 2005 Jiangxi team during a short three day visit to Desheng village. In the summer of 2006, a second team of volunteers initiated a school library in Desheng with only 500 books, and with the generous donation from a local book rental, a rather professional electronic library management system. All teaching staff and children from grades 3-5 were given personal library cards and the library was given full access to them twice a week. In the summer of 2007, a third team of volunteers arrived in Desheng and to assess performance of the electronic system, add more than 1000 new books and to run reading programs. The funding for these new books were raised by the Dream Corps Canada U of T Chapter in the spring of 2007. 		library


Copyright © 2004-2008 Dream Corps International. All Rights Reserved.
Compassion – Participation - Excellence | Learn, Inspire, Teach, and Serve in Rural China | www.DreamCorps.org