IBBY-Yamada 2025: Dominican Republic

IBBY Dominican Republic
BIBLIOCAB: Rotating Library of Books

Addressing the critical lack of reading resources in rural areas, BIBLIOCAB established a monthly book rotation system across 48 elementary schools in the Cabrera district, covering 270 square kilometres. With the town’s only library destroyed and many households lacking books, the project aimed to spark a love for reading among 4,090 enrolled students by delivering varied, high-quality books in Spanish, English, and French. The initiative involved a rigorous logistical operation where books were sorted by reading level and rotated among schools, ensuring equitable access and allowing children to borrow books for home use, thereby extending the impact to families.

Implementation relied on a structured chronogram of visits, teacher training, and community engagement. A key milestone was a full-day workshop on “Library Management and Storytelling” for 40 teachers, equipping them to manage collections and create “magical reading spaces”. The project distributed over 1,400 books by May 2025, with a target to exceed 1,800 rotations by early 2026. To foster ownership, students were appointed “Ambassadors” responsible for book care, a strategy that significantly reduced loss rates despite infrastructure challenges. Although a planned reading club and podcast were suspended due to scheduling and privacy constraints, the core rotation system thrived, with students eagerly anticipating monthly visits and engaging spontaneously with the materials.

The project has secured strong institutional support from the local Education District, which is preparing to assume management responsibilities to ensure long-term sustainability. Recognising the programme’s success, plans are underway to expand the rotation model to secondary schools in 2026, potentially reaching an additional 800 students. Furthermore, the initiative serves as a pilot for regional expansion, with discussions to replicate the model in the 363 other schools in the Nagua Directorate. By transforming limited resources into a dynamic, circulating library, BIBLIOCAB has laid a durable foundation for literacy and personal development in one of the Dominican Republic’s most underserved regions.