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How to build 5 libraries in 2 weeks
A group launched a Twitter campaign, #buyalib, to raise funds for building and supplying libraries in India and Africa, starting in January 2011. They successfully raised £2,420 in two weeks, which funded a large library in Mysore, India, and four donkey-drawn libraries for communities in Uganda, Somalia, and Sudan. The campaign highlighted the potential of social media in mobilizing support for charitable causes.
How to build 5 libraries in 2 weeks
- 2. Unbelievably it onlycosts £1,250 to build, kit out, supply with books and staff a library in India (for TWO YEARS).And you can buy a donkey or bicycle drawn library to travel around Africa for just £100. All of this comes from GoodGifts.org, a charitable organisation.
- 3. We launched aTwitter campaign, aimed at librarians, to try and raise enough cash to do this. So many libraries were closing aroundthat time: why not try and open one?
- 4. Four of uscame together to do this. We started a blog in January 2011, and began asking for donations.
- 5. We gave thewhole thing a hashtag:#buyalib
- 6. Between us, weexchanged:216 emailsabout theproject
- 7. 10We wrote:blogpoststhese wereviewed around 2,300 times
- 8. #buyalib129 people tweetedusing the hashtagresulting in 430 tweets
- 9. there was alittlecontroversy
- 10.
- 11. The most commondonation was a very generous
- 12. In just twoweeks we raised a spectacular…
- 13. In just twoweeks we raised a spectacular…£2420!
- 14.
- 15. So what ishappening now? The Rural Literacy & Health Programme in India are building an extra big library with more books, attached to a school on the edge of a slum in Mysore.
- 16. And…The African EducationalTrust have created FOUR donkey-drawn libraries to travel around Uganda, Somalia and Sudan.
- 17. “The world isfull of ambient goodness just waiting for the right idea to make it happen.”Andromeda Yelton
- 18. And if buyalibproves anything else, it’s that social media is ace…
- 19.
- 20. Images via: PhotofuniaStockXchangeIcon FinderGoodgiftsRead the Buyalib blog at:http://buyindiaalibrary.wordpress.com/My own blog at:www.thewikiman.orgOr buy your own library! Via:www.GoodGifts.org