EIFL’s Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) is delighted to announce the names of 10 successful applicants for our grant call: Public libraries preparing children and youth for the future.

The 10 new public library projects create services for children and youth aged up to 24 in developing and transition countries. They use technology including smart phones, 3D printers, computers, robotics, and social media to teach young people valuable digital skills, to increase their creativity and confidence, and to meet their needs in the areas of health, literacy and communication.

'We are really excited about these new projects,' said Ramune Petuchovaite, EIFL-PLIP Programme Manager.

‘We live in an increasingly high-tech world and children and youth in developing and transition economy countries, where access to information and communication technology is still problematic, struggle to learn digital technology skills. These new projects show how innovative public libraries can help meet young people’s technology and other learning needs.

‘Competition for the grant was tough. We received 273 applications from 71 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. Our panel of experts had to make difficult choices from some excellent proposals. Thank you to everyone who applied.

'To our new grantees, we say - congratulations and we wish you well as you embark on this exciting journey,’ said Ms Petuchovaite.

The EIFL-PLIP grant period starts in May 2014 and ends in June 2015, after which the libraries will assess the impact of their projects. Results will be published in case studies.

Meet the 10 new EIFL-PLIP grantees

• Bulgaria – Lyuben Karavelov Regional Library - Fun financial literacy classes for young people. 
• Burkina Faso – Friends of African Village Libraries – Four rural libraries create ‘mobile health clubs’ for teenage girls.
• Chile – Biblioteca Municipal “Pablo Neruda” de Padre las Casas – Citizen’s digital media project to give young people a voice in their communities.
• Croatia – Rijeka City Library - 3D printing project to build imagination and confidence of young ‘makers’.
• Ethiopia – CODE-Ethiopia - E-books project tackles desperate need for pre-school literacy materials.
• Latvia – Valmiera Public Library - Social media app to make reading trendy for teenagers. 
• Poland – Piekary Slaskie Municipal Public Library – Using the methods of games to spark youth passion for digital technology. 
• Romania – “Alexandru D. Xenopol” Arad County Library - ‘App Library’ to develop teenagers’ information, media and critical thinking skills. 
• Serbia – Public Library “Dušan Matić” Ćuprija – Using robotics to build a new generation of computer programmers.
• Uganda Community Libraries Association – Health and technology camps for children in five rural communities.

Background

EIFL's Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) advances community development by enabling public libraries to implement innovative ideas that use technology to improve people’s lives and livelihoods.

Since 2010, EIFL-PLIP support has sparked creation of 49 new and innovative public library projects implemented by over 300 public and community libraries.