"The tiny island of Roatan has approximately 35,000 school-aged children; 14,000 enrolled in school in 2013; and classroom space for 13,000. Honduras has established reading and math standards and developed workbooks and teacher guides. Roatan received her first set of books in 2008; and her second set halfway through the 2013 school year. Chances of books in 2014 are slim. Social studies and science teachers have to find their own textbooks. Most schools do not have libraries, copy machines, or basic instructional materials." Cam O Brien PIER Director

I will soon be traveling to the Sandcastle Library in Roatan, Honduras to help train library staff, create literacy kits for the library and bookmobile, and assist with collection organization and classification. The library is overseen by the NGO Partners in Education Roatan (PIER) which is dedicated to improving education and quality of life for the Roatan people.

I will be paying  my own way and taking personal time from work to volunteer as advocating for libraries and providing access to library services in order to improve quality of life for EVERYONE are very important to me. A colleague from Florida who also volunteers internationally will be meeting me there and offering her services as well. We will both be purchasing and donating library materials to the Sandcastle Library.

We are very privileged to live in North America and to have access to excellent libraries, information services, reading materials, tehcnology and schools. Please help me to  improve access for those less fortunate, one library at a time!

www.pierroatan.org