Reaching Underserved Children in China

The Sino-Finnish Joy of Learning Mobile Library Project

Cai Jing August 12, 2011

Agenda

The Problem The Partners The Project Our Progress to Date

Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Migrant population
China has a migrant population of 211 million according to a report released in 2010. The average age of the migrant population is 27.3 years old. Children under 14 years old account for 20.8%. The migrant population has an average monthly income of around 2,143 RMB (234 ), and most are engaged in high-risk/low-income industries. .
(Reported by the National Population and Family Planning Commission of China)

Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Migrant Population
Many Chinese cities are already overcrowded. It is difficult for migrants to register for social, educational or health services in cities where they do not officially live because the government wants to restrict expansion of these cities. According to the National Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, there are 20 million children of migrant workers living in Chinese cities (China Daily, 1 June, 2010). Migrant children are denied public school education in many megacities because of their lack of permanent resident status.

Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Schools for Migrant Children

Schooling in the countryside is vastly inferior to schooling in the cities. Even where urban schools have been willing to accept migrant children, the children have typically not been able to pass the entrance exams. Privately owned and operated schools have sprung up to serve migrant children. There may be as many as 300 such schools in Beijing alone. Most of these schools have very poor facilities, and their teachers are paid low salaries. Many of the teachers lack higher education or teaching qualifications. Parents pay fees to send their children to these schools. The owners decide how the fees are used.

Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Childrens Library Resource

Schools for migrant children typically have no library or books which the children can borrow. Public libraries are far away from the slums where migrant families live. If the children have access to any books at all, they are text books or work books that belong to the school. Until 2009, there were about 2,820 public libraries in China but only 91 of them were libraries for children according to Zhou Heping, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Culture. Over half of all middle schools have no reading rooms. Even those with their own libraries are poorly supplied with books and lack adequate services. The lack of funds, facilities, books and staff is a serious problem that must be addressed by the childrens library system in the future. Among the 91 childrens libraries, the physical condition of those in Eastern China (56) is much better than those in the central (19) or western (16) provinces.

Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Childrens Library Resources

Our target group: primary schools for the children of migrant workers.
Focus: schools without libraries in cities in Central China.

Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Activities
The library will park in school yards. Classes will be able to visit and borrow books during the school day. After school, there will be additional activities for children run by the volunteers. Whenever possible, the bus will leave a Commonweal Bookshelf in the school when it departs.

Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Commonweal Bookshelves
Provided through donations. Remain in schools after the mobile library has left.

Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Project Partners
The KONE Corporation Centennial Foundation The Beijing Times (CSR Weekly)
and KONE China Sanoma Learning & Literature WSOYpro Ltd Moomin Characters Ltd Chinese publishers Chinese volunteers IKEA Maucon Book Distribution Company
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KONE Corporation Centennial Foundation

Established in 2010 to celebrate KONEs 100 years in the elevator business. Purpose: to advance and support developmental, educational and cultural activities for children and youth around the world. Board members:
KONE Board Chairman Antti Herlin KONE President & CEO Matti Alahuhta Finlands former President Martti Ahtisaari Educator Tiina Herlin Writer John Simon

The Joy of Learning Mobile Library is the foundations first project.

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Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Beijing Times and CSR Weekly

Beijing Times
- Founded in 2001 - A comprehensive daily metropolitan newspaper affiliated with the Peoples Daily.

CSR Weekly
Founded in 2010 Published each Monday in conjunction with the Beijing Times Its total circulation reaches 13 million readers Includes one weekly, one foundation (Jinghua Commonweal Foundation), and one interconnection platform

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Cooperation

Commonweal Bookshelf

Mobile library

Providing books to children

Beijing Times

KONE Corporation Centennial Foundation

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Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

Where Do Commonweal Bookshelves Come From?

Financial donations are made to the Beijing Times commonweal fund. Books are donated by corporations, individuals or groups. The Beijing Times is responsible for the purchase of books and contact with the schools. IKEA donates the bookshelves. When the books and bookshelves IKEA are ready, they are delivered Commonweal Bookshelf to the selected schools.
Enterprises Schools

Web Log Individuals Data

Beijing Times

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Joy of Learning Mobile Library

To ensure durability, even on bad roads, the mobile library is a converted truck, not a bus. The body has been converted with a side opening.

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Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

A 3,000-book Childrens Library

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Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011

The Joys of Reading and Learning

The librarys book collection focuses primarily on the joys of reading and learning: stories for young readers fables poetry drama history Chinese literature beginner books in English some Finnish childrens classics (in Chinese) There will also be: material for teachers and parents books for young readers on improving school performance and coping with issues of adolescence.

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Personnel
The library has a professional librarian and a professional driver. In addition, there will be trained volunteer helpers at each stop. Our KONE people feel excited about participating in this big effort. We are calling for our branches to donate books, help with extracurricular activities, etc. Volunteers will include college students, journalists and editors from the Beijing Times, and perhaps invited writers.

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Target Cities
Operational plan:
The library will visit 10 cities during each school year, staying in each one for several weeks. In each city, it will visit 2-3 schools several times during the weeks when the library is in the area.

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Progress
The truck has been purchased and converted. Insurance and permits have been obtained. Books have been purchased All book information has been uploaded to the software of the barcode scanner by project staff. Volunteer recruitment and training is underway. Handbooks detailing the responsibilities, duties, and dos and donts for the driver, librarian and volunteers have been completed. The librarian and driver have been hired and trained. Collection of donated books for the Commonweal Bookshelves is underway. The Joy of Learning booklets donated by WSOYpro are being printed, and the school materials packets donated by Sanoma Learning & Literature are being prepared as gifts for library visitors.

In short, the library is ready to go!

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Project Team

(From left to right, during visit to Beijing Times) Guo Kun, Editor-in-Chief, CSR Weekly Li Hongqing, Project Officer, Beijing Times CRCF Fund John Simon, KONE Centennial Foundation Tiina Herlin, KONE Centennial Foundation Cai Jing, Senior PR Officer, KONE China Liu Mingsheng, Vice President, Beijing Times Ma Jia, Director of Communication and PR, KONE China Guo Aidi, Deputy Editor, CSR Weekly
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With special thanks for invaluable help to:

Kalle Varila and his team at the Turku City Library Maija Berndtson, Auli Strmberg and Lotta Muurinen at the Helsinki City Library Riitta Louhisola at the Kirkkonummi Municipal Library Sinikka Sipil and Ira Koivu at the Finnish Library Association Jyri Ahti at Sanoma Learning & Literature Tiina Ristola and her team at WSOYpro Elina Ahlbck of the Elina Ahlbck Literary Agency The Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China

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Kiitos! Xie xie! Thank you!

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Cai Jing, Turku Mobile Library Festival, 12 August, 2011