• ABOUT US

    The Owl Library Initiative sets up libraries in schools or institutions where children from socially or economically backward communities congregate (so far, we have set up 20 mini-libraries). In order to make this initiative sustainable and to ensure accountability, we work with people from the community, collaborating with NGOs, community-based organisations and the local government. The more decentralised the approach, the better the direct access to books.

     

    Right now, we are looking at building mini-libraries in more schools, orphanages and children's homes and the ones selected will also receive training by our volunteers. This training would include but is not limited to book keeping, indexing, maintaining a register of books and generating enthusiasm to read! We will also be teaching ground-level volunteers about how to use books such as encyclopaedias, dictionaries and atlases. Additionally, a student librarian would also be given responsibility in turns to look after the library and to ensure that this institutional knowledge gets passed on to other students in the coming years. By doing this, we are hoping to create a culture of not just acquiring new knowledge, but also one of accountability, trust, and collective responsibility.

     

    Our biggest aim is pretty straightforward though: to enrich the lives of children with the magic of books.

  • BACKGROUND

     

    The Owl Library Initiative is an offshoot of the Anjaw Library Initiative which was launched in June 2017. The idea to build libraries was inspired by a visit to one of the most remote districts in India called Anjaw found deep within Arunachal Pradesh’s mountaneous hinterlands, bordering on China. Visiting the schools there threw light upon the fact that children had never seen comic books or even heard of many contemporary figures of our recent and rich literary history. This was due to a lack of access to information that regions such as Anjaw suffer from, because even in 2017, most parts of the district did not have access to newspapers, mobile phone connectivity, and the radio, let alone the internet, the most informative of all tools. However, what we did notice was that there was this eager willingness to learn and it was this enthusiasm shown by the school children in Qui-Bang Middle School and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Supliang, that inspired the whole initiative to spring to action. If these children wanted to learn, then it was our duty as young Indians, to provide the means for them to do so. Before long, we had second-hand books from our networks pouring in from all over the country.

     

    Our Anjaw libraries have not been funded by any organisation or government entity, it has been crowdsourced through people just like you. Around 10 mini libraries of 100 books or more have been set up with the help of individuals from across India who gifted and collected books towards what at that time seemed like a big dream with small means. Yet, we received help from many quarters, most importantly from the personal contributions of the officers of the Public Health and Engineering Department, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, who helped us in procuring most of the books and educational aids. Additionally, the support from the Deputy Commissioner of Anjaw (2016-2018) along with the office of the Deputy Director of School Education, Anjaw, has been invaluable for us in helping to set up these libraries.

     

     

  • FUTURE PLANS

     

    We understand that there are many places in India that need access to knowledge-based resources and that many a time it can be provided with the good old fashioned habit of reading books. Reading in and of itself is an act of empowerment, and with every child who falls in love with reading, we have one citizen all the more wiser. We have books donated to us in all languages, covering a wide range of topics, and the more children who hitherto had no access to these materials can learn and grow, the better informed they will be.

     

    With this in mind, a group of us have gotten together to work on a voluntary basis in crowdsourcing books and increasing publicity, distributing donated material, and in setting up and maintaining libraries. The idea really is to provide schools or institutions or communities, whether in urban or rural areas, with easy-to-read books that will make learning and reading a joyful and fun process. In the end, our vision is to enrich the lives of children of all ages with reading matter that will not just ensure improved literacy, but provide what we hope a foundation for further learning and self-education.

     

    We will be continuing with library initiative in the topographically challenged regions of Northeast India and later hope to spread out to other far-thrown regions of the country where books could be the lifeline to a better life.

  • GALLERY

    Of mountains, libraries and happy faces!

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  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Q. Where does TOLI aim to set up libraries?

    • Mainly in the North-Eastern Region of India which includes the states of Arunachal Pradesh,  Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland. 
    • Presently, however, we seek to set up libraries in the state of Meghalaya and are considering doing the same in the backward regions of Gurgaon. 

    Q. What is the reading level we seek to concentrate upon?

     

    We require books for children between ages 5 to 14 years.

     

    Q. What kind of books is TOLI looking for?

     

    We are looking for comics, illustrated books, dictionaries, atlases, encyclopaedias, storybooks, general knowledge books and abridged classics.

     

    Q. In what condition do the books have to be in?

     

    It would be ideal if you can send us new books. Nonetheless, we also accept old or pre-loved books as well. However, books need to be completely intact and not damaged. Old and mended books with all pages in proper order are definitely considered.

     

    Q. What kind of books are NOT considered?

     

    Exercise books, torn books, old magazines, scribbled-upon texts, books with pages missing, work books, books for higher studies and guidebooks are not considered.

     

    Q. Whether we accept cash donations?

     

    TOLI is a zero-budget and zero-profit organisation. Presently we only accept books as donations and we do not accept cash.

     

    Q. Alternative ways you can help TOLI procure books?

     

    Since we do not accept cash donations, you can collect books in your community and send the collected books by parcelling it to us in the above mentioned address by bearing the parcelling charges. That will help us immensely.

     

    Q. Will TOLI arrange for alternative means where books can be picked up?

     

    In the above case, TOLI cannot always ensure means for picking up books. Presently, we only can only pick up books in Guwahati and Shillong. However, we can arrange an alternative drop off point depending on the donor’s location.

     

  • HOW YOU CAN HELP?

    Donate New or Pre-Loved Books

    Even one Book can Make a Difference!

    One can donate pre-loved books and school supplies by sending it to the following address:

     

    C/O Jeannette Dkhar,

    Below Little Flower School,

    Kharmalki, Malki, Shillong-793001.

    Phone Number +91-8974037033

     

    OR

     

    You can send and buy new books or even order them online for example through Amazon.com, Flipkart.com, Bookchor.com, Menstrupedia.com and so on and so forth.

    Become a Volunteer

    Join the TOLI Tribe

    If you are interested in becoming a volunteer you can e-mail your motivation letter to us at owl.libraryinitiative@gmail.com

  • TEAM

    Our State Co-ordinators

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    Adelia

    Meghalaya

    Adelia graduated with a Masters Degree in English Literature from the North Eastern Hill University (N.E.H.U), Shillong. She now works as a lecturer at the Lady Kene College, Shillong, where she teaches English at the high school level. After having taught in many schools around Shillong town, Adelia recognised the dire need to inculcate reading as a habit among children. This led to her turning down lucrative job offers in metro cities in order to dedicate her time towards teaching children in her own home town. Apart from being an English teacher, Adelia loves teaching Hindi and the Khasi. She also enjoys writing poems and collecting old books. For Adelia, reading provides a window to the world, allowing for true exploration into the human psyche; an activity that can be both therapeutic and inspirational for many young people.

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    Romilla

    Manipur

    Romilla is a lawyer who is specialised in International Law and Arbitration. She is an LL.M graduate from the Indian Law School, Pune, and is now practicing in the office of the Advocate General in the High Court of Manipur. She has also contributed towards rural development and sanitation as a ZSBP Fellow for Tata Trusts and the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. During her free time, Romilla paints portraits, helps self-help groups, and is dedicated towards alleviating educational issues in her community.

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    Trishita

    Assam

    Trishita holds a graduate Degree in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati, and has an undergraduate degree from Miranda House, New Delhi. She is currently a Program Leader at Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership and has also worked in the water and sanitation sectors in the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh as a former District Sanitation Fellow (ZSBP) with Tata Trusts. Trishita is very passionate about working with children and youth because she believes that in the age of social disruption, it is their impact that can create lasting and indelible change. During her free time, Trishita enjoys reading, baking and travelling to hill stations.

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    Ruchunsinle

    Nagaland

    Ruchunsinle is a social development practitioner, working with Tata Trusts in the state of Nagaland as the District Lead for Poshan Abhiyaan. Ruchunsinle is a graduate in Arts, Ecology Environment and Sustainable Development from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati, and has been working in challenging (difficult terrain) areas near the international border of Myanmar in the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, addressing issues related to drinking water, sanitation and nutrition.

  • EXECUTIVE MEMBERS

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    Badapbiang

    Founder

    She holds a graduate Law degree from National Law University, Jodphur and an LL.M (Law and Development) from SOAS, University of London. Badapbiang is a pan-India legal practitioner who is a member of the Meghalaya Bar Association. She used to work as a Consultant-Fellow with the Tata Trusts and the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and was posted in the Anjaw District of Arunachal where she began to build libraries, a movement that has transformed into what is now the Owl Library Initiative. Badapbiang is also an active volunteer at the Red Cross, has a hidden talent of singing, and cares deeply about indigenous rights issues.

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    Divya

    Managing Member

    Divya holds a postgraduate degree from the University of Oxford and an undergraduate degree from St. Joseph's College, Bangalore. She currently runs her own editing business, dabbles in soft skills training, and works part-time as the Story Editor for Menstrupedia. In her free time, Divya can be found reading books, attempting an asana or two, or trying out a new flavour of tisane tea. Divya is passionate about gender, menstrual rights and the environment.

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    Banshai

    Managing Member

    A specialist in corporate and sports law, Banshai works for a Fortune 500 company and is very passionate and invested in education. He is actively involved in promoting grassroots-level football in northeast India through his efforts as the Legal Advisor for TouchLine Northeast.

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    Shaphrang

    Executive Member

    Shaphrang is an Engineering graduate in Electronics and Communication from the Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, and is a former network engineer at the National Informatics Centre. He plays the guitar, loves to travel and explore new places, meeting new people and learning about their way of living.

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    Catherine

    Executive Member

    Catherine holds an M. A. in Social Work with a specialisation in Criminology and Justice from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. In the past, she has worked as a Programme Coordinator at the North East Network while her current role involves working for a women's rights organisation that operates in the northeastern region of India and in conducting research for Meghalaya. All in all, Catherine is aligned strongly with the causes of social change, education, research and teaching, and she loves (and misses) engaging with her students. Right now, we're expecting an Owl Library baby who is surely reading books inside Catherine's amniotic fluid while Momma Extraordinaire spreads gratitude and love to the world outside.

  • ADVISORS

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    Tanya

    Legal Advisor

    Tanya is a an independent legal practitioner based out of Delhi. She practices at the Supreme Court of India, the High Court of Delhi and at the National Tribunals in Delhi. Her work is specialised in the areas of labour law, service law and criminal law. Tanya is a firm believer of justice and represents people from the economically weaker sections of society on a pro bono basis. When she is not busy being a consistent achiever, Tanya spends her time listening to music, teaching children and sharpening her sword-sharp legal acumen.

    Akash

    Advisor

    Akash graduated with a degree in Law from the National Law University, Jodhpur and an MBA from the Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development. He is a strategic consultant at Mercer (Marsh & McLennan Companies).

    Akash is also a self-proclaimed Liverpool F.C. supporter, an animation and design padawan, an avid gamer and a practicing photographer.

  • CONNECT WITH US

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