Guide, Research
Global Book Alliance
Growing The Local Book Industry: The Experience ...

In Rwanda, Save the Children collaborated with education ministries, publishing industry stakeholders, schools, book sellers and libraries in order to strengthen existing systems and increase output and availability of quality local language children’s books. This ‘whole chain’ approach addresses every step of a book’s journey from authorship to child and emphasizes the need for sustainable, profitable industries which will guarantee availability of local-language, contextually relevant reading materials to support a culture of reading in the long term.

Growing The Local Book Industry: The Experience of a Publishing Collaborative in Rwanda
Guide, Research
Global Book Alliance
A Guide for Community Librarians: Reading ...

Developed by the Reading Comprehension Interest Group, this innovative guide is crafted to address the crucial need for enhancing children's engagement in reading and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) practices. It serves as a comprehensive toolkit aimed at empowering teachers, librarians, and community leaders to foster literacy and SEL skills in children through the nurturing environment of community libraries.

A Guide for Community Librarians: Reading Comprehension and Social Emotional Skills
Research
Global Book Alliance
Book Supply Chain Analysis: Nigeria

The Nigeria Book Supply Chain Analysis was commissioned to inform the work of the GBA as well as that of USAID Nigeria, the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Education, and other key development partners. The analysis was conducted in 2022 and focuses on the states of Adamawa, Sokoto, and Ebonyi and the cities of Ibadan and Abuja. The Nigeria SCA Addendum presents Market Analysis Book Survey (MABS) and Market Analysis Focus Group Discussion (MAFGD) reports that probe deeper into the status of essential reading books in the Nigerian education system.

Book Supply Chain Analysis: Nigeria
Research
Global Book Alliance
Book Supply Chain Analysis: Grenada

The Grenada Book Supply Chain Analysis was commissioned to inform the work of the GBA as well as that of USAID/Eastern and Southern Caribbean, the Grenada Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, and other key development partners. The analysis was conducted in 2022.

Book Supply Chain Analysis: Grenada
Guide
Global Book Alliance
Accessible Digital Textbooks using Universal ...

This document outlines the details of accessible digital textbooks (ADT), its benefits, and the ways it can be implemented in countries across the world. This initiative uses a universal design for learning that enhances the need for books like ADT not just for students with disabilities, but all students.

Accessible Digital Textbooks using Universal Design for Learning

Research

Embedding Track and Trace in Book Supply Chains : Senegal

World Bank, 2022

Read@Home - Embedding Track and Trace in Book Supply Chains : Final Country Report - Senegal

The Read@Home Track and Trace to Strengthen Book Supply Chains project involved the creation of a best practices guide to implementing track and trace solutions for Teaching and Learning Materials (TLM). Support was also provided to five target countries to adapt these best practices to the country context to enable the development of robust, locally-owned supply chain monitoring systems to ensure delivery of TLM to the schools and families that need them most.

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Children's Book Development and Use in Rwanda

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Children's Book Development and Use in Rwanda

In Rwanda, Save the Children collaborated with Education and Culture Ministries, publishing industry stakeholders, schools, book sellers and libraries in order to strengthen existing systems and increase output and availability of quality local language children’s books. This ‘whole chain’ approach addresses every step of a book’s journey from authorship to child and emphasizes the need for sustainable, profitable industries which will guarantee availability of local-language, contextually relevant reading materials to support a culture of reading in the long term.

Report: Survey on Children's Readership Preferences and Market Demands for Children's Reading Materials in Rwanda

Report: Survey on Children's Readership Preferences and Market Demands for Children's Reading Materials in Rwanda

This study records and examines the broad variety of opinions from children about their reading preferences. Children have a myriad of opinions and personal, unique lives as well as external factors that shape them and influence their preferences. This study aims to explore those variables, understand the assumptions around them, listen attentively to children, and provide some recommendations to Save the Children for its operational approach to improving literacy outcomes in Rwanda.

Book and Reading Policy Formulation in Africa

Book and Reading Policy Formulation in Africa

In Africa, governments’ recognition of the book sector is limited to implementation of the school curriculum, hence the focus on textbook-specific policies. Lack of all-inclusive enabling policies continues to impede the growth of Africa’s book industry – its competitiveness in the world market and capacity to adequately fulfill the desirable educational, cultural and social needs of the continent.

The Role of Digital and Print Media in Enhancing Literacy and Reading Culture in Africa

The Role of Digital and Print Media in Enhancing Literacy and Reading Culture in Africa

This report recommends that since technology will not replace reading in the near future, it is imperative to use the technology to enhance it. Reading on paper will always remain important and enjoyable and this means that the printed book will never lose its value and importance. It is fundamental that parents, teachers and other stakeholders come together to cultivate and nurture a love of reading especially among children and assist in making reading a lifetime habit

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National Book and Reading Policies Toolkit

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National Book and Reading Policies Toolkit

This toolkit, created by GBA Partner ADEA, along with supporting documents (Continental Framework, Brochure and Questionnaire), will serve as a quick reference guide to stakeholders to easily understand the need for the policy and the process for systematic and coherent formulation and implementation of a National Book and Reading Policy (NBRP).

Family Scholarly Culture and Educational Success: Books and Schooling in 27 Nations

Family Scholarly Culture and Educational Success: Books and Schooling in 27 Nations

International Sociological Association Research Committee, 2010

This article surveys the impact of family “scholarly culture” on children’s school achievement and literacy gains.

Promoting Language and Literacy Development through Parent–Child Reading in Hong Kong Preschoolers

Promoting Language and Literacy Development through Parent–Child Reading in Hong Kong Preschoolers

Early Education and Development, 2003

This study focuses on reading interventions to improve literacy and language in Chinese children in Hong Kong. Parent-child communication is identified as a primary factor that improves children’s literacy.

How Reading Books Fosters Language Development around the World

How Reading Books Fosters Language Development around the World

Child Development Research, 2012

This article reviews research on the connections between language and later reading, environmental factors associated with language learning, and interventions developed in varied countries for encouraging book use by parents of young children.

Identifying the Essential Ingredients to Literacy and Numeracy Improvement: Teacher Professional Development and Coaching, Student textbooks, and Structured Teachers’ Guides.

Identifying the Essential Ingredients to Literacy and Numeracy Improvement: Teacher Professional Development and Coaching, Student textbooks, and Structured Teachers’ Guides.

World Development, 2018

This piece documents the Kenya Primary Math and Reading Initiative, a randomized controlled trial that evaluated the benefits of (1) teacher PD and teacher instructional support and coaching; (2) revised student books in literacy and numeracy, at a 1:1 ratio, added to PD and instructional support; and (3) structured teacher lesson plans added to student books, PD, and instructional support.

Realizing the Future of Learning: From Learning Poverty to Learning for Everyone, Everywhere

Realizing the Future of Learning: From Learning Poverty to Learning for Everyone, Everywhere

World Bank Group 2020

GBA partner the World Bank recently released a report. In it, the authors describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities which they called a “crisis within a crisis,” because of the sharp increase in students now living in “learning poverty,” that is, without school and/or appropriate learning experiences.

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Zambia - Can Financial Incentives Improve the Last-Mile Delivery of Textbooks?

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Zambia - Can Financial Incentives Improve the Last-Mile Delivery of Textbooks?

REACH - World Bank Group 2020

This study examined how financial incentives to district offices and schools impacted the distribution and availably of textbooks at schools.

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Cambodia - Can Transparency and Incentives for Community Participation Increase the Supply of Textbooks to Schools?

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Cambodia - Can Transparency and Incentives for Community Participation Increase the Supply of Textbooks to Schools?

REACH - World Bank Group 2020

In the brief, authors detail a Track and Trace intervention designed to address various weaknesses in the book supply chain in Cambodia.

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Bangladesh - Can Incentives for Community Authors Reduce Shortages in Minority Language Reading Materials?

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Bangladesh - Can Incentives for Community Authors Reduce Shortages in Minority Language Reading Materials?

REACH - World Bank Group 2020

The project piloted a competition for community development of supplemental reading materials in underserved minority languages in Bangladesh.

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Track and Trace : Can a Digital Book Tracking System Help to Get Books into the Hands of Children?

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Track and Trace : Can a Digital Book Tracking System Help to Get Books into the Hands of Children?

REACH - World Bank Group 2020

This note presents an overview of the challenges faced by many countries in distribution of books, and describes the main features of a Track and Trace system and how it addressed some of those challenges.

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Democratic Republic of Congo: Can Incentives to Take Home Textbooks

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Democratic Republic of Congo: Can Incentives to Take Home Textbooks

REACH - World Bank Group 2019

The Results in Education for All Children (REACH) Trust Fund at the World Bank funded an evaluation that measured the effectiveness of both financial and non-financial incentives at the student, classroom, and school levels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Experience of Soma Book Café in Facilitating Children’s Creativity

The Experience of Soma Book Café in Facilitating Children’s Creativity

Soma Book Cafe 2020

Soma Book Café is a readership promotion space and innovative co-creation hub for literary expression and multimedia storytelling approaches. This case study looks at how the organization Soma contributes to the creation of a reading culture by promoting reading for pleasure and literary expression, and how Soma has become a hub for readership-related information and a center of literary activities.

Good Stories Don’t Grow on Trees: a Guide to Effective Costing of Storybooks in the Global South

Good Stories Don’t Grow on Trees: a Guide to Effective Costing of Storybooks in the Global South

Early Literacy Resource Network 2019

This research aims to raise awareness of the various costs that go into producing and translating storybooks and of the relationship between investment and quality. It also serves to illustrate emerging business models for local organizations creating content using open licensing that funders and governments might wish to fund to support effective early literacy acquisition in developing countries.

Getting Textbooks to Every Child in Sub-Saharan Africa: Strategies for Addressing the High Cost and Low Availability Problem

Getting Textbooks to Every Child in Sub-Saharan Africa: Strategies for Addressing the High Cost and Low Availability Problem

World Bank Group 2015

This report focuses on cost and financing barriers to textbook provision in sub-Saharan Africa. It explores, in depth, the cost and financial barriers that restrict textbook availability in schools across much of the region. It also examines policies adopted in India, the Philippines, and Vietnam that have helped these countries make textbooks affordable and available for all children. Finally, the study provides a thorough assessment of the pros and cons of digital teaching and learning materials and cautions against the assumption that they can immediately replace printed textbooks.