Rotary donation lifts Labasa library collection

The only public library in Labasa Town has received a boost with 500 books donated by the Rotary Club of Labasa to support children and adults during the school holidays.

Labasa Town Council Special Administrator Samuela Ligairi thanked the club for supporting improved library services.

“We understand that many working parents are struggling to look after their children during the school holidays, while some want them to read more to improve their English marks,” Mr Ligairi said.

“With the council library open six days a week, we also hope to see more adults use the services to stay updated with news in Fiji and around the world.”

Rotary Club of Labasa president Amelia Simmons said the handover reflected Rotary’s commitment to supporting literacy for all age groups.

The donation marks the successful completion of the first phase of the Book It Forward project.

The initiative was delivered through a partnership with Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) and the North Lake Mac Satellite Rotary Club in Australia, whose support enabled the shipment of four pallets of books to Fiji.

While the initial phase focused on distributing children’s books to rural primary and kindergarten schools across Macuata and Bua, the final component allocated adult titles to the Labasa Town Council library for the wider community.

The donation is expected to strengthen the library’s collection and provide residents, students, professionals and senior readers with greater access to educational, recreational and lifelong learning resources.

“Literacy and learning should be accessible to everyone, and we are proud to support our community through this contribution,” Ms Simmons said.

The Rotary Club of Labasa also acknowledged support from its Australian Rotary partners, the Ministry of Education, local volunteers and community stakeholders involved in the distribution.

Ms Simmons said the Book It Forward project continues to demonstrate the power of collaboration in promoting education, literacy and community development across the North.