About Us
Library For all exists to unlock knowledge, by building a digital library for the developing world.
Our mission is to be a conduit for knowledge, providing tools for individuals to learn, dream and aspire to lift themselves out of poverty, transforming families, communities and nations.
We are bringing together publishers, NGO partners and technology partners around the world to provide those living in poverty with free access to a digital library full of content.
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The Problem: the "knowledge gap"
According to the World Bank, there are 2.4 billion people living on less than $2 per day in our world right now -more than 35% of the global population. To address the issue of global poverty, billions of dollars have been spent in aid to developing nations, with some success. But the fundamental reasons for poverty remain - poor countries do not have access to the basic building blocks of development that they need to compete in the global economy in ways that could help spur growth and lift the population out of poverty.
In this context, the "knowledge gap" is one of the factors in the persistence of poverty in developing nations. In the past two decades we have seen an enormous increase in the world's knowledge production. At the same time, the economic significance of knowledge has also increased. Without access to knowledge, those living in poverty are becoming even further marginalized from the global economy, increasing the knowledge gap and slowing poverty reduction efforts.
The good news is that access to new knowledge and technology has great potential for improving living conditions and income potential for the poor. There are many organizations that are already working towards this goal. The distribution mechanisms already exist. The content is available.
The Opportunity: a Global Knowledge Partnership
The good news is that access to new knowledge and technology has great potential for improving living conditions and income potential for the poor. There are many organizations that are already working towards this goal. The distribution mechanisms already exist. The content is available.
We now have an opportunity to build a global knowledge partnership, providing free access to knowledge for the world's poorest people.
This partnership will have a profound, transformative impact on the developing world. Closing the "knowledge gap" gives those living in poverty the agency to make informed decisions about their lives, communities and nation. Besides higher incomes that are the proven outcomes of educational attainment, access to knowledge can improve people's lives in a number of ways:
- Stories can spark the imagination, and bring hope for a better future
- Knowledge about nutrition can lead to improved health, even for those with little to spend on food
- Information about family planning can give women and girls greater control with respect to their life choices
- Greater knowledge about public policy and decision-making enables citizens to hold their political leaders to account
- A higher quality of education leads to a more skilled and innovative labor force
