Jifna was the first library we opened, in 2007.  The village is home to 2,000 people, both Christians and Muslims.  The Jifna Women Charitable Society manages the library in the municipal building, which also houses a meeting space, general clinic and a dental office.  When it was first opened, many villagers were skeptical that children would willingly come to a library to read after school.  But they were pleasantly surprised!  In fact, so many children come to study, read, or receive help with their homework that the room is overflowing.  The children are spreading out into the hallway and meeting room, sitting on the floor.  In conjunction with village leaders, the women's society has decided to move the library to a larger, more accessible room in the Roman Catholic church, which is also the location of the village school. 

The library in Kufor Ni’meh, home to around 4,000 people, created a program which is the first of its kind in Palestine, called “My Father Reads to Me.”  They wanted to get the parents involved in the library so that the children would be more inclined to come.  The first person to read was the village mayor, followed on a regular basis by other father s in the village.  The program is a hit and will hopefully be replicated in our other libraries. 

This refugee camp is part of the Al-Itihhad municipality, with a population of 11,000 people in the 3 villages and the camp.  The library is in a community center.   When the books were delivered to the library, many children volunteered to help unpack the boxes and organize the books.  The only problem was that they found the books so interesting that after a few minutes, they were all sitting down reading!  The librarian couldn’t get the kids to put their books down to help, so she sent them home until the library was ready.  Since it has been opened, the small room in the community center is full every day, with children, and even a few adults, reading and participating in programs.

The library in Al-Mizra’a Al-Sharqiyyeh, our newest library, is entirely supported by a generous donation from Mrs. Colleen Jersild. This support is in memory of her father, Clyde M. Campbell. Although it is not completed yet, it is our biggest and most well-equipped library.  Children have been going in and out looking at and reading books standing up while workers are installing rugs and furniture. A Palestinian woman who grew up in America but now lives in that village said: “Since I moved back, I have been hoping for something as wonderful as a library.”