Books are heavy. If you’ve ever tried to move house with a dozen boxes of hardcovers, you know exactly what I mean. But for millions of people living in the most remote corners of the planet, the weight of a book isn't the problem—it's the distance. When the nearest library is three days away by foot across a desert or buried behind a mountain range, you don't wait for the readers to come to the books. You put the books on a camel.
Honestly, the book My Librarian Is a Camel by Margriet Ruurs is one of those rare children's titles that adults need to read too. It isn't just a cute story; it’s a factual deep dive into the diverse, often grueling ways that literacy is spread globally. From the "Biblioburro" in Colombia to the camel libraries of Kenya, the reality of global book delivery is way more creative than our local suburban branch with its climate control and automated return slots.
Why the Camel Library Actually Exists
The Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) didn't just wake up one day and decide to use dromedaries for fun. In the Garissa region, the terrain is unforgiving. We’re talking about nomadic populations that move with their herds. Roads are basically non-existent or completely impassable for motorized vehicles.
Camels are the perfect solution. They can carry heavy loads—upwards of 400 pounds of books and camping gear—and they don't care about the heat. A "library" here usually consists of two wooden boxes strapped to a camel's back, a tent, and a librarian who is also, essentially, a desert survivalist. When the camel arrives at a settlement, the boxes are lowered, the tent is pitched, and suddenly, the desert has a reading room.
It’s easy to romanticize this, but it’s hard work. The librarians often travel in caravans for safety. They deal with extreme dehydration and the constant threat of bandits or predators. Yet, the impact is massive. For kids in these regions, the arrival of the camel is the highlight of the month. It's their only link to the world outside the scrubland.
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Beyond the Camel: Boats, Donkeys, and Elephants
If you think camels are the only odd way to move a library, you’re mistaken. Margriet Ruurs highlights several other "mobile libraries" that sound like something out of a Wes Anderson movie but are strictly functional necessities.
The Biblioburro of Colombia
In Colombia, a man named Luis Soriano famously started his own mobile library with two donkeys, Alfa and Beto. Soriano noticed that many children in rural areas had zero access to books because of the ongoing civil conflict and extreme poverty. He loaded his donkeys with books and rode for hours through hills and valleys. He didn't just drop off books; he sat down and read to the kids, helping them with homework. This wasn't a government program at first—it was just one guy with a huge heart and two stubborn donkeys.
Thailand’s Elephant Library
Deep in the mountains of Northern Thailand, some villages are so isolated that even a 4x4 truck can't get there during the rainy season. The solution? Elephants. The Chiang Mai Provincial Non-Formal Education Center used elephants to carry books, slates, and even satellite dishes to tribal villages. These "books-on-elephants" projects provided literacy training to people who had never seen a printed page in their native dialect.
The Boat Libraries of Laos and Norway
Water is often the only highway. In Laos, "Book Boats" travel the Mekong River, stopping at riverside villages where children wait on the banks. In Norway, the Epos (a massive library ship) has been sailing the fjords for decades. It carries thousands of volumes and even hosts musicians and actors to perform for the residents of tiny fishing hamlets. It’s a floating cultural center that serves people who would otherwise be cut off by snow-blocked mountain passes for half the year.
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The Reality of Literacy in the 2020s
We live in a world where you can download a million books onto a Kindle in thirty seconds. It feels like the "My Librarian Is a Camel" era should be over, right?
Wrong.
The digital divide is getting wider, not narrower. While high-speed internet is a given in urban centers, rural infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Southeast Asia, and South America hasn't caught up. Even when tablets are donated, they require electricity and technical support. A physical book doesn't need a battery. It doesn't need a firmware update.
This is why physical mobile libraries remain vital. According to UNESCO, literacy rates have risen globally, but there are still over 700 million adults who cannot read or write. Access is the primary barrier. When a camel or a donkey brings a book, it’s not just providing entertainment; it’s providing a tool for economic survival.
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Challenges Nobody Talks About
Running a camel library isn't just about the animals. It's a logistical nightmare.
- Book Damage: Books don't like dust. They don't like humidity. In the back of a camel box, pages get brittle and bindings crack.
- Funding: These programs are often the first to be cut when government budgets get tight. They rely heavily on NGOs and private donations.
- Language Barriers: In places like Kenya or Thailand, the books provided are often in the national language (like English, Swahili, or Thai), which might not be the primary language spoken in the nomadic or tribal home.
- Sustainability: What happens when the camel gets old? Who trains the next generation of "animal librarians"?
Despite these hurdles, the success rates of these programs are staggering. When people have access to books, community health improves, agricultural yields go up (thanks to manuals on better farming techniques), and children are more likely to stay in school.
How to Support Global Literacy Efforts
If you’re moved by the idea of a camel-riding librarian, you don't have to fly to Kenya to help. Several organizations are doing the heavy lifting to keep these "animal-powered" libraries going.
- Support the KNLS: The Kenya National Library Service accepts donations specifically for their camel library branches.
- Room to Read: This organization focuses on literacy and gender equality in education across Asia and Africa. They build libraries and publish books in local languages.
- The Biblioburro Project: You can still support the work started by Luis Soriano in Colombia, which has grown into a much larger community movement.
- Donate Quality Books: If you're donating, make sure they are culturally relevant and in good condition. Sending a textbook from 1985 about American geography isn't helpful to a kid in a rural Thai village.
The takeaway here is simple: access to information is a human right, but it's a right that requires incredible effort to uphold. Whether it's a van in Ohio or a camel in Garissa, the goal is the same. We take for granted the rows of shelves at our local library, but for some, the sound of camel bells is the sound of an education arriving.
Actionable Steps for Readers
If you want to dive deeper or make an actual impact, start here:
- Read the Source Material: Pick up a copy of My Librarian Is a Camel by Margriet Ruurs. It’s categorized as a children’s book, but the photography and geographical data are stellar for any age.
- Audit Your Local Library: See if your local branch has a "Bookmobile" program. Many do, and they often serve underprivileged neighborhoods or senior centers. They always need volunteers or advocacy during budget season.
- Direct Donation: Look into the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). they provide resources and networking for mobile libraries worldwide.
- Host a Book Drive: Instead of just getting rid of old books, coordinate with an organization like Books for Africa or Better World Books to ensure they end up where they are actually needed.