Book Drive for the Maldives Science Society
SAPF has teamed up with Astro Book Drive, a new organization based in Sri Lanka, to collect books and other materials on astronomy and related fields for the Maldives Science Society. The materials will be donated to schools and libraries throughout the Maldives, a small island nation in South Asia. From September through December 2010 we collected over 500 books, magazines, DVDs, posters and other educational science materials for both children and adults.
The majority of these materials are books on astronomy, space and
related fields, and the rest cover a wide variety of other natural science
topics. Highlights of the collection include:
Popular science bestsellers by notable authors such as
Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan, Simon Singh and others
Textbooks, both university-level and for children
Science picture books for children
Scientific reference books
Star-gazing night sky guides
How-to books featuring simple science experiments with easily
obtainable materials
Biographies of famous scientists
Wacky science activity books by John Cassidy of San
Francisco's renowned science museum The Exploratorium
Large-format "coffee table" books with gorgeous photographs
from space
This book drive is the first effort of it's kind in the Maldives and it is estimated that thousands of people will benefit from gaining access to these books about science, which can stir readers towards a better understanding of nature as well as foster improved critical thinking skills. MSS will distribute the materials such that schools and libraries with the greatest need will be given priority. MSS will also conduct workshops to help teachers and educators make the best use of the donated materials as well as make them available to as many people as possible.
Many thanks to everyone who donated books, boxes and packing materials. Thanks also to the Friends of the Palo Alto Library, who for many years have provided free used books to non-profit organizations.
We're currently arranging shipping for the whole collection and will soon be sending everything off to MSS. We'll post updates as things progress.
Our Partners
Astro Book Drive works to
improve astronomy education in developing countries by sharing resources.
Developing nations have numerous astronomy clubs and science associations
aiming to popularize astronomy among students and the public. The
enthusiasm of these groups is great but they are hindered by a lack of
resources to conduct programs. Astro Book Drive coordinates efforts to get
unneeded and unused materials in developed countries to people for whom
they will make a big difference.
The Maldives Science
Society is the first and only independent organization promoting
science in the Maldives. The goals of MSS are to foster enthusiasm for
science and technology, disseminate scientific ideas to citizens of the
Maldives, increase scientific awareness and critical thinking skills, and
create an environment for scientific creativity, research and discovery in
the Maldives. MSS has already held various activities such as hosting
talks and films on scientific topics, reaching out to youth groups, and
arranging a viewing of the longest lasting annular solar
eclipse of this millenium, which occurred on January 15, 2010 and had
its point of greatest eclipse just a few miles west of the country in the
Indian Ocean.