HSBC Bank (Viet Nam) Ltd and BaoViet Holdings Insurance Corp (Bao Viet) have launched a VND1.5 billion (US$769,000) mobile-library project for primary school pupils and disadvantaged youngsters in Da Nang.

The mobile library programme is a Global Village Foundation initiative that gives thousands of students and teachers a chance to appreciate the fun and intellectual benefits of reading.

It also aims to teach library science and book care, and improve children’s aptitude and appetite for learning.

The project is administered by the foundation in co-operation with the Da Nang Department of Education and Training.

At least 136 schools will receive a mobile library over a period of three years from the start of the 2010-11 school year.

Around 58,000 students across eight districts in Da Nang will benefit from the scheme.

One library containing 275 books o­n a variety of subjects, including Vietnamese literature, culture, encyclopaedias and fun reading materials will be delivered to each school reading hall, and will be open to children aged 12 years or younger.

Every semester, each set of library books will be rotated to another school so that every school will have access to four different sets of library books over a two-year period.