Open Book in Phnom Penh

Post date: Feb 25, 2011 6:28:53 AM

Open Book (Au Livre Ouvert in the original French -- just ask Google to translate the page for you), an open library (Reading Room) for children in Phnom Penh, is the project of Catherine Cousins, who lives in Singapore now.

Catherine works closely with picture book author Frederick Lipp (The Caged Birds of Phnom Penh, and Running Shoes) and publishes his books in Khmer and French. (See also his charity - Cambodian Arts & Scholarship Foundation.)

Here is a recent message from her in response to Stacey asking her about projects we might get involved in:

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I would be very happy to meet with you to speak about librarian network and while I was in Phnom Penh I thought of different possibilities.

One of them is IBBY cambodia which is just now beiing created.Do you know this association in other countries?

I also came back with photos of open book 1. and now there is also an open book 2 (too...) in a poorer area of phnom penh. I was there saturday and took photos thinking of you.

In both place the staff could use training ... ( they could sleep at my apartment...). We are also in need of materials like book shelves at open book 2.

I am also in contact with libraries in cambodian jails and small country side libraries who are in need of books but they want them in Khmer language. The organisation SIPAR has been publishing very good ones.

PS: One new book from fred lipp will be very soon out : CHALK.