Our process consists of eight steps to ensure a smooth and effective library build.
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Selection
We evaluate a school’s suitability for a KEY Library based on need, infrastructure, leadership commitment, community engagement, and anticipated social return on investment (ROI), prioritizing those with the readiness and capacity to ensure students gain the greatest benefit from the library investment.
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Engage
We collaborate with school boards, teachers, families, and local leaders, formalizing partnerships that safeguard resources and ensure responsible data use. To introduce the concept and value of a library, we provide 150 books upfront, allowing communities to experience its impact and prepare for the full model.
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Collaborate
By immersing ourselves in schools and their wider communities, we co-create libraries that reflect local needs, culture, and aspirations.,
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Empower
Each KEY Library is governed by a bespoke Library Constitution, developed by KEY with student input and grounded in the country’s Constitution. Through it, students serve on an elected Library Council, practicing stewardship and democratic values of equality, freedom, and responsible choice in how the library is used and managed.
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Build
The library space is refurbished or built anew. A minimum of 1,500 books, and a library management system are provided. Technology is installed and accessories and furniture are arranged.
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Train & Integrate
We train librarians and students to use digital resources and manage the library effectively, while teachers are equipped to integrate these resources into teaching and professional development, ensuring they can better support students’ needs and interests.
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Connect
Teachers, parents, students, local leaders, and the wider community are invited to explore the library, discover book categories, and engage with interactive tools, games, and educational displays. This builds familiarity, pride, and a sense of shared ownership, ensuring the library truly belongs to the community it serves.
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Transform
KEY stays in touch, tracking each library’s usage, borrowings, and programs. Transformation is seen in how educators, parents, and the wider community use library resources for their own needs, alongside student benefits in reading, digital literacy, psychosocial growth, personal development, and civic learning (knowledge of rights, responsibilities, and participation).