Mangaluru: The Johnlyn Toy Exchange and Book Bank was relaunched on July 15, in its new avatar as Johnlyn Toy and Book Exchange at a well-attended function at Johnlyn Cottage, Bondel, Mangaluru. In its new avatar, the original book (borrowing) bank programme is now converted into a book exchange with a tie-up with the libraries of four local educational institutions.
Originally launched in January 2018, the initiative was meant to secure toys and books from those who have and no longer need them for distribution of toys among the have-nots; books were meant to be banked into a free library without any deposit or any charge for borrowing.
While the toys part of the project runs as per plan and covered about 200 children in Bal Bhavan, orphanage, etc, in Mangalore, the book library, despite receiving over 2700 publications, didn’t take off as planned.
Accordingly, the project was reviewed and re-oriented, whereby the newly renamed Johnlyn Toy and Book Exchange will now distribute the donated books among four libraries of local educational institutions.
The reoriented project was launched on the sidelines of a function to mark the 80th birthday of John B Monteiro, the chief promoter of the twin toy and book project. Dr George Rodrigues, Chief Librarian of St Aloysius College Library, presented token book hampers to the librarians of St Lawrence English Medium High School, MGC PU College, Besant Institute of PG Studies, all from Bondel, and St Joseph’s Engineering College, Vamanjoor, not far from Bondel.
The token presentation will be followed by a bulk consignment of books already received and as and when additional stocks of books are received. These will be delivered to the educational institutions by Johnlyn Toy & Book Exchange without them having to visit Johnlyn Cottage to collect them.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the function, Mohan Monteiro and Primrose Monteiro-D’Souza, co-founders of Johnlyn Toy & Book Exchange, appealed to people to donate their out-of-use toys and books, so that they can be channelled to poor and deserving children and to reinforce the stock of local libraries.
For further details: +91 – 98862 76608
