BIRBA: A Library for the elementary school children of Assisi, established and run by parents, creates a space within schools which is not academic, and promotes a view of reading, not as studying, but as a journey of discovery and delight, which BIRBA affirms is an essential part of the true education and healthy development of every child.

December, 2003. A small group of parents knock on the door of the office of the Headmistress at the Saint Anthony Primary school in Assisi.
Their goal? To be given a space within the school where they can create and run a library which children will feel is their own, and which will delight them and inspire them to read.

The request is met with enthusiasm and a decisive full steam ahead!
And so, thanks to the generosity of a sponsor and small contributions from almost all the parents of the school (Birba suggests from 1 to 5 euros per child), BIRBA with its first 300 hundred books is soon installed in part of an attic space full of nooks and crannies on the school's third floor.
The children, too are enthusiastic. More and more come to the little library each week and, by doing so, confirm the importance and value of the project.

But Birba is, at the start, an after-school program; as a result many of Sant Antonio's students are not able to borrow books, nor to come to the party celebrating reading Birba has become. The space, entirely decorated and furnished by the parents, from the carpentry and painting of the bookshelves and the sewing of cushions and curtains in gay fabrics to the cataloguing and organizing of an ever-growing number of books – is big, sunny, and joyful and perfectly scaled to make to its little readers feel at home. So parents and teachers decide together that BIRBA should be opened Saturday mornings and become a part of the school week for everyone.

And so the party continues!
Stories are read and performed both in English and Italian and the first Birba chi legge - The Wonderful Mischief of Reading Festival is organized – stories are read and performed outdoors in Assisi's squares and lanes all day long.
The whole city is invited!

In 2006 Birba is recognized by the Region of Umbria as a cultural association made up of volunteers. From this moment on, the Birba Project to promote reading becomes an official part of the School's academic offerings.

The collaboration between parents and teachers intensifies.
Birba, with its constantly-updated knowledge of children's literature, its experience in reading aloud and performing stories as well as organizing encounters between the children and well-known, much-beloved authors, becomes an important resource and precious reference point for the school. The teachers are overjoyed to see that their little pupils are beginning to read more and with more gusto!

Today, BIRBA has more than a hundred members who lend support – parents, grandparents, older brothers and sisters and friends. It houses more than 4000 books as well as approximately 300 books in English.
An average of 120 students come to the library each week, pleased to be able to take books home to read by themselves or with their families.
The readings performed each week are met with great enthusiasm; the books of the week are hotly contested; everyone wants to borrow one so that they can reread it or read the rest of the chapters at home.

We are looking for friends who can share our passion for and love of books and reading.

You can decide to support us in many different ways, first of all, by becoming a member. If you like, you can request your membership card by e-mail or by filling out our contacts form!