Judith’s Reading Room is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 2010 to enrich lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy.
With South Africa, Judith’s Reading Room Expands to 27 Nations
June 25, 2025 — Judith’s Reading Room, a global nonprofit literacy organization, founded in 2010 in the memory of Judith F. Krug, a distinguished American librarian and cousin to its founders, today inaugurated its 113th library as it expanded geographically to its 27th country — South Africa. Over the course of a decade, Judith’s Reading Room has established libraries in 7 African nations.
Vhulakanjhani Primary School, located in Malubana Village, Nkambako, Limpopo Province, serves approximately 900 students in grades R-7 (ages 5-13). The school is in a rural part of Limpopo that depends largely on farming fruits, vegetables, animals and timber. There is high unemployment and while the school is under-resourced, the teachers and students are dedicated and enthusiastic.
Judith’s Reading Room Donates Library to Jane Goodall Institute in Nepal
June 19, 2025 — Hundreds of children in one of the poorest communities in rural Nepal joined Judith’s Reading Room — a global literacy nonprofit based in eastern Pennsylvania — today as it dedicated its 112th library in its 26th country — Nepal.
Mee Wah Tan (recipient of Judith’s Reading Room’s ‘Outstanding Service Award’) — she is on the left. Ms. Shristi Singh Bhandari, Executive Director, Jane Goodall Institute Nepal is on the right.
In collaboration with Jane Goodall Institute Nepal (JGIN), the 112th Judith’s Reading Room library was inaugurated today at Janata Adharbhut Primary School which now boasts its first-ever library with 578 children’s books in English that were purchased locally with $2,000 provided by Judith’s Reading Room. “There are 400 students in grades 4-7 who call this school their center of knowledge, yet the children who hail from one of the poorest communities of the region do not have access to books that go beyond their school curriculum,” according to Shristi Singh Bhandari, Executive Director, JGIN.
First-ever Tribal Community Library on Navajo Reservation, Chinle, AZ
June 12, 2025 — Judith’s Reading Room announced today that it will establish a curated library of exceptional literature written or illustrated by Indigenous people — mainly Navajo but also including dozens of enrolled citizens from tribes across the United States. The inauguration of the Judith’s Reading Room library to serve the 128,000 Navajo people will establish its first-ever Tribal Community Library in Chinle, AZ.
Chinle Planting Hope (CPH), a local Arizona nonprofit, was selected as one of 15 libraries to be dedicated as a part of the organization’s “15 Libraries to Celebrate Our 15th Anniversary in 2025.” Judith’s Reading Room has supported CHP since 2020 by donating 500 children’s books for its READ in Beauty Bookmobile.
To Date: 113 Judith’s Reading Room libraries in 27 countries with 134,846 books donated with a cover price value of $1,448,582!
The Freedom Through Literacy Award celebrates a decade of honoring incredible champions of literacy. To date, the award has disbursed $58,600 to winners hailing from 18 countries: Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Greece, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, South Africa, the U.S.A. and Zimbabwe. Winners from the U.S.A. come from 11 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.