New Library Dedicated in Harry Lerner’s Honor: “Never Enough Books”
Last week, Adam Lerner, CEO and Publisher of Lerner Publishing Group, visited Mashati Secondary School in the Rombo District of the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. In this school, students receive books from the Books for Africa program. Because of the Lerner family’s generosity to the program, they are building a new school library in honor of Harry Lerner, founder of Lerner Publishing Group.
Adam and Maryann Lerner visit the classroom of Mashati Secondary School.
From left to right: Maryann Lerner, Adam Lerner, Salome Msuya Elias, and Jocoa Kerschen. Photo credit: Seón Tromble.
Books for Africa is the “largest shipper of donated text and library books to the African continent, shipping over 64 million books to all 55 countries on the African continent since 1988.” Through the generosity of donors, they provide texts that empower children and students across Africa to become lifelong readers.
This mission was near and dear to the late Harry Lerner as he sought to promote reading everywhere he went. Lerner Publishing Group has maintained a long-standing relationship with Books for Africa to see the shared vision realized for all young readers.
From left to right: Salome Msuya Elias, Adam Lerner, Maryann Lerner, and Jocoa Kerschen. Photo credit: Seón Tromble.
Upon Harry’s passing earlier this year, donations were made in his honor which made the building of the Harry J. Lerner Library possible. Now the library’s construction is underway and awaiting the shipment of books. Adam Lerner, son of Harry Lerner, and his wife Maryann visited the building site and the Mashati Secondary School to see the progress being made. Along the way they met some of the individuals who made the project possible including David Deogratius Kimario, Salome Msuya Elias, Johansen Ernest Muchwampaka, Jocoa Kerschen, and Madelynn Fontana.
Salome Msuya Elias and Johansen Ernest Muchwampaka are academic teachers at the Mashati Secondary School, while David Deogratius Kimario is a volunteer teacher. Jocoa Kerschen is the local Books for Africa captain and a Peace Corps volunteer at the school.
A plaque (pictured below) with Harry’s picture will hang in the library as a way to honor his legacy. This plaque reads “Harry J. Lerner Memorial Library, Rombo, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Est. 2025. ‘Never Enough Books.'”
From left to right: David Deogratius Kimario, Salome Msuya Elias, Adam Lerner, Maryann Lerner, Johansen Ernest Muchwampaka, Jocoa Kerschen, and Madelynn Fontana. Photo credit: Seón Tromble.
From left to right: David Deogratius Kimario, Salome Msuya Elias, Adam Lerner, Maryann Lerner, Johansen Ernest Muchwampaka, Jocoa Kerschen, and Madelynn Fontana. Photo credit: Seón Tromble.
To learn more about Lerner’s partnership with Books for Africa, read these blog posts!
Comments