Santiphab High School, Luang Prabang

With more than 3,500 students, some coming from remote villages and living on their own to continue their education, this library is important.


Boys studyingSantiphab is the only High School in Luang Prabang. In addition to serving the town and countryside it is home (complete with dormitory) for the 30 brightest students in math and literature in each grade from the entirety of northern Laos. Many of those students have served as library volunteers and last year they wrote a bilingual book about why they love the library.

Boy using the libraryWe’ve recently added an Xtenda computer system where 4 monitors and keyboards share a single processor. The students love it because now they can access their typing accounts or documents from any page, and for us it represents savings in both cost and maintenance time!

Every year we work to make the library better. In 2003 we installed electricity with lights and fans and security and hired librarians. The library is now open 6 days a week, 9 hours a day and 5 evenings. Since then we have installed listening stations and computers.

Somsouk the main librarianSomsouk is the main librarian. ideal for the job with his love of study and students. As a library user when he was a novice, at Wat Sop library in Luang Prabang (the first Language Project library) he understands the importance of books, especially the right books.

Sometimes the library is so crowded it is hard to find a seat or the checkout desk.

Students reading whilst standing Crowded library