Print Article
African Scientologists have now completed the first phase of a massive project to place some 27,000 Scientology and Dianetics books by L. Ron Hubbard on library shelves throughout their continent.
The inspiration for the project was last June's release by Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center, of definitive editions of 18 titles by L. Ron Hubbard.
While Scientologists from around the world have been raising the funds to get copies of these books, usually referred to by Scientologists as "the Basics", into libraries, African Scientologists were the first to have completed the fund raising phase of the project.
In June 2008, the first shipment of 1000 sets of the 18 basic books were flown into Johannesburg, South Africa. A 40-foot truck pulled up to the Bridge Publications warehouse in that city. "In the next few weeks 1500 libraries will receive these basic books," said Ryan Hogarth, President of the Church of Scientology of Johannesburg, South Africa, who explained this is an important part of a program to make information on Scientology available to everyone in Africa.
Mike Eenkhoorn, who is in Johannesburg coordinating this project for Bridge Publications, described how teams of volunteers are contributing to the next phase of this activity. "We've got teams all over South Africa organized up to get the books delivered to libraries, track the books through receipt at the library, through cataloging and all the way until the books are actually on the shelves available for public to check them out. And these guys are really moving," said Eenkhoorn. "But this is really only the beginning. We'll be launching promotions in various libraries. We are forming up book clubs and setting up reading nights and book seminars, in all areas where we have churches, missions or groups."
The inspiration for the project was last June's release by Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center, of definitive editions of 18 titles by L. Ron Hubbard.
While Scientologists from around the world have been raising the funds to get copies of these books, usually referred to by Scientologists as "the Basics", into libraries, African Scientologists were the first to have completed the fund raising phase of the project.
In June 2008, the first shipment of 1000 sets of the 18 basic books were flown into Johannesburg, South Africa. A 40-foot truck pulled up to the Bridge Publications warehouse in that city. "In the next few weeks 1500 libraries will receive these basic books," said Ryan Hogarth, President of the Church of Scientology of Johannesburg, South Africa, who explained this is an important part of a program to make information on Scientology available to everyone in Africa.
Mike Eenkhoorn, who is in Johannesburg coordinating this project for Bridge Publications, described how teams of volunteers are contributing to the next phase of this activity. "We've got teams all over South Africa organized up to get the books delivered to libraries, track the books through receipt at the library, through cataloging and all the way until the books are actually on the shelves available for public to check them out. And these guys are really moving," said Eenkhoorn. "But this is really only the beginning. We'll be launching promotions in various libraries. We are forming up book clubs and setting up reading nights and book seminars, in all areas where we have churches, missions or groups."
view author's RSS feed
