Lloyd Jones, whose "Mister Pip" sold 300,000 copies in Britain after it reached the Booker shortlist, is hoping to arouse similar enthusiasm for his venture in support of the real-life inhabitants of the island where his novel was set.
His Bougainville Library Trust has already made links with local people to help them plan, build, stock and fundraise for a community library (click here) – Jones calls it a "temple for story" – in Arawa, the largest settlement on Bougainville, an autonomous island that is within the political fold of Papua New Guinea.
Also planned is a cultural centre to house field notes from visiting scholars and historical materials from institutions around the region.
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