June 23, 2008

Dear friends and supporters,

The bookmobile for Granma is ready to leave for its final destination of “1868 Provincial Library,” in Granma Province, City of Bayamo, Cuba. The bookmobile has been closely inspected and repaired by very good mechanics who knew how far it had to travel. It is in tip top shape. Of course, it is an older vehicle and things happen. We are excited that this trip and the entire caravan will be successful.

Dana will leave in the Bookmobile tomorrow, Tuesday June 24,^th headed first to McAllen Texas where we will rendezvous with the Pastors for Peace caravans. After the border crossing, we will continue on down to Tampico, Mexico where volunteer Mexican longshoreman will load everything on a ship that will dock several weeks later in Havana.

We want to offer our humble thanks to all the many people who assisted us with this project through generous financial backing, fabulous book donations, and tremendous emotional support.

Without the strength and support all of you, this project would not have been so exciting, so colorful, so meaningful or so successful. We are deeply touched by everyone who has contributed to this project and to expanding the links between librarians and readers in the United States and Cuba. We are all one big user community enriched by our mutual sharing and common dreams of literacy, education and creativity supported by libraries and other intellectual institutions.

With love and warm regards,

Dana Lubow

Ben White

Rhonda Neugebauer