Students select books at the Future Bookshelf, which was launched in Deyu village, Sichuan province to improve access to books among local children. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

Ninghai county in Ningbo, Zhejiang province built a "Future Bookshelf" in Deyu village, an impoverished village in Sichuan, on April 17 in an effort to increase access to books among local children.

Deyu village is the first village in Puge county, Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture to launch the bookshelf.

Puge county was paired with Ninghai county under the east-west poverty relief program by the central government, which sees more prosperous provinces and municipalities in East China lend support to underdeveloped regions in the country.

"We found that many left-behind children live in the county," said Wei Xucan, an official from Ninghai supporting Puge county, "But they lack access to books."

To provide more books to children in the county, a book donation activity was held in Ninghai, during which Ninghai residents donated nearly 1,000 books.

One resident donated 2,000 yuan ($313), which will be spent on books for the children.

The first batch of book donations have been delivered to Deyu village and put on the Future Bookshelf.

"I can read books every day at the Future Bookshelf," said Jimu Cicong, a primary school student, excitedly.