East End Library Gets New Name Honouring Literacy Pioneer

The East End Public Library will take the name of H. Lynden Smith, an educator whose decades of work advancing reading and literacy across the Virgin Islands prompted the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports to rename the facility in her honour.

The Ministry made the announcement during Reading Is Fun Week 2026, held from October 5 to 9 under the theme "Read More, Know More." Mrs. Smith founded both Reading Is Fun Week and the BVI Reading Council, two initiatives that have brought together schools throughout the Territory to celebrate books and reading.

Education Minister Sharie B. de Castro said the decision reflects Mrs. Smith's lasting impact on the Territory's approach to learning. "It is fitting that a public library, a place dedicated to knowledge, exploration, and lifelong learning, will carry her name," the Minister said. "Through this honour, we celebrate her service and preserve her legacy in a space where that work can continue to inspire our community."

Mrs. Smith has spent her career encouraging students to see books as sources of knowledge, joy and discovery, according to the Ministry. The Minister noted that her vision has helped establish a tradition uniting public and private schools across the Territory in reading celebrations.

"Her contribution reminds us of the lasting difference one committed educator can make across generations," Minister de Castro said.

During this year's Reading Is Fun Week, schools engaged students through storytelling sessions, reading activities and other programmes designed to build lifelong reading habits. The Minister highlighted literacy as essential to learning and personal growth, noting that students' performance in local and regional examinations reflects the sustained focus on this foundation and the work of teachers, families and literacy advocates.