As far back as I can remember, I have been a reader.
During my early years, I especially loved mysteries. I devoured the Trixie Belden series, following the adventures of the teenage detective and her best friend, Honey Wheeler. As a young teen, the suspenseful novels of Lois Duncan engrossed me with their sinister and often supernatural overtones.
Along the way, I won a reading competition, and my prize was lunch with Gil Gerard, the actor who played “Buck Rogers” in the original science fiction television show. Perhaps no one was surprised when, as an adult, I earned a Master of Science in library and information science, along with one in counseling psychology. During my tenure at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in its early years, I worked on a project to bring public libraries online in addition to managing the development of a global health five-year strategic plan and corresponding business plan.
The opportunity to join the board of Worldreader and now serve as its chair is a new and exciting chapter in my lifelong dedication to fostering literacy skills, bringing the joy of reading to families and improving the quality of life of people across the globe. From my work in the NGO sector, I know firsthand that literacy is not only an education issue but it is also a determinant of health. Children who read early have better lifelong health outcomes.
When I joined Worldreader, the organization was implementing its strategy to move away from providing digital reading devices to implementing BookSmart, our free, mobile-friendly reading platform designed to support parent and caregiver led reading with young children.
I admit, I am a person who loves to hold and even smell physical, bound books – but I immediately saw the potential impact of what an unlimited library in the palm of their hands would mean for both caregivers and children from rural Appalachia to the far reaches of South Africa.
Through BookSmart, young people can access books as their vocabulary and interests deepen. Meanwhile, their family members might find themselves using their phones in a different way, such as to read, reflect, and connect with children through the power of stories and other shared activities. BookSmart can be the tool to strengthen families’ capacity for health-seeking behavior. How? Caregivers who read can better understand nutrition guidance, health campaigns and other information that benefit the entire family. Everyone wins.
Worldreader grew from the vision of our founding chair David Risher, who saw the promise of digital technology to give people across the world access to books. Today, we know BookSmart can not only accomplish that goal, but also improve comprehension, socio-emotional development and digital literacy skills for children in an equitable and accessible way. BookSmart is a game-changing multiplier — low-cost, tech-enabled, and capable of scaling literacy for millions, thereby amplifying every dollar invested to improve education, health and economic mobility outcomes.
As board chair, I am committed to working with Worldreader CEO Rebecca Chandler Leege to strengthen our long-term financial sustainability through robust fund development and collaboration with like-minded global corporate and government partners, especially in health and education ministries. A major priority is anticipating and mapping out emerging needs and gaps in global literacy linked to health outcomes to guide philanthropic investment. In addition, we are focused on leveraging our global assets and resources while becoming more streamlined and efficient.
We are also looking to raise our presence and impact in the United States. By our very name, we at Worldreader understand our global imperative. We are proud of the impact we already have made with initiatives such as “Get Kenya Reading” and our work in countries including Costa Rica, South Africa and Peru. But we also realize there is much we can do closer to home. Recent data shows a decline in U.S. reading scores, with national average scores for 4th and 8th graders dropping significantly between 2017 and 2022 in almost every state, reaching their lowest levels in decades in some cases.
As a mother who reads to her daughters every night, this trend troubles me. At the same time, I know that together, we can do something about it. When children are ready for kindergarten, their chances improve of becoming lifelong learners with the literacy and digital skills they need to thrive in a globally connected world.
We are all in this together. Join me as we bring the joy of a book-a-day to families around the world through BookSmart, powered by Worldreader.
Rachel Klausner joined the board of Worldreader in 2024 and has served as chair since January 2025. She also serves on the boards of the Theatre Aspen and Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2).
Call to Action:
