have benefited from Soriano's program since it began in 1990. Soriano says countless others have been helped, too; parents and other adult learners often participate in the lessons. Soriano has spent nearly 4,000 hours riding his donkeys, and he's not traveled unscathed. In July 2008, he fractured his leg when he fell from one of the donkeys; in 2006, he was pounced on by bandits at a river crossing and tied to a tree when they found out he had no money. Despite these injuries, which left him with a limp, Soriano has no intention of slowing down. In addition to the biblioburro program, he and his wife built the largest free library in Magdalena next to their home. The library has 4,200 books, most of which are donated -- some from as far away as New York City. They also run a small community restaurant. Soriano's hope is that people will understand the power of reading and that communities can improve from being exposed to books and diverse ideas. For us teachers, it's an educational triumph, and for the parents -LSB- it's -RSB- a great satisfaction when a child learns how to read. That's how a community changes and the child becomes a good citizen and a useful person, Soriano said. Literature is how we connect them with the world. Want to get involved ? Check out Luis Soriano's website at www.fundacionbiblioburro.com and see how to help.