African library help
From BluWiki
This wiki lists book donation and library development projects in Africa. Please add more, but please bear in mind that the quality and variety of the support can vary:
'While a 19 ton book bonanza sounds great, from long experience in Faculty of Agriculure Libraries in the region, I have learned that if the titles to be donated are not selected by the end user, then it is vital to ask the donor for a list to choose from - my agricultural library has at times received hundreds of copies of the biography of a president's wife, .....of the Sociology of Aging, ......of the geography of a specific region of the donor country... the list could go on. A book may appear to be free - but if the information in it is not relevant or appropriate to our clients, there is a negative cost especially in precious staff time in merely hauling it from the airport, stamping it with the donor's logo and so on. May your bonanza be better!' (borrowed from Stanford University Libraries website)
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[edit] Book donations and support for library development
If you are therefore seeking books from any of the organisations below please make sure that they can and will supply you with the books you really need. Submit your needs clearly and tell them (politely) if the books sent are not relevant, or if too many copies have been sent.
Friends of African Village libraries
Under the Reading Tree- projects in Uganda and Tanzania
[edit] Library and Literacy Projects in Specific African Countries
Many of the projects below are specific initiatives and may not be able to offer assistance to other libraries. However, there are some great examples of what libraries can do for local communities.
Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc - able to send large amounts of books to Ethiopia, check quantities and relevance of titles before accepting a donation
Osu Children's Library Fund, Ghana
Community-based Libraries, Kenya
Slums Information and Resource Centres, Kenya
Kigali Public Library Project, Rwanda
Books 4 Tanzania, Tanzania
Family Literacy Project, South Africa
READ Educational Trust, South Africa
Project Literacy, South Africa
Children's Book Project, Tanzania
Kitengesa Community Library, Uganda
Uganda Community Libraries Association
Books Open the World, Uganda
[edit] And if you are in Asia ...
The Asia Foundationis recommended.
[edit] Computer Aid
Click here for links to free or low cost books and resources available on the web.
For guidance on best practice in book donations, click here
