African Library Project

The African Library Project (ALP) is a non-profit organization that starts libraries in rural Africa. U.S. volunteers organize book drives and ship books to a library in Africa. ALP partners with governmental and non-governmental organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. The partners process applications from schools and communities that want libraries, distribute the books, and provide training. Schools and communities that receive books provide the library space and staffing. ALP works in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.[1]

African Library Project
Founded2005
FounderChris Bradshaw
FocusLiteracy
Area served
Sub-Saharan Africa
Websitewww.africanlibraryproject.org

ALP is a US 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2005 by Chris Bradshaw.[2] In the first eleven years of operation, ALP started over 1,900 libraries in sub-Saharan Africa.[3]

Methods of operation

ALP volunteers in the United States collect used, donated books for later shipment to affiliated libraries in Africa. The volunteers then sort, pack, and ship the books via sea container, for eventual delivery to a designated African school or community.[4]

A typical small library is one thousand (mostly paperback) books. As of August 2020, the cost of shipping the books to Africa is about $500: $250 in U.S. domestic postage to mail the books to a consolidation point in New Orleans, Louisiana, and $250 sent to ALP to defray the costs of container shipping.[5]

ALP partner organizations are large governmental and non-governmental organizations that vet schools and communities that want libraries. When the containers arrive, they contain books for 30-60 libraries. The partners distribute them and also provide training and oversight of the libraries.[6]

African Library Partnerships
Country[1] Active Since[7] Partner Organization(s)[8]
Botswana 2006 Botswana Ministry of Education
Ghana 2001 Michael Lapsley Foundation
Kenya 2017 Rongo University, Kibabii University
Lesotho 2004 US Peace Corps Lesotho, Lesotho Ministry of Education and Training (MOET)
Malawi 2009 Development Aid from People to People (DAPP Malawi), Wungwero Book Foundation (WBF), Malawi Institute of Education (MIE), University of Malawi
Sierra Leone 2013 Reading Initiative Salone (RISE) Network
Uganda 2019 Enjuba, Firm Foundation Education Trust (FFET)

Teachers and administrators of the target schools are given a manual on managing a library based on one developed by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). Librarians collect data on usage and attend training provided by the partners and ALP. Librarians from all the countries where ALP is working meet at the biannual Library Summit to share best practices.

Each library requests the specific types of books they need. In addition to the donated books, ALP purchases supplemental books for the libraries: the Junior African Writers Series (JAWS), HIV/AIDS readers (published by Pearson), and Hesperian Health Guides.

References
  1. "African Libraries". African Library Project. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  2. Moody, Shelah (July 9, 2006). "JEFFERSON AWARD: Presented to Chris Bradshaw / Trip to Africa planted seed that blossomed into library project". San Francisco Chronicle.
  3. Risley, Michealene. "The African Library Project Goal: Eradicate Illiteracy in Africa". Huffington Post.
  4. ElKorchi, Miriam (May 7, 2013). "Chris Bradshaw ships books to Africa to help make the impossible possible". Christian Science Monitor.
  5. "Book Drive Guidelines" (PDF). August 2020. p. 4. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  6. "Reading Initiative Salone (RISE) Network trains 50 librarians". Sierra Express Media. July 21, 2015.
  7. "About Us | African Library Project". African Library Project. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  8. "Our Partners | African Library Project". Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
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