African Library Project Explained

African Library Project
Formation:2005
Founder:Chris Bradshaw
Area Served:Sub-Saharan Africa
Focus:Literacy

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]

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!Active Since[7] !Partner Organization(s)[8]
Botswana2006Botswana Ministry of Education
Ghana2001Michael Lapsley Foundation
Kenya2017Rongo University, Kibabii University
Lesotho2004US Peace Corps Lesotho, Lesotho Ministry of Education and Training (MOET)
Malawi2009Development Aid from People to People (DAPP Malawi), Wungwero Book Foundation (WBF), Malawi Institute of Education (MIE), University of Malawi
Sierra Leone2013Reading Initiative Salone (RISE) Network
Uganda2019Enjuba, 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. Web site: African Libraries. January 21, 2021. African Library Project. en-US.
  2. News: Moody. Shelah. JEFFERSON AWARD: Presented to Chris Bradshaw / Trip to Africa planted seed that blossomed into library project. San Francisco Chronicle. July 9, 2006.
  3. Web site: Risley. Michealene. The African Library Project Goal: Eradicate Illiteracy in Africa. Huffington Post.
  4. News: ElKorchi. Miriam. Chris Bradshaw ships books to Africa to help make the impossible possible. Christian Science Monitor. May 7, 2013.
  5. Web site: August 2020. Book Drive Guidelines. January 21, 2021. 4.
  6. News: Reading Initiative Salone (RISE) Network trains 50 librarians. Sierra Express Media. July 21, 2015.
  7. Web site: About Us African Library Project. January 21, 2021. African Library Project. en-US.
  8. Web site: Our Partners African Library Project. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126232255/https://www.africanlibraryproject.org/our-partners/. November 26, 2020. January 21, 2021.

External links

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