Frequently Asked Questions

  • Thank you for your interest! ALP currently partners with a select group of nonprofit and educational organizations in the following Anglophone countries:
    Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, and Uganda.

    Currently, we are not expanding into new countries or regions, and we only work in English-speaking (Anglophone) countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    If your organization is in one of our partner countries, we encourage you to connect with our in-country partner organization. Please take a moment to learn about our local partners here: https://www.africanlibraryproject.org/our-partners/. 

  • We deeply appreciate your work and your interest in our mission. However, due to our operational model and current capacity, we’re not currently accepting new partners. We encourage you to explore other organizations working in global book distribution and literacy efforts and to keep in touch in case opportunities arise in the future.

  • Thank you so much for your generosity and interest in sharing your work! At this time, we’re not able to accept individual copies of books. Our model is designed around collecting 500 or more books at a time, which allows us to create or enhance a full library collection.

    If you’d like your book considered for possible inclusion in our recommended book list, you’re welcome to mail in a copy for review. While we can’t guarantee placement, we would be glad to learn more about your work. Please contact us at execdir@africanlibraryproject.org for mailing details.

  • We rely on registered Book Drive Organizers (BDOs) who collect and ship books directly to partner countries through our coordinated process. 

    Visit our website to Start A Book Drive | African Library Project!

  • We accept gently used or new books for early childhood to secondary school levels of education. Examples include:

    • Culturally relevant books by African authors, featuring African and African American characters 

    • Picture books, early readers, and chapter books

    • Children's fiction and nonfiction (topics such as science, animals, history, geography)

    Please do not send the following:

    • Textbooks or exam prep materials specific to United States or Canadian history or government 

    • Books that are outdated (more than 5 years old), religious, torn, or in poor condition

    • Books in languages other than English

    • Adult romance novels

    Visit the Resources Page for book drive guidelines.

  • We’d love to have you join our community of book drive organizers! Visit our website to Start A Book Drive | African Library Project.

    Once registered, within 48 hours, you’ll receive access to all the materials and instructions needed to collect books, raise funds, and ship your collection. You’ll also be matched with a specific library project and given a timeline to support your efforts.

  • In addition to collecting books, we ask each Book Drive Organizer (BDO) to raise approximately $250 - $650. The exact amount depends on the size and number of books being shipped. Half libraries typically cost around $250–$350, while full libraries range from $500–$650. We provide guidance and fundraising tips to help you meet your goal. 

  • We cannot accept electronics such as laptops, tablets, or e-readers. We also do not accept encyclopedias published over 5 years ago, often outdated or irrelevant to the local curriculum and needs. We aim to ensure the books we send are engaging, age-appropriate, and useful for learners and educators alike.

  • We're happy to discuss ideas and support materials if you're developing a curriculum, service-learning plan, or community outreach project. Please contact us at execdir@africanlibraryproject.org so we can help you get started and share examples from other groups who have done this successfully!

  • Thank you for your interest in supporting literacy by partnering with the African Library Project! We welcome the opportunity to explore meaningful collaborations that align with our mission and support library development in our active partner countries: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, and Uganda.

    If your organization works within one or more of these countries and is interested in contributing resources, supporting book distribution, expanding access to education, or co-developing programming, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us atexecdir@africanlibraryproject.org

  • Yes! Our Fed Tax ID# is 65-1261685.