Create Libraries in Africa

Hosting a book drive is a fun and meaningful way to make a positive global impact with your friends, family, classmates, fellow scouts, club members, faith groups, or colleagues. 

Organize a Book Drive!

Anyone in the U.S. or Canada can sign up to become a Book Drive Organizer (BDO) with the African Library Project! It’s a hands-on way to make a difference: you’ll rally your community to collect, sort, and pack gently used children’s books, then raise the funds needed to ship them. With every step, you’re helping create a library for a school or community eager for books.

Mailing Deadlines

What is a Mailing Deadline?

A mailing deadline is the date by which Book Drive Organizers must ship their books. Books are mailed via USPS Media Mail to our warehouse in New Orleans, LA, USA. ALP will provide you with the mailing labels and packing slips to print and attach.

How Far in Advance Can I Register?

Countries are added to the registration form approximately four months before the mailing deadline.

To stay up-to-date on new book drive opportunities:

  • Follow us on social media

  • Subscribe to our newsletter

  • Visit this page regularly

  • Or, when registering, select “A shipment at a later date” under Book Drive Preferences to let us know you’d like to be on our radar.

Winter / Spring Book Drives

  • Malawi — April 1, 2025

  • Ghana — May 1, 2025

Summer / Fall Book Drives

  • Kenya — August 1, 2025

  • Uganda — November 1, 2025

5 Steps to a Successful Book Drive

Step 1: Register & Plan the Perfect Book Drive

Sign up to become a Book Drive Organizer by clicking Start a Book Drive. Once you register, you’ll receive our detailed Book Drive Guidelines, and an ALP volunteer will connect with you to support every step — from fundraising ideas, to answering questions, to sharing information about your partner school and community in Africa.

  • Choose whether you’ll collect 500 books (Half Library) or 1,000 books (Full Library).

  • Learn about the school and community in Africa that your library will support.

  • Start brainstorming how you’ll collect books and raise funds for the USPS (United States Postal Service) shipping costs to our warehouse in New Orleans.

Step 3: Pack Your Books with Care

  • Pack securely into sturdy boxes (no more than 40 lbs. each).

  • Use the provided ALP mailing labels and packing slips.

  • Keep count of the books you’re packing — every book brings you closer to your library goal!

Step 2: Collect & Sort Your Books

Gather gently used children’s books from places like school libraries, public libraries, and local bookstores, as well as your friends, neighbors, and community.

  • Be creative with collection drives and keep people updated on your progress.

  • Strive for books that are culturally diverse, age-appropriate, and high-interest.

  • Use our Book Drive Guidelines to sort as you go and ensure the right mix of books.

Step 4: Fundraise & Send Off Your Library

Book Drive Organizers are responsible for covering USPS shipping costs, which typically range between $250–$650, depending on the number and size of books collected.

  • Raise funds in your school, workplace, faith group, or community to cover U.S. Postal Service shipping to our warehouse in New Orleans.

  • In addition, every Book Drive Organizer pays an international shipping fee of $95 (Half Library) or $125 (Full Library), paid directly to ALP to help offset overseas container shipping costs.

  • Ship your boxes via USPS Media Mail and leave the rest to us — we’ll handle the journey from warehouse to Africa.

Step 4: Celebrate & Share!

Celebrate your accomplishment — thanks to your drive, more children now have a place to read, learn, and grow!

  • Share your story, photos, and reflections with ALP via  https://form.jotform.com/251624991895068 so we can inspire future Book Drive Organizers.

  • Invite others to join the African Library Project community.

Voices from Our Community

Testimonials

“Being part of the African Library Project for the past six years has taught me so much: about the African countries and communities it serves, about the various ways of being a leader, and about myself and my own capabilities. The book drive process increased my confidence and my ability to speak up for my own values; it gave me the satisfaction of knowing that my team’s hard work was having such a tangible impact and brightening so many students’ futures. Furthermore, as an incredibly transparent, communicative organization, ALP gave me all the support and resources I needed to plan and carry out this rewarding process. I could not have asked for a better organization to guide me through my first experience of leading a team.”

- Divya Prakash

“As a contributor of the African Library Project, I have learned so much from public speaking, to learning how to advertise a book drive. ALP’s network of staff and volunteers is incredibly supportive and continuously dedicated to providing us the resources needed to organize book drives. I am so lucky to be a part of this mission, and I would encourage anyone to take part in the ALP.” 

- Anya Patel

It all be “A normal person with an internet connection and space to store donations… that’s all I needed to create quite the ripples.” 

- Dr. Lisa Foo, Book Drive Organizer

“When you see such a need, it’s an easy decision to get involved. Once the community found out about our drive, books came in from everywhere. It was amazing.”

- Amy Sears, Book Drive Organizer

You’re Never Alone in the Process

When you register, ALP’s volunteer team will:

• Provide our comprehensive Book Drive Guidelines (hyperlink)

• Share ideas for fundraising and covering shipping costs

• Connect you with your partner school and community in Africa

• Answer your questions and cheer you on every step of the way

Organizing a book drive is a team effort — and we’ll be with you from start to finish.