Literature for Africa

The Project ‘Literature for Africa’

 

 

The International Literature Festival Berlin (ilb) is organising the worldwide campaign ‘Literature for Africa’.  Our goal is – over an intended period of ten years – to facilitate donations of books to African libraries. We have sent questionnaires to African libraries requesting that they share their preferences concerning the language, genre and origin of books which would be most useful. Over 80 libraries from across Africa have responded. One condition of their participation is an official guarantee from each country that the books can be received without customs costs.

 

We are calling on private citizens and other donors and sponsors to collect books which truly meet their reader’s needs and send them to the libraries. In addition, monetary donations are required in order to cover possible transport costs or to assist with sales of the books in Africa as a way of supporting regional publishers and book stores. 

 

On our website, www.literaturfestival.com, you will find account information for monetary donations as well as a list of participating libraries. There is also the possibility to buy books for African libraries through Amazon.de. We have put together a wish list – literatureforafrica – with a selection of books desired by libraries participating in the campaign.

 

Our project emerged in the fall of 2008 from the Focus Africa section of the 8th International Literature Festival.  Through this campaign, we hope to make a contribution toward improving the state of African libraries and to foster and expand access to literature there.