Book Aid Book Donations keep African Libraries Running

Book donations transform our libraries 

cartons of books donated by Book Aid International www.bookaid.org

Our medical library recently received a book donation from Book Aid International of 399 medical books. Our shelves have been in a sorry state as most libraries can no longer afford to buy books to replace the ones that get torn or outdated. Imagine in our collection we had medical books published in 1956! That is the state most libraries face, either to keep running with the torn and worn books, with out dated information.

Some may say with the internet almost anyone can access information from so many open access resources. But students usually lack money to pay for internet access, they also lack the appropriate means to save such information for future use or pay for printing. For libraries to offer free internet services, it is also an added expense which libraries also can not afford. Libraries just do not have the budgets to provide online access.
Libraries are therefore dependent on donations in order to improve their stock and update information.

Our library, located in Matabeleland , Zimbabwe, caters for medical professionals in over a 400km radius, from Victoria Falls, Plumtree, Beitbridge, Gweru and Bulawayo. Some of our clients travel over 200 km to access information from our library as it is the only comprehensive Medical library( with a total of 6000 medical books) which is open to the medical community.  There is need for this library to keep functioning and running well as it allows all the medical practitioners from doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, midwives, and other allied professionals to have access and use this library from their rural clinics, mission hospitals, and government hospitals in the region.

In recognition of the value this library provides in the region, the Book Aid International working with the Beit trust has been supporting the library our the past years. this year they donated almost 400 new medical books to our library. The library is very greatful for such efforts and acknowledges the support Book Aid International and Biet trust have provided through out the years. Through their support a significant number of students using our library have gone on to pass both local and international exams.

Above are just a few of some of the new books donated by Book Aid International we are already processing. Over the next few weeks we will process all the books so that our clients have immediate access to them. These donations are making some people dance with joy! Thank you Book Aid International and Beit Trust as well as to all you who support and donate books to African libraries. They are very much appreciated and well used.