ASA-Funded Gretchen Walsh Book Donation Project
The African Studies Association offers an annual grant program to assist book donation projects with shipping costs to send book donations to African libraries and schools. The grant is also offered to assist purchase of books or media (print or electronic) on the African continent for African libraries and schools. The Africana Librarians Council, Gretchen Walsh Book Donation Committee reads grant proposals and makes recommendations to ASA. Successful awards are usually small grants in amounts from $200 to $1000. The grants are intended to encourage innovative projects that incorporate essential elements, including:
1. Recipient participation
Book donation programs should reflect a partnership between institutions in Africa and the United States with a liaison contact from each institution. While large-scale donations of container-loads of books can be effective, the ASA is trying to fill a perceived gap by increasing the number of small to medium-sized projects that focus on specific, articulated needs, including books in electronic or other formats. Community-based, grassroots project involvement with benefit to broad, non-sectarian populations are encouraged.
2. High-quality materials
Donation projects may include print or non-print books that donors obtain locally or abroad. All books must be in good condition, but not necessarily new, and relevant to the recipient’s needs. Books can be procured from libraries’ duplicates, personal libraries, books stores, students and publishers.
3. Attention to details of logistics
The project plan should address logistical concerns, including a means of reviewing the books or media and assessing how they meet the recipient’s request. This should include:
i. the procedures by which the recipient identifies desired books or media,
ii. a copy of the book or media purchase receipt, and
iii. the details on how the recipient will provide access to the books or media.
In the case of donated print books, the plan should include a place to store the books as they are being collected, a means of reviewing the books for physical quality and relevance to the recipient’s request, materials and staff for packing, a means of shipping to Africa, and all necessary paperwork for customs and shipping. The ASA cannot offer any services in arranging shipping or other logistics. Our role is to supply funding to facilitate the donation.
Applications for Funding
Applicants will submit proposals by completing a form that answers the following questions:
1. Project description
● Who is applying for the award? What is their relationship to the donor?
● Who is the project administrator (include contact information)?
● Who is the liaison in Africa (include contact information)?
● What print or electronic books will be donated (specific titles or subject areas)?
● How many print or electronic books will be donated?
● How will the print or electronic books be obtained?
● Why are these print or electronic books needed? Share as much information as possible about the needs as articulated by the recipient.
● Why is your project an effective means of delivering these electronic books?
● How will the donation recipient provide access to the electronic books?
● What is the status of the project—-is it already underway, or just in the idea stage?
● What are plans for purchasing, shipping, or other logistics (provide details, including costs and/ or purchase receipts)?
2. Budget
● What are the total costs of the project?
● How much are you requesting from the ASA?
● How will ASA funds be used?
● For partial funding requests, how will other funds be solicited?
3. Deadline
Submit applications to the African Studies Association Secretariat on or before April 30 of current year. Please complete this online form to apply: https://africanstudies.org/gretchen-walsh-book-donation-award-app. No other form of application will be accepted.
Grant recipients are expected to provide a report on the project and a brief summary for ASA News at the project’s completion. Photographs, websites, digitized information related to project progress is encouraged and may be used for development purposes by ASA or ALC.
4. Further information
Should you have questions about the form or about the award, please contact co-chairs of ALC-BDC whose updated contact info is indicated in Africana Librarians Council, Book Donation Committee page
For more information on Book Donation Programs: https://www.albany.edu/~dlafonde/Global/book_donation/bookdonation.htm
Book Donations Introduction and Tips: https://www.albany.edu/~dlafonde/Global/book_donation/bkdonsuccess.htm