The ASA makes funds available annually to assist organizations with shipping costs for book donations to libraries and schools in Africa. This grant program is administered by the Africana Librarians Council and is named in memory of Gretchen Walsh, Africana Librarian at Boston University for more than thirty years and a long-time member of the Africana Librarians Council and the ASA.
The award provides grants from $200 to $1,000 for a total of $1,800 each year.
Eligibility
Applicants must apply via the online form. Book donation programs should reflect a partnership between institutions in Africa and the U.S. 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. 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.
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.
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.
Application
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?
Submit applications to the African Studies Association Secretariat on or before May 15. Please complete this online form here to apply.
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.
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