Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can the people in Ghana read books in English?
2. What kind of books do you want?
3. Do the books you ship get to the people who need them?
4. Do you hear from the libraries you send books to?
5. How do the books get to Ghana?
6. How can I donate books to you?
7. Can my town in Africa receive books?
8. Can my school in Ghana receive books?

1. Can the people in Ghana read books in English?

Yes. From the fifth grade on the students in Ghana are taught all subjects in English. In rural areas English is used less often so the students are less adept at English. However, one of the benefits of establishing libraries in rural areas is the improvement it brings to the students' use of English.

2. What kind of books do you want?

We accept children's books in fiction and nonfiction that is in good condition. In the adult nonfiction areas we accept all Dewey Decimal numbers except American History and Government; the latter subjects have limited use and we already have received donations in those areas. In the adult fiction area we prefer only classic American and British literature; no romance novels, please. Reference materials such as dictionaries and encyclopedias are welcome; especially desirable are World Book and Encyclopedia Britannica from 1993 on.

We do not want encyclopedias published before 1985.

3. Do the books you ship get to the people who need them?

Yes. Hilda and Kirt travel to Ghana to meet the shipping container and personally see that the books are sent to the Project's warehouse. Next each potential library site is inspected. If the site has met the requirements then Kirt and Hilda work with the local Board of Trustees to set up the library.

4. Do you hear from the libraries you send books to?

In most cases, yes. We have our annual in-service each January and we have been successful in having representatives from most of the libraries attend. Of the 48 libraries established by March 2010 we have been in contact with 33. We offer them relevant advice on the management of their libraries and information on timely topics such as the HIV/AIDS crisis. We also encourage them to send us quarterly reports on the patronage and activities in their libraries. At the annual in-service we distribute items such as pens, pencils, notebooks and some books that the librarians could use as prizes for reading contests. We also give the existing libraries an opportunity to get additional books once the new libraries have been served.

5. How do the books get to Ghana?

We collect and sort the books in Jonny Brown's garage in Phoenix, AZ, and then pack the books in boxes and store them in local rented storage lockers. As the shipping date approaches we load the 35,000 books into a forty foot shipping container. This container is then taken by truck to an American port and put on a vessel routed through Europe and down the coast of West Africa to Tema, Ghana.

6. How can I donate books to you?

Preferably, if you are in the Phoenix area, we would like you to drop them off at Jonny Brown's house: 15031 S 21st Place, Phoenix AZ (call first 480-209-6666). Use this address if you need to ship them to us. You will bear the cost of shipping to us and we will take care of the cost of shipping the books to Ghana. Remember that the value of your contribution, including your shipping cost, is tax deductible. Please ask for a receipt.

7. Can my town in Africa receive books?

The only people who do the work of setting up the libraries are Kirt and Hilda, the full-time volunteers. They only set up libraries in Ghana. We invite your community to apply to us. Write or e-mail us and ask for an application. The completed application with photographic proof of the completed requirements should be mailed to us at 3531 Humphrey St., St. Louis MO 63118.

We give preference to applications from rural areas. Please note as well, that a Board of Trustees made up of local residents is a requirement. Each library needs a strong, local Board of Trustees to effectively look after this valuable community resource. The process of establishing a library is an exercise in community development.

8. Can my school in Ghana receive books?

No. We serve communities and not individual schools. We believe that the libraries should serve all the citizens of the town and placing the library in a school usually means that other citizens are restricted in their use of the facility.