What do Xilinx Inc., Paycycle, Kepler’s Book Store, Technology Credit Union, and Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw have in common? All five companies are working to improve African literacy through the African Library Project. Whether collecting donations, supplying shipping funds, or running their own book drives, these sponsors’ efforts are a wonderful new addition to our project.

This spring, Xilinx Inc., an international high-tech company based in San Jose, became the first company to partner with ALP. Xilinx Inc. partnered with three local schools and Girl Scout Isabelle Nguyen to collect 5515 books, enough to establish 5 libraries in Botswana. Not only did Xilinx Inc. contribute substantial shipping costs, as well as books from its own book drive, but it has expanded our horizons in paving the way for our partnership with future corporate sponsors.

Kepler’s Book Store in Menlo Park, CA is currently running our first book store book drive, and it’s open to the public. Donors can bring in their gently used children’s books and/or purchase new books from Kepler’s special selection of books, all which will be donated to Kebonyekgotla Primary School in Botswana. Also, when a customer for any book mentions the African Library Project at the cash register, Kepler’s will donate 10% of the purchase to pay for the shipping costs of their books.

PayCycle Inc., an online payroll company for small businesses, based in Palo Alto, California, is just completing a book drive run within their company. Initiated by Kathleen Echeverria, PayCycle’s Organizational Effectiveness Manager, PayCycle’s books will be life changing for the children of Pitsonyane Primary School in Botswana.

Last week, Techonology Credit Union organized a book drive, collecting books at all of their nine Bay Area locations. Their goal is to collect 1000 books to establish a library at Logaba Primary School in Botswana, one of the 100 Libraries for Botswana.

And finally, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, New York City’s largest law firm is also running a book drive this summer in partnership with the African Library Project. Organized by Emory University law intern Allanna Chang, their books will be shipped to start a library at the Ha Khabo Community Library in Lesotho. Ha Khabo’s library will be located in the local high school and will also serve the two local primary schools in the community.

Together, we are making a difference!