Small Library Project (SLP)
Michael Lapsley Foundation overreaching aim is to enable people to develop their ideas, knowledge and skills through literacy and reading, so they can take control of their lives and contribute to the development of their communities. The objective of the project is to establish, equip, and promote school libraries in Ghana.

The project focuses on the efficacy of providing opportunities for schools to have a library with up-to-date resources and trained staff to integrate library resources into the day-to-day curriculum of normal schooling. The project hopes to use the existing school infrastructure (library rooms) for the project.

How to Apply for a Library:

The Michael Lapsley Foundation and the African Library Project (USA) are partnering to create small, sustainable libraries in Ghana. If your school or community meets the requirements below and is committed for the long term to develop a small library, please apply.  The African Library Project helps start new libraries or improves libraries with less than 2,000 books.  The application process consists of four steps:

• Determine that your community meets the requirements.
• Complete the application form
• Submit 3 letters from School/community leaders with your application.
• Use the African Library Project’s Library Action Plan to help your library committee plan for success.

Requirements:
Michael Lapsley Foundation and the African Library Project provide support to Ghana schools/communities who meet the following requirements:

• Local sponsorship – A mix of teachers, students and/or community leaders are committed to sponsoring a library through a library committee.
• Facilities – There is a clean, dry, secure area with adequate shelving to display the books, and with easy access to borrowers. This can even be a couple of bookshelves in each classroom (recommended for primary schools).
• Leadership – Two or more people can be counted on to organize the books into a library and to train others to maintain and operate the library.
• Borrowers – There is a community of beginning, intermediate and/or advanced English language readers who will actively use the library.

What to Expect:
After your application, photos, and Three (3) letters of committed support from community members are submitted to the Michael Lapsley Foundation, you can expect:

Your application will be evaluated and any follow-up questions will need to be answered.

• If you library project is accepted, the African Library Project will pair your library with a book drive in the U.S. to collect approximately 1,000 high-quality, gently-used, age and reading level-appropriate books for your library.
• Your library committee will use the ALP Library Action Plan to develop a plan customized for your community or school library.
• The books will be shipped in large containers with all the libraries for Ghana shipped together at the same time. All books will be mailed by the book drive organizer to ALP’s shipping agent in New Orleans, Louisiana in the USA.  Then the books will be loaded onto a container and shipped to Ghana.
• Your library committee is responsible for getting the books from Tema to the library location in your area. Once the books have arrived, you will have Three weeks to pick them up from Tema.
• With your library, you will receive an excellent book, Setting up and Running a School Library manual specifically to help volunteers and new librarians organize libraries in developing countries.
• Michael Lapsley Foundation will offer workshops in basic library management to help you turn your library into a vibrant learning center.

Download the Application

Basic Education Needs. (B.E, N Project)

The B.E.N Project is geared towards providing the basic educational needs such as School Tables, Chairs, Computers, Pencils, Pens, Makers, Crayola, writing books, Mathematical sets etc to deprived schools and communities in the country. The Foundation has provided and supported about 400 school pupils with school furniture.

REGINA AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS