Guidelines for selecting books

Version: 10            Published: December 2022

AIM OF SUPPLYING BOOKS TO SCHOOLS IN LESOTHO:

To encourage and develop reading for pleasure, interest, information and learning 

A BASIC GUIDE TO DONATING BOOKS: 

WE DO NOT ACCEPT:

  • Damaged (including water damage, torn, with missing pages) or defaced books. One test is: if you would not like to own it, please do not donate it
  • Long novels with small print (texts need to appeal!)
  • Magazines, encyclopaedia sets and textbooks
  • Most teacher resources 

If you do send or deliver any of the above, we have to recycle them; this costs us and uses funds we do not have to spare. Please find an alternative second-hand outlet or use your own re-cycle bin.   

WE DO WANT AND ACCEPT:

Books may be used, even well-used, but need to be in a usable condition. New books are very welcome. The books are intended to encourage a non-reader to pick up a book and start reading. The wide range of content encourages readers to advance to higher levels of reading and comprehension. We also need lots of tennis balls to fill spaces! 

Donations towards the cost (about 60 cents/book) to pack and transport a book to Lesotho can be made through our website: www.booksforlesotho.org/donate

PACKING BOOKS IN CARTONS FOR DELIVERY TO BOOKS FOR LESOTHO:

Volunteers handle filled cartons manually, so please keep carton sizes and weights to a maximum of (in mm) 470x270x200 or 380x310x239 (these are common carton sizes). 

Please fill cartons as tightly as possible as they might be stacked up to 5 high prior to sorting. 

BOOKS SUITABLE FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

The age range and reading level can be very broad, e.g., boys can often work in the fields or mountains (“herd boys”) beyond normal school starting age and start school without reading skills.

Books for Lesotho Inc. sends the following types of books, both fiction and non-fiction:

At entry level:

  • Baby books (e.g. A-B-C)
  • Picture books (from few words to increasing word numbers)
  • Easy reading stories/novels
  • Books suitable for teachers to read to children

Ranging to upper-Primary level:

  • Picture books (from few words to increasing numbers of words)
  • Higher level and longer stories/novels (including some to stretch the reading ability)
  • Picture “dictionary-type” books
  • Puzzle books e.g., “Where’s Wally”
  • Traditional stories e.g., “Cinderella”
  • Books boys like
  • Books girls like
  • Non-fiction – anything that sparks the interest to pick up a book, to look and then read – sports, countries and cities, environment, culture, science, engineering, biology, health, etc.
  • Books suitable for teachers to read to children
  • Books for the teachers to read – for their own enjoyment and good modelling

BOOKS SUITABLE FOR HIGH SCHOOLS

Books for Lesotho Inc. sends the following types of books suitable for the age range of 13 to 18:

Fiction

  • Broad range of reading levels, interests and styles of presentation
  • Easy reading novels ranging to higher level and longer novels (including some to stretch the reading ability)
  • Books with appeal that are of high reading standard to both challenge students and provide a reading resource for teachers

Non-fiction

  • Non-fiction is very broad – anything that sparks interest to pick up a book, to look and then read – sports, countries, cities, environment, culture, science, engineering, health, etc.

Books for the teachers to read – for their own enjoyment and good modelling.

BOOKS SUITABLE FOR ADULTS

In Lesotho, B4L works through 3 partners, 2 being Rotary Clubs. Rotary traditionally works with community development projects. In working with B4L, the clubs have extended their projects to include both schools and community libraries. Therefore, B4L has a limited need for adult-level books. Please contact B4L before donating these to check the current need for these books.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The following types of books are suitable: Ghost/creepy stories, joke books, authors such as Enid Blyton, Harry Potter and other fantasy styles, relationships including romance, sets of books with an interesting and modern presentation of facts, nature and science, etc.

In case you are wondering: TV and internet services exist in much of Lesotho, with coverage growing steadily. Lesotho has its own television channel. Channels also originate from South Africa with most programs resembling those available in Australia. Some people have access to international channels. Therefore, many students are exposed to much the same material as students in developed countries.

CONTACT FOR ANY RELATED MATTER: 

8 Alma Street, PANORAMA SA 5041 Australia   Tel: (+61) 0418 877 112   Email: enquiries@booksforlesotho.org


Ref. to other Data Sheets and information:

  1. B4L Data Sheet 1: General Information and Instructions LINK
  2. B4L Data Sheet 4: Packing books in boxes and loading on to a plastic pallet LINK