Elsevier global partnership
Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com) announced, that it has formed partnerships with the European-based group Book Aid International (http://www.bookaid.org) and the US-based Sabre Foundation (http://www.sabre.org) to facilitate the distribution of books throughout developing countries. Elsevier places a high value on the dissemination of knowledge and resources, and supports efforts that help people all over the world access scientific, medical and technical books and journals. In some areas of the developing world, a lack of literacy skills, as well as extremely limited financial resources, can prevent libraries and other institutions from being able to purchase the books that they want and need.
Both Book Aid International and the Sabre Foundation have many years of experience distributing books and have formed strong local alliances in many developing countries, with a particular breadth of experience across sub-Saharan Africa. Their distribution channels ensure that book donations will be distributed without disrupting sales of local booksellers, thereby leaving local economies unhindered in the recipient countries.
Some activities, designed to help libraries grow, are already under way and include "Bring a Book to Work Week", where Elsevier employees make individual book donations, in subject areas such as adult fiction and reference books; a recent grant by Reed Elsevier to purchase books for refugee children in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia; and a new company policy where all unsaleable returns of paperback books to Elsevier's UK warehouse will be distributed in recipient countries.