(Bradenton, FL - February 8, 2010) Students and staff at Buffalo Creek Middle School have set a goal of collecting 1,000 pre-kindergarten to fourth-grade books to donate to the Mbsesamandla Primary School in Swaziland, a small country located on the northeast corner of Southern Africa. Buffalo Creek Middle Media Specialist Donna Matzke and Media Center Volunteer and school parent Janine Gregor hope to collect the 1,000 books by March 21, 2010.

The book collection is being undertaken in cooperation with the African Library Project (ALP) and the Swaziland National Library Service (SNLS). The SNLS initiated a partnership with the ALP in 2008 to develop primary and secondary school libraries throughout Swaziland. Schools in the United States, like Buffalo Creek Middle, collect gently-used books which are shipped via the ALP to primary schools in Africa. The SNLS provides the teacher-library training and coordinates the book distribution. Buffalo Creek´s book collection effort is a wonderful demonstration of the Manatee District´s EdVantage Strategic Objective of students actively engaging in global outreach.

According to statistics less than 40 percent of the population of Swaziland makes it to secondary school and with 50 percent of Africans living on less than $1 per day, it is impossible for the Swaziland government to provide all of the necessary books and school aid.

Book donations can be dropped off between now and March 21st in the school lobby or in the Media Center. For additional information, phone (941) 721-2260 ext. 2215 or send an email to BCMediaCenter@gmail.com.