ANN ARBOR, Mich., November 20, 2008 - ProQuest is pleased to announce a unique on-stand charity to help provide Donkey-drawn libraries for schools in Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. ProQuest invites delegates of Online Information to give generously to this important cause. Make donations and enter a prize draw to win the grand prize of an Apple iPod Touch as well as several runner-up prizes on offer.

At library and information conferences such as Online Information, we're often reminded of pressing issues such as preservation, sustainability and accessibility.  ProQuest is proud to be a leader in these areas but would like to draw attention to the countries for which such issues would be considered a luxury. 

Somalia, Sudan and Uganda are all former war zones and are understandably short of books.  Each Donkey-Drawn trunk is made of steel to repel rats and termites.  Padlocks are used to protect the valuable contents – around 100 volumes of fiction, non-fiction and reference books.  These mobile libraries are constantly on the move, drawn by donkey or bicycle cart and taken to schools in each of these regions.  As the supply is refreshed every month, children have a constant supply of a variety of books.

ProQuest's drive for libraries in Africa takes its spirit from two major initiatives being undertaken by the United Nations.  These include the "UNESCO Education for All" initiative aiming to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults by 2015, and the "United Nations Literacy Decade".  We have also taken our cue from the important work undertaken by International Federation of Library Associations in 2007 for literacy in Africa. 

Please drop by our stand at Online Information (304) and give generously to this important cause.

ProQuest's outreach and advocacy efforts extend deep into the library community and beyond.  ProQuest offers tools and services that help librarians connect with their user communities, free database access and scholarship support for library students, and an award to recognize outstanding library school educators.  ProQuest's active support for charitable causes spans large organizations such as the United Way, March of Dimes, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure to grassroots efforts to address local issues, such as Washtenaw Literacy Campaign, and others.   ProQuest, and its employees around the globe, commit both time and dollars to improve the lives of the world’s citizens.  To learn more about ProQuest's advocacy efforts visit http://www.proquest.com/en-US/aboutus/advocacy.