News

On November 29, 2010, supporters of Thomson Reuters and the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa gathered to formalize and celebrate their partnership. (View slideshow of reception.) Thomson Reuters has pledged to provide up to 15 core law libraries for BFA shipments each year for the next several years and will fund one shipment a year, a donation worth $1.2 million a year. (Read the TR press release.) Thomson Reuters hosted the reception, which featured a keynote address by former Vice President Walter Mondale, a co-chair of the Initiative. “This partnership will help Africa’s emerging democracies strengthen their governments by giving the next generation of lawyers, civil servants, and government leaders the tools necessary to create and sustain the stable democracies we take for granted,” said former Vice President Mondale.

In June of 2010, a delegation from the National Bar Association, led by NBA President Mavis T. Thompson, witnessed the distribution of a BFA shipment of books sponsored by their organization. The Ghana Bar Association received a West core law library, and the Ghana Human Rights Commission received a collection of new human rights books, all generously donated by Thomson Reuters.

Tammie Follett, representing Thomson Reuters, recently visited the University of Malawi – Chancellor College Faculty of Law, which received law books through the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa. Follett met with the Dean, Dr. Fidelis Edge Kanyongolo, who spoke of the great need for attorneys and legal resources in Malawi. Click on the link above for more info and photos...

Congressman Keith Ellison (MN) spent the 4th of July recess in Africa as part of the House Democracy Partnership Commission, which sends members of Congress to mentor the leaders of developing democracies. While in Liberia, Congressman Ellison took part in the unveiling of the upgraded Congressional Library at the University of Liberia in Monrovia. The Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa provided many of the law books in the library and also at the Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia. The West law books were generously donated by Thomson Reuters. Congressman Ellison delivered additional BFA books during his visit to other locations in Liberia.

In February 2010, Lane Ayres, director of Books For Africa’s Law & Democracy Initiative, visited law schools and legal organizations in Ghana and Liberia. The most memorable time was the day he spent at the Grimes Law School in Monrovia, which received the first shipment of West law books from Thomson Reuters in January of 2009. (Dean David Jallah is pictured above.) Everyone gave testimonials as to how the books had improved teaching and learning at the law school. To view a slideshow and get more info, click on the link above...

The Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa is very proud to announce several notable additions to its Advisory Board.  The Advisory Board is co-chaired by Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General and Walter Mondale, former US Vice President.  A list of all current advisory board members is available at www.booksforafrica.org/law.