The World Bank Volunteer Services Book Project took shape towards the end of 1982 as a spontaneous answer to a need observed in an SOS village in Nigeria. More than 100,000 books a year are shipped to developing countries, including the Philippines, Belize, Guatemala, Ghana, Gambia, Jamaica, Kenya, India, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Pakistan. All of the books are donated to the Book Project. Some of the major suppliers are school systems, public libraries, universities, publishers and individual donors.

The Book Project is managed entirely by volunteers who are mainly spouses of World Bank employees and retired staff from the World Bank Group. They handle the solicitation and receipt of donations, packing and labeling of the shipments, and all administrative matters. The Book Project receives requests for books from schools, colleges, nursing schools, universities, libraries, etc., in the developing world and Central and Eastern Europe. Large numbers of scientific books and journals are sent to universities, vocational colleges and medical schools, as well as books for use in schools and libraries. Several institutions share in a shipment.

The usual method of shipment to a recipient country is to send 400 boxes of approximately 20,000 books in a single container since this is the most economical method. The WBVS Book Project covers all costs involved in packing and shipping the boxes to the nearest port of entry.

Materials offered: back runs of journals, new books, remaindered books, used books