Dentistry Library, Colgate-Palmolive provide books for Africa

February 2, 2001
Written By:
Nancy Ross-Flanigan
Contact:

ANN ARBOR—Newly-established dental schools and educational institutions in Africa are receiving the first of several shipments of books and journals as a result of a partnership between the University of Michigan and the Colgate-Palmolive Company.

The books, journals, and withdrawn library materials are duplicates of the current collections of the University Library and represent topics on dentistry, public health, medicine, and basic life sciences. The first shipment included 364 items in 27 boxes.

Over the next year, more than 1,500 books and journals will be shipped to the University of Zimbabwe in Harare where they will be distributed to other colleges and educational institutions in Africa.

“There is a desperate need for these kind of quality publications throughout Africa,” said Dr. Robert Bagramian, professor of dentistry, and one of the organizers of the “Books for Africa” campaign. “Several dental schools there have fewer than 20 books in their entire collection devoted to oral health care, public health, and medicine.”

Dr. Anthony Volpe, vice president of clinical dental research in the Research and Development Division of Colgate-Palmolive Company, along with Bagramian, initiated the campaign with the goal of improving the quality of teaching and research materials in African universities and colleges. The University Library committed the resources and Colgate-Palmolive contributed the cost of shipping the materials, completing the partnership.

“The Colgate-Palmolive Company is honored to be a partner with the University Library team with regard to this important initiative,” said Volpe. “This joint initiative will bring specialized knowledge, particularly as it relates to oral health, to both dentists and dental students across Africa. It will contribute to their overall education and their subsequent ability to administer to the dental needs of their respective communities.”

Many of the publications that were donated were duplicates from the U-M School of Dentistry Library. “The dentistry library has one of the largest collections of oral health care materials in the world,” said Pat Anderson, head librarian.

“Our collections include unique and rare materials from the Middle Ages to the present. We have over 57,000 print volumes, with other materials represented in a variety of media and multimedia. We frequently receive duplicate materials as gifts from our faculty and other donors,” she added. “This places us in a marvelous position to share extra copies of classic and contemporary oral health information with schools such as those in Africa, while at the same time protecting and preserving what is a worldclass collection.”

The University Library frequently contributes duplicate books, journals, and other publications to educational institutions in need. Since 1995, thousands of books have been donated to libraries in countries such as Bosnia, China, Hungary, Mexico, Norway, Senegal, and South Africa, as well as selected areas in the United States.

“We are delighted to share the enormous intellectual wealth of these materials with those truly in need elsewhere in the world,” said William A. Gosling, director of the University Library. “While remaining committed to providing the University of Michigan community with the resources it needs, it is a great privilege to pass on the duplicate publications that can contribute to enhanced knowledge and learning at other campuses.”

The University of Michigan School of Dentistry is one of the nation’s leading dental schools engaged in oral health care education, research, patient care, and community service. General dental care clinics and specialty clinics providing advanced treatment enable the School to offer dental services and programs to patients throughout Michigan. Classroom and clinic instruction train future dentists, dental specialists, and dental hygienists for practice in private offices, hospitals, academia, and public agencies. Research seeks to discover and apply new knowledge that can help patients worldwide. More information is available on the Web at http://www.dent.umich.edu.

Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company that sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world. For more information about Colgate’s global business, visit the Company’s web site at http://www.colgatepalmolive.com.