How do pupils in Africa gain access to books? Which methods of getting books to students and teachers work best? Recent research in Ghana, Tanzania, Mali, South Africa, Mozambique and Kenya, examined different approaches to book provision including school or classroom-based libraries, teacher support centres and mobile libraries. Successful programmes have good teacher and government support, up-to-date, accessible and relevant books, and moderate running costs. NGOs are becoming increasingly important – they can provide alternative sources of funding not easily tapped by governments. For reading projects to survive, they must be sustainable, with backing from the whole community including local publishing outlets.