Global Book Alliance in Action: FY21 Q1 Quarterly Report

The objectives of GBAIA are to help expand the use of the Global Digital Library (GDL) through improved awareness by USAID missions and their partners, conduct Supply Chain Analyses (SCAs) of the strengths and weaknesses of local book supply chains in eight selected countries, improve knowledge on supply chain issues and how they can be addressed, conduct two micro-initiatives to pilot activities that will address specific issues within the book supply chain, and provide technical assistance to the GBA Secretariat, USAID missions, and host-country partners. Implementation continued across all objectives during FY21 Quarter 1 (Q1). GDL activities continued with support provided to the GDL on its transition to a new platform and interface, which will be more user-friendly and provide increased opportunities for posting new materials and translating existing materials. The process for including USAID-funded materials onto the GDL continued to be refined and expanded, with 16 project teams supported with preparing materials (digital books and audio files) for uploading. GBAIA also provided comprehensive support for quality assurance of all English titles in the GDL collection and added ALT-text to every image in preparation for an expanded Translation Sprint in spring 2021. Supply Chain Analyses (SCAs) were finalized for Jordan, Malawi, and Zambia. The Malawi SCA identified key challenges in the book supply chain, including limited availability of books in local languages and inadequate storage facilities. The SCA for Jordan highlighted the need for improved logistics and transportation systems to ensure timely delivery of books to schools. The Zambia SCA revealed that the majority of books in circulation were outdated and not aligned with the national curriculum. The GBAIA project also conducted two micro-initiatives to pilot activities that will address specific issues within the book supply chain. The first micro-initiative focused on improving the quality of books in circulation, while the second micro-initiative aimed to increase the availability of books in local languages. The project provided technical assistance to the GBA Secretariat, USAID missions, and host-country partners to support the implementation of these initiatives. The GDL continued to be a key platform for the GBAIA project, with support provided to the GDL on its transition to a new platform and interface. The GDL now has a more user-friendly interface and provides increased opportunities for posting new materials and translating existing materials. The process for including USAID-funded materials onto the GDL was refined and expanded, with 16 project teams supported with preparing materials (digital books and audio files) for uploading. The GBAIA project also provided comprehensive support for quality assurance of all English titles in the GDL collection and added ALT-text to every image in preparation for an expanded Translation Sprint in spring 2021. The GBAIA project provided technical assistance to the GBA Secretariat, USAID missions, and host-country partners to support the implementation of the project's objectives. The project also conducted a midterm evaluation to assess progress and identify areas for improvement. The evaluation revealed that the project had made significant progress in expanding the use of the GDL, conducting SCAs, and improving knowledge on supply chain issues. However, the project also faced challenges in implementing the micro-initiatives and providing technical assistance to partners.