Donation Guidelines

Ex-Sydney University library supplies on their way to the UNTL Library - Sept 2002

There are various issues related to donations that need to be considered.

• All donated materials need to be in good repair.
  
  
• Equipment should be new or in good condition, of good quality, of standard models and appropriate format. Ongoing repair and maintenance is problematic with few facilities, skills or spare parts available for repairs at this time.
  
  
• Please do not send unwanted, obsolete and broken equipment or rubbish – East Timor is full of inappropriate and worthless things sent as donations. The library has been sent many boxes full of filmstrips, Beta and Betacam videos and lots of books with all the pages falling out. Other agencies have been sent 286 PCs, PCs with busted hard drives, early Mac’s, broken X-ray machines and other orphaned and useless equipment. Some NGOs have received dirty and torn clothing, unwashed and broken kitchenware and similar delights.
  
  
• There is no rubbish collection system in East Timor so these unwanted goods become even more problematic.
  
  
• PLEASE, please DO NOT pack boxes with foam chips – Timorese ants love to eat them and the result is a horrible mess of ants, foam debris and ant faeces adhered to everything. The chips also have to be burnt in the library's rubbish pile.
  
  
• Transport arrangements for shipping goods to East Timor are costly, fitful and sporadic. In appropriate cases funds are preferred so that purchase and transport can be more advantageously arranged.
  
  
• If you are donating considerable resources, please remember that a shipping container costs $4-5,000 plus other transport and port costs. There is usually plenty of room for smaller boxes. All contributions to shipping costs are always welcome. Corporate and institutional donors in particular are asked to contribute to the costs of transport.
  
  
• Storage space is problematic for items awaiting shipment north. If you are able to provide free, secure storage space please please contact us!
  
  
• Funds for building study and computer benches, book shelving and the loans counter will provide employment for East Timorese in local workshops to build these furnishings to specifications.