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US varsity restocks Mzuni library

Professors from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in the US on Wednesday handed over about 8 000 books to Mzuzu University (Mzuni).
The donation came in reaction to a fire which destroyed Mzuni’s library and over 53 000 titles two years ago.
The new additions will bring to about 30 000 the number of books in the public university’s temporary library.

Mzuni and Virginia Tech delegates show some of the books
Virginia Tech team leader Professor Jack Davis, who is dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at the US university, said the intervention was catalysed by the passion of Professor Ralph Hall who worked at Mzuni.
Hall returned to the US just a day before the fire incident on December 18 2015.
“The head librarian at Mzuni sent a list of needs and most of those are partially met,” said Davis.

The books cover the spectrum of studies, including education, tourism, environmental and health sciences, technology and social sciences.
They were donated by communities of Virginia Tech and Radford University as well as Blacksburg Presbyterian Church.

Mzuni vice-chancellor Robert Ridley described the consignment as a huge relief to students and lecturers as the university opens on Monday.
The books are need-based, specifically targeting courses on offer at the institution.
“Within a year, we have regained half of what we lost. Some books are incredibly expensive. It would have been a tall order to buy them on our own,” he said. 

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