The Cost of Getting Books Read in Rural Africa: Estimates from a Survey of Library Use in Burkina Faso

World Libraries, Forthcoming

11 Pages Posted: 17 Feb 2008

See all articles by Michael Kevane

Michael Kevane

Santa Clara University - Leavey School of Business - Economics Department

Alain Joseph Sissao

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Abstract

Estimates of the impact of libraries on reading in eight villages in Burkina Faso and costs of running libraries enable us to suggest that the cost of getting an extra book read a year varies from $.74 to $1.30, according to the size of the school in the village, and the cost of an extra school year equivalent likewise varies from $43.42 to $75.98 per year. These costs are comparable to the costs of increasing schooling, and suggest the desirability of more careful assessment of the choice between schooling and book availability.

Keywords: Cost, Rural Africa, Burkina Faso, Kevane, Sissao

Suggested Citation

Kevane, Michael and Sissao, Alain Joseph, The Cost of Getting Books Read in Rural Africa: Estimates from a Survey of Library Use in Burkina Faso. World Libraries, Forthcoming , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1093400

Michael Kevane (Contact Author)

Santa Clara University - Leavey School of Business - Economics Department ( email )

500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA California 95053
United States

Alain Joseph Sissao

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

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