Today I came across an opportunity to do something useful to aid the reconstruction effort in Iraq. The American University of Iraq, in the northern city of Sulaymaniya, is asking for donations of books.

The full text of the article by Christopher Hitchens (I know, and unlikely rallying point for liberal philanthropy) can be found here. To summarise the essence of the request though, the university is accepting donations of books on everything from foreign affairs to software engineering to history to social science.

The University was started with funding from the US Congress and the Kurdish Regional Government. It currently operates only in the Kurdish controlled northern regions which are relatively free of violence. It is a modern, secular academic institution, on a model that has already been tried in Cairo and Beirut.

To make you book donations, simply mail one or two new, current and important academic books to:

Nathan Musselman
The American University of Iraq—Sulaimani
Building No. 7, Street 10
Quarter 410
Ablakh Area
Sulaimani, Iraq
(+964) (0)770-461-5099

(It's important to include the number at the end.)

Thank you.