The African Library Project, a Portola Valley-based nonprofit that collects and ships thousands of books to libraries in Africa, will hold a fundraising event, "Celebrate Africa," from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, at the Portola Valley Town Center, 765 Portola Road.

Guests can watch African drummers and dancers perform, experiment with African arts and crafts, and feast on traditional African food, such as jolof rice and banana beignets.

Volunteers will explain how people can support their efforts. Admission is free, but people are encouraged to donate to help fund book shipping costs, said book drive coordinator Amelia Yee.

The project works with schools and organizations across the country and with some 375 libraries in African countries, such as Swaziland and Botswana, Ms. Yee said.

The project pairs up each African library with a U.S. organization that agrees to hold book drives for the library. Mrs. Yee estimates that the project has sent more than 300,000 books to Africa in the past four years.

For more information, go to www.africanlibraryproject.org.

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