AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER No. 87/88, July - October 1996 ISSN 0148-7868 TABLE OF CONTENTS Africana Libraries Newsletter {ALN) is published quarterly by the Michigan State University Libraries and the MSU African Studies Center. Those copying Editor’s Comments contents are asked to cite^ZJVas their source. ALNis produced to support the work Acronyms of the Africana Librarians Council (ALC) of the African Studies Association. It carries reports on meetings of ALC, CAMP (Cooperative Africana Microform ALC/CAMP N E W S .................................... Project) and other relevant groups. It also reports other items of interest to Africana Calendar of Future Meetings librarians and those concerned about information resources about or in Africa. Schedule for San Francisco Meetings in Boston (April 1996): Editor: Joseph J. Lauer, Africana Library, MSU, East Lansing, MI 48824-1048. ALC Business Meeting Tel.: 517-432-2218; E-mail: lauer@pilot.msu.edu; Fax: 517-432-1445. ALC Executive Board Meetings Deadline for no. 89: Jan. 1, 1997; for no. 90: April 1, 1997. Bibliography Committee Meeting Cataloging Committee Meeting CAMP Business Meeting EDITOR’S COMMENTS OTHER N E W S ............................................................ 7 This issue was finalized in late October, a full 6 months after the ALC/CAMP News from other Associations meetings in Boston, which are described at some length starting on page 2. Calendar Readers will also find two reviews. Thanks must go to Helene Baumann, Ruby ALA Bell-Gam, Phyllis Bischof, Jill Coelho, Moore Crossey, Andrew deHeer, Karen MELA Fung, John Howell, Ken Lohrentz, Theresa Moore, Elizabeth Plantz, Nancy Personnel Changes: Frank Carroll Schmidt, Mette Shayne, Dawn Williams, and Hans Zell for their contributions, Free Materials Requested which arrived in a timely manner. Resources at Libraries and Research Centers: For the editor, the past 8 months have seen more than the usual number of Kathrada; National Archives of Uganda changes. My office files were moved to a new location, with a new telephone number. I have switched to a new email system, with a new email address. And RESEARCH ON LIBRARIES.................................... 8 I have struggled through two new word-processing programs. All this new Book Review: Olden, by de Heer technology should now begin to produce some efficiencies, but one of the costs Journals & Articles is a combined issue for July and October. — continued on page 10 REFERENCE SOURCES...........................................9 Data on Diskette Notes: ABPR & JALA New Reference Titles ACRONYMS Book Review: Mcllwaine, by Bischof ACRL - Association of College & Research Libraries (ALA) LETTERS & OPINIONS..........................................10 ALA - American Library Association (Chicago) Palmeri’s Dream ALC - Africana Librarians Council (formerly Archives- Hennepin County Subject Headings Libraries Committee) of ASA Zell on African Journals and LC Nairobi ASA - African Studies Association (U.S.) CAMP - Cooperative Africana Microform Project (CRL) NOTES ON MATERIALS & V END O RS............. 11 CRL - Center for Research Libraries (Chicago) Vendor Announcements IFLA - International Federation of Library Associations Book Awards LC - Library of Congress Events MELA - Middle East Librarians Association Literature on the Book Trade MSU - Michigan State University Online Files SCOLMA - Standing Conf. on Library Materials on Africa Serial Changes U. - University New Serials UCLA - University of California, Los Angeles Selected New Books Special Issues of Journals AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 2 JULY - OCTOBER 1996 AFRICANA LIBRARIANS COUNCIL / CAMP NEWS CALENDAR OF FUTURE MEETINGS meeting in Washington of Title VI center directors. Pointing out that applications for Title-VI funding for the next 3-year cycle would November 23-26, 1996, San Francisco - ASA Annual Meeting take place in Fall 1996, he urged librarians to discuss cooperative May 15-17, 1997, Syracuse, NY - ALC/CAMP Spring Meeting project ideas and seek input of directors of African studies programs Nov. 12-15, 1997, Columbus - 40th ASA Annual Meeting and centers. After some discussion, McCann suggested that center Mar. 26-28/Apr. 2-4, 1998, Gainesville - ALC/CAMP Spring Mtg. directors would like to broaden the scope of projects beyond Oct./Nov. 1998, Chicago - ASA Annual Meeting acquisitions to include improved access to information and materi­ Fall 1999, Philadelphia - ASA Annual Meeting als. Fall 2000, ?Nashville - ASA Annual Meeting 2. Introductions and announcements. SCHEDULE FOR ALC/CAMP MEETINGS 3. Minutes from the Fall 1995 Meeting: Bell-Gam distributed IN SAN FRANCISCO copies of the draft minutes, which replaced the report published in ALN. Various members expressed support for the publication of full Friday, 22 November: minutes, in a timely manner, with a deposit in the ALC archives at 8:30-9:30 ..........ALC Executive Northwestern. Caruso suggested that the membership should re­ 9:30-11:00 ........ALC Cataloging Committee think the future of ALN in its current format, in the context of 11:00-1:00 ........ALC Bibliography Committee electronic media possibilities, as well as consider the need to find a 2:00-4:30 ..........ALC Business Meeting new editor, since Joe Lauer had made it clear that he would welcome 4:30-5:30 ..........ALC Executive a replacement. Baumann pointed out that the Strategic Planning Saturday, 23 November: Committee was charged with the responsibility of reexamining 9:00-11:00 ........CAMP Business Meeting issues involving communication, among other things. She sug­ 11:00-12:00......CAMP Executive gested that the corrected Fall 1995 draft minutes be resubmitted to Sunday, 24 November: the membership by email for approval after the Boston Spring 8:45-10:45 ........Sponsored panel: Africa on the meeting. W orldwide Web Monday, 25 November: 4. 40th Anniversary Conference (Fall 1997): Issues discussed 8:45-10:45 ........Sponsored panel: Libraries and Archives included notifications, the need for institutional support, and pos­ in Southern Africa sible additional funding. Schmidt called members’ attention to the fact that the 40th Anniversary celebration would supplant the bibliography and catalog committee meetings. If ALC decides to hold the two committee meetings in addition to the conference, then AFRICANA LIBRARIANS COUNCIL more ALC meetings than usual will coincide with ASA panel BUSINESS MEETING sessions. Schmidt announced that the planning committee would Boston, April 26, 1996 - 2-4 pm meet the following day to draw up a list of panelists for the program. The meeting was called to order by Helene Baumann, chair. 5. Library of Congress report: Zellers distributed copies of a bookmark that LC was handing out to inform its patrons of an Present: Olu Ademulegun (African Publications Resource), Helene impending change in services, including the need for photo identi­ Baumann (Duke U.), Julianne Beall (LC), Ruby Bell-Gam (UCLA), fication. Zellers also announced that the African and Middle Phyllis Bischof (U.C. Berkeley), Christopher Boyd (African Im­ Eastern Division at LC would soon relocate to another building. She print), Joseph Caruso (Columbia U.), Jill Young Coelho (Harvard distributed a list, compiled by V alerie Mwalilino, o f LC acquisitions U.), David Easterbrook (Northwestern U.), Onuma Ezera (Michigan contacts and representatives in West Africa, adding that develop­ State U.), Gregory Finnegan (Harvard U.), Elisa Forgey (U. of ments in newspaper collections and services would be discussed the Pennsylvania), Karen Fung (Stanford U.), Miki Goral (UCLA), following day at the CAMP meeting. Beverly Gray (LC), Michael Hopper (Harvard U.), John Howell (U. of Iowa), Dennis Hyde (U. of Pennsylvania), Deborah Lafond 6. ALC Manual: Nanji asked members to send comments to her on (SUNY-Albany), Louise Leonard (U. of Florida), Ken Lohrentz (U. the first draft which she had distributed earlier by email. The draft of Kansas), Helen MacLam (Choice Magazine), Peter Malanchuk included ALC goals and objectives, names and addresses of ven­ (U. of Florida), Wonki Nam (Central State U., Ohio), Razia Nanji dors, selection tools, and notes on access to online catalogs. (U. of Florida), Loumona Petroff (Boston U.), Elizabeth Plantz (Northwestern U.), Elizabeth Sarkodie-Mensah (Harvard U.), Nancy 7. Future Spring Meetings: Spring 1998 will be at the University of Schmidt (Indiana U.), Mette Shayne (Northwestern U.), Elisabeth Florida, Gainesville; Spring 1997 is expected to be at Syracuse Sinnott (New York U.), J. Christina Smith (Boston U.), Andrea University. [Email ballot decided on dates of May 15-17.] Stamm (Northwestern U.), Ruth Thomas (LC, Nairobi), David Westley (Boston U.), Dawn Williams (Northwestern U.), Joanne 8. Panels at ASA in San Francisco (Caruso): ALC would sponsor Zellers (LC). two panels:”Africa on the W orldwide Web,” which he would co­ chair with Ali Dinar of the University of Pennsylvania; and “Librar­ 1. Remarks by Dr. James McCann (Director of African Studies ies and Archives in Southern Africa,” to be chaired by Caruso. Center, BU): He welcomed the conference participants to Boston University and noted that he would be leaving immediately for a 9. ALC Website: The idea of an ALC Website was briefly discussed. AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 3 JULY - OCTOBER 1996 See also Bibliography Committee minutes. Caruso reported that he 2. ALC Minutes: concerns about the way the Minutes are distributed will head a task group to carry out a survey of electronic Africana, were raised. Besides the printed versions in ALN and as handouts at eg. CD-ROMs, Websites etc. meetings, options like e-mail (Finnegan’s List) and Internet web­ sites were discussed, awaiting input from the whole ALC group. 10. Conover-Porter Award: The Conover-Porter Committee (Finnegan, chair and Baumann; Kagan was absent) announced the 3. ALN editorship. At the Orlando meeting Lauer had once again selection of finalists from the list of nominations. The winners will announced that he would like to find a successor. Efforts to find a be announced at the Fall 1996 meeting in San Francisco. new editor were discussed, including steps to be taken if no volun­ teers came forward. The future ofALNin an electronic version and/ 11. ALA Reports: Walsh announced that she had just received by or as part of a ALC website was also discussed. email from Kagan three documents and a cover letter for discussion at the ALC meeting. It was agreed that discussion of the documents 4. The charges to the Strategic Planning Committee were brought would be deferred until a future date, preferably with Kagan present, up. Nanji posted a draft version of a manual to Finnegan’s list. Other after the members had a chance to read them. charges included the editorship of ALN and other communication issues. 12. Nominating Committee: Baumann called for nominations and volunteers for appointment to the ALC Nominating Committee. 5. Planning of roundtables and panels. Caruso updated the group on Positions to be filled in Fall 1996 are vice-chair/chair-elect, secre­ the plans for San Francisco. Cooperation with ETG and the tary, and one member-at-large. Shayne and Finnegan were ap­ possibility of offering workshops in web-browsing were also dis­ pointed to the two-member committee. cussed. There are very real problems o f space and funding. 13. Open Forum: deferred for lack of time. 6. Nominating Committee: Shayne and Finnegan agreed to serve. 14. ARL Global Resources Project. Jutta Reed-Scott gave an over­ 7. Spring meetings in 1997 and 1998: We had received tentative view of the Project. Pilot projects focused on Latin American, offers from Syracuse University Library for 1997, and from Univer­ German, and Japanese materials. The Project was now expanding sity of Florida, Gainesville Library for 1998. A firm commitment to a global focus. The plan was to involve other area studies groups was to be sought from Syracuse, as Meseratch Zecharias was unable in improving acquisitions and access, and taking advantage of to attend the Boston meeting. available technology to achieve these goals. The project was looking to the AAU for support in acquiring technological facilities. 8. The Conover-Porter Committee composed of Finnegan (chair), In response to a question about the format for proposals, Reed- Baumann, and A1 Kagan (absent) reported that they have 2 co­ Scott explained that there are three essential areas: 1) expression of winners and 3 honorable mentions, without disclosing the names of interest; 2) creation of a working group made up of two area studies the winners. librarians, two scholars, and two ARL directors; and 3) description of a specific project. —edited from minutes submitted by Helene Baumann, ALC chair Baumann thanked Reed-Scott for the discussion, stating that it provided essential information for proposed discussions at subse­ quent meetings on the following day. Reed-Scott further com­ POST-BUSINESS MEETING mented that a proposed project might involve an identifiable body EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING of material suitable for scanning and electronic delivery, with varied Boston, April 26, 1996 holdings in each of several different locations. She gave the example of Latin-American local residential information, which is 1. Minutes: Following the discussion at the full meeting, it was not held in its entirety by any one library, including LC. Several decided that the secretary send the draft Minutes in a timely manner suggestions of possible projects ensued: government documents, 1) to the chair, and 2) to Finnegan’s Electronic List for participants’ ECOWAS materials, and an emphasis on regional and local docu­ comments. After corrections have been integrated, the Minutes are ments, as opposed to those at the national level. reposted electronically, and an archival paper copy is prepared to be kept at Northwestern University. It will be up to the editor of ALN — edited from minutes submitted by Bell-Gam which format (full or abbreviated) may appear inALN. The question was raised whether African subscribers to the newsletter would be satisfied with potentially abbreviated minutes, or would they want to receive paper copies of the full Minutes. Also, not 100% of US- PRE-BUSINESS MEETING based ALC members have access to the Internet, but most do. EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING Boston, April 26, 1996 2. ALN editorship. No new editor having come forth at the full meeting, further brainstorming took place as to the future of ALN in Issues raised and discussed in connection with the Business Meeting whatever format would be desirable to the membership. agenda: —Submitted by Helene Baumann, ALC chair 1. Title VI: In anticipation of the planned address by Dr. James McCann, Director of African Studies at Boston University, regard­ ing Title VI Center projects, the group raised concerns about past communication between Center directors and Title VI cooperative library projects. It seemed there may have been some miscommu- nication in the past. AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 4 JULY-OCTO BER 1996 BIBLIOGRAPHY COMMITTEE MEETING • LC (Zellers): The African Section will be publishing a guide to the Boston, April 26, 1996; 8:30-10:30am collection, which will be an update of a 1970 article about holdings of Africana in the Library of Congress. US Imprints 9/10 are in the 1. Amendments to the Orlando minutes [as reported in ALN] were indexing stage. circulated and approved. • Boston University (Walsh): Her bibliography of Media in Africa is due to the publisher in June. The library is hoping to have a 2. JALA (Easterbrook): The discussion centered on the question as webpage ready by the end of the summer. to whether JALA (Joint Acquisitions List of Africana) had outlived • Hans Zell’s book on Publishing in Africa is due shortly. its usefulness. A questionnaire was distributed with the previous issue of JALA; only 30 responses were returned. Since JALA —Edited from minutes by Razia Nanji (seer.) & Mette Shayne (chair) started in 1962 as a cooperative effort of ALC,its input was sought. Concerns for Northwestern: Costs are not covered by subscriptions, and deficit is covered by the Northwestern Africana library book CATALOGING COMMITTEE MEETING budget; costs incurred by contributing libraries; complaints from Boston, April 26, 1996, 10:45-12:30 a.m. libraries whose entries were not added, due to space limitations. Alternatives discussed included electronic contributions, posting Present: Baumann, Beall, Bell-Gam, Caruso, Ezera, Fung, Goral, information on a web site or a CD-ROM. Easterbrook agreed to Gray, Howell, Hyde, LaFond, Leonard, Lohrentz, Nam, Petroff, report back. Plantz, Schmidt, Sinnott, Stamm, Thomas, Williams, Zellers. 3. Charges for serials: Schmidt distributed the Henige article in Oct. 1. The meeting was called to order by Elizabeth Plantz, committee 1995 ALN , which mentioned the trend to commercial publishers chair. with much higher prices. It was agreed that the group would share information about expensive serials or sharply increased subscrip­ 2. The minutes o f the November 1995 meeting in Orlando were tion prices and announce cancellations on the e-mail list. Other accepted as submitted, with minor corrections. Committee decided concerns included the use of vendors who charged high service to distribute the full text of the minutes via email prior to the future charges, sometimes for publications that were never received. meetings. Letters to journals and publishers were encouraged. 3. Dewey Decimal Area Table for South Africa: LC’s Decimal 4. NISC (South African Studies CD-ROM): There were numerous Classification Division distributed a discussion paper on approaches questions concerning future editions or supplements of this product, to the revision o f the Area Table for South Africa (EPC Exhibit 107- material that was or could be covered, problems of document 6; Feb. 19, 1996). This outlined the options for handling the new delivery, and the future of the print versions of some of the provinces in the next edition of Dewey: 1) Old structure with bibliographies included. It was suggested that the publisher attend internal changes; 2) Revisions limited to South Africa; 3) Complete a future meeting. revision, with South Africa in either 681-685 or only 681. Beall Caruso suggested that a task force for formed to discuss issues explained the work of the Dewey Editorial Policy Committee and concerning electronic publishing. Members volunteering: Bell- the process o f seeking further international input, as some are not Gam, Caruso, Howell, Lafond, Malanchuk, and Walsh. happy with the South African Library’s proposal. Catalogers from Northwestern distributed a document outlining 5. Newspaperlist (Shayne): Members were asked to send updated their response. Stamm explained Northwestern’s opposition to information to Northwestern before the end of July. It was suggested options 2 and 3 whose implementation would involve too much that each institution add their retention policy and as much holding disruption for libraries with large collections of materials about information as possible. Southern Africa. They hoped that their recommendations (includ­ ing one number for both Southern Africa and South Africa) would 6. Electronic Journal of African Bibliography: Howell suggested be endorsed by the Committee. Schmidt noted that it seems that the group start an electronic journal of African bibliography and inappropriate to use one number for both South Africa and Southern contribute available non published material which is not copy­ Africa. Beall pointed out that this is done for other areas, such as righted. Howell thought he could get this mounted at University of Central Europe and Germany. It was agreed that anyone could study Iowa. CRL and ASA were also mentioned as possibilities. Biblio­ both documents and send their comments to Plantz or Stamm. The graphic essays and scholarly publishing could also be added. Bischof chair was to provide Beall with a collective response late in May. felt it should be a refereed journal. 4. Impact of “core record” cataloging: Caruso discussed his Pro­ 7. Institutional reports: gram for Cooperative Cataloging training to produce a “core record, • Northwestern University (Easterbrook): CIC has received re­ which is more extensive than a minimal-level record, but less than newal of a preservation grant which will permit filming of 550 more a full catalog record. He expressed some concern over certain parts monographs from the Africana collection. of the record that are lost. Plantz asked everyone to analyze how • Philadelphia consortium (Foley): published a resource guide and core records impact users and workflow. awaits constructive criticism. • Indiana University (Schmidt): finished the cataloging of its So­ 5. ALC Africana Subject Funnel Project: Plantz commented that mali collection under a Title 2C grant. more people are submitting headings and the project is functioning • Univ. of Florida (Malanchuk): the following bibliography com­ quite well. We have been assigned a regular contact person at LC, piled by a visiting scholar is available for $25.00: Women and which should encourage people to contribute, as turn-around time Gender Studies in Tanzania, by Fenella Mukangara. Dar es Salaam: should now be faster. Dar Es Salaam University Press, 1995. AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 5 JULY-OCTO BER 1996 6. Titles in African languages: Plantz has sent letters to APNET and brary of Congress (Beall, Gray, Thomas, Zellers), Michigan State all its members, requesting that African publishers provide transla­ U. (Ezera), New York Public Library-Schomburg Center (Andrew tions of titles for publications in African languages. The issue was DeHeer), Northwestern U. (Easterbrook, Shayne), Stanford U. considered at APNET’s most recent board meeting and two levels of (Fung), U. of California, Berkeley (Bischof), U. of California, Los action were decided upon: (a) APNET will request that all members Angeles (Bell-Gam, Christopher Ehret, Goral), U. of Florida of its network insert a page containing title translation and language (Leonard, Malanchuk, Nanji), U. o f Iowa (Howell), U. of Kansas information in English, French or Portuguese in newly published or (Lohrentz), U. of Pennsylvania (Forgey, Hyde), and Yale U. reprinted African language materials, and (b) for materials already (Crossey). in print, translation information could be provided in publisher’s Guests present: Ron Kassimir (Social Sciences Research Coun­ catalogs. This would be a problem because catalogs are not readily cil), LaFond, Sinnott. available to catalogers. After discussion concerning inserts, Plantz CAMP members not represented: Cornell University, Dartmouth agreed to write again to APNET and propose a format and location College, Emory University, La Trobe University (Australia), for translation information. Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Ohio State University, Ohio University, Princeton University, Queen’s University at Kingston (Ontario) , 7. Other/new business: In response to a request for further training South African Library, State University of New York at Buffalo, in the creation of subject authority records, Plantz asked committee Temple University, University of Cambridge-African Studies Cen­ members if this is wanted at a future meeting; or if it would be tre, University of Chicago, University of Kansas, University of sufficient to send specific problems to her directly, since LC Minnesota, University of Ohio, University of Rochester, University considers us trained. The second option was preferred by the group. of Tasmania, University of Western Australia, University of Wis- Kagan was seeking someone to catalog African language titles at consin-Madison, Wayne State University. the University of Illinois. It was decided to table further discussion of a potential cooperative cataloging project until Kagan is present. 1.-4. Introductions & approval o f minutes: Caruso said he would bring his proposed revision of the DT schedule to the next meeting. 5. Election Committee: Fung and Meseratch Zecherias were named to prepare the summer ballot for two Members-at-Large and a 8. Cataloging activity reports. Faculty Advisor. Northwestern (Stamm): Williams, the most recent Unit Head, is now Head of the Bibliographic Record Services Department. The two 6. Camp Finances And Commitments (Rudeen): (Financial Report remaining Africana catalogers will report to Stamm in her new and list of commitments available from CRL). capacity as Head of the Catalog Department, and she will be the • Grant income and expenses are outside the budget. contact person for matters relating to Africana cataloging. Williams • The March quarter will reflect membership revenues pointed out that she also has ten people in her department performing • Cataloging expenses will rise before the end of the fiscal year cataloging of Africana materials with copy. as activity increases. As before, charges are only for the billable hours o f professional catalogers and clerical help is not charged. 9. ALA/CC:AAM Midwinter report, San Antonio: New schedule Billing statistics are compiled quarterly. for South Africa was not yet ready because the provincial borders • “CAMP Commitments” are not yet spent but cannot be and place names were not yet established. There was also a committed again. Tanzanian and Nairobi newspapers are discussion of a proposed 1997 program for authority control on ongoing. Somali newspapers can now be removed from the order languages in non-Roman scripts, to be tentatively held in 1997. list. The total for FY 97 ONLY is $8500. Thus there is $20,000 Proposed topics include: (a) authority control on national databases; available as of 1 July, 1996, with $8500 already committed. This (b) authority control on local databases; (c) authority control and includes cataloging and M. Rudeen’s expenses. retrospective conversion, and (d) how do librarians consider author­ ity records in non-Roman script coming from vendors? 7. Activities Of The Social Science Research Council (Ron Kassimir): African Archives and Museums Project (AAMP) began in 1991 10. LC cataloging report.: They are pleased with subject heading with Ford and Rockefeller Foundation funds to support museums contributions through the funnel project. There plan more coopera­ and archives in Africa, principally through a re-grant program, tion with South Africa regarding the proposed changes to the which consisted of 32 small grants and contributions to networks revision of the area table for South Africa. connecting museums and archives in Africa. An example was a conference in Harare which was regarded as very successful. SSRC —Revised from minutes by Dawn Bastían (Secretary) is completing the editing and publishing of the Harare proceedings, including the abstracts of all 32 programs funded over the last 5 years by AAMP. COOPERATIVE AFRICANA The AAMP Committee met in November 1995 about funding and MICROFORM PROJECT (CAMP) future directions of grants. There was discussion about training administrators of museums and archives, preferably at a regional BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES center, perhaps in cooperation with a South African institution. Boston, April 27, 1996, 9:00-11:00am Because of new funding structures and strictures, all area studies committees, including African, will be de-commissioned at the end The meeting was convened by John Howell as Chair, with Jill Young of June and replaced with a new structure. However, this is not Coelho as Secretary. intended to reduce SSRC’s commitment to field research and area- Member institutions (and their representatives) present: Boston based knowledge. SSRC’s new address is: 810 7th Ave., New York U. (Petroff, Walsh, Westley), Center for Research Libraries (Marlys NY 10010; (212) 377-2700; Kassimir@SSRC.org Rudeen), Columbia U. (Caruso), Duke U. (Baumann), Harvard U. (Coelho, Finnegan, Sarkodie-Mensah), Indiana U. (Schmidt), Li­ AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 6 JULY - OCTOBER 1996 8. LC Report (Zellers): The CAMP list of African newspapers is at: http://wwwcrl. The LC newspaper list will not be published but will be available uchicago.edu/~paper/fnp/webcamp 1.html on a Web site. Both U.S. and foreign newspapers will be listed, but The CAMP list of African newspapers, arranged geographically, the foreign papers list will not be complete right away. is at: http://wwwcrl.uchicago.edu/~paper/fnp/webcamp2.html Nigerian newspaper arrivals are better, but those from South African Rudeen noted that the CAMP lists will be broken into smaller are surprisingly worse. regional sections. It will be updated first in November of 96, and The April 1993 printed list of “African Newspapers on Commer­ thereafter annually. Howell wants to address the question of cial Film” will not be updated. There is now a database of African retrospective holdings and to formalize the process for updating microfilms, which is available on diskette in WordPerfect 5.1. holdings. Please send requests for copies with a blank diskette to Myron Chace, Photoduplication Service. NEW BUSINESS: Donald Hester, the political consul at the US Embassy in Monrovia, 17. Presbyterian Church In The U.S. A. Board O f Foreign Missions has brought complete runs of 7 newspaper titles. LC does not have Correspondence And Reports, 1833-1911: Africa Mission (Rudeen): the funds to film them, but some other institution could do so. We have $2,800 for FY 96 and $11,000 for FY 97. “The Church” and “South Africa” are good candidates for general CRL purchase 9. LC Nairobi Office Report (Ruth Thomas) because they are not specific to CAMP. Somali reports have been sent for microfiching. A collection of post-1993 Malawi newspapers serves serious consideration for 18. The Lungu History Manuscript, compiled by Bill Watson; preservation filming. At least 48 began publication, and 21 have copied by Brian Siegel (Furman): A gift to CAMP. ceased already. These issues are unique, and unfortunately incom­ plete. 19. Eastern African Newspapers Not Currently Being Filmed (Rudeen): 10. New And Prospective Members (Easterbrook): None to report. (See the LC Nairobi office report, above) CAMP would need to spend about $3000 to film the Malawi newspapers. This is not likely OLD BUSINESS: to be a long-term commitment since so many of the titles have 11. CAMP Brochure In French (Bischof): There are 2 drafts done, ceased. A motion to film the Malawi newspapers was approved. but it still needs work. 20. The Family Mirror (Dar es Salaam): 12. Iowa’s Health/Medical Grant: Medical Research Centre, And This is being collected by several institutions, and will be filmed The State Library; Extramed (Howell): The grant for filming is now by CRL. CAMP will contribute its issues from member libraries. ending. ExtraMED is to be a CD-ROM of 120 Third-World journals on health, including 40 Chinese and some Arabic. Iowa has 21. Zairean Newspaper Project In Belgium: M. Vellut has written purchased a set of 12 CD-ROMs. The publisher has bought the to request a letter of support and interest from CAMP for the filming copyright so that it can be copied by users. There are very few of 600,000 pages of newspapers. Generally agreed that moral African titles. support is in order, but that we need to check a complete list of the proposed project against titles already filmed by InterDoc. It was 13. Filming of the Judges’ Notebooks of the Civil and Criminal agreed to send a letter of strong support, but not to offer any money Cases of the Colonial Lagos Supreme Court (Howell): Inquiries yet. continue. 22. La Politique Coloniale, Belgium, 1892-4 av. 1919 (Association 14. Status O f Offipubs: The price has doubled. The purchase has pour la conservation et la reproduction photographique de la presse). been approved by CRL, but not yet funded. $1,652): Approved a motion to buy after 1 July, 1996. 15. Title Vl/Camp Project on Microfilming Selected Parts of the 23. Archival Materials From South Africa: deferred until the next Archives of Senegal (Caruso): We anticipate filming will begin in meeting. the next 6 weeks. We had to re-negotiate the price of colonial court records. The National Archives has reduced the filming price. The 24. South Africa: A Weekly Journal For All Interested In South cost estimate is $19,800 for Title VI. We will need around $1000 African Affairs 1889-1970-(Howell): Covers southern Africa in­ from another source to cover shipping and customs. The densitom­ cluding Mozambique. By September 1995 reached 1917 with 1787 eter is ready to go from MacBeth. Details are in place for shipping fiche to run to 4,000 fiche, $8,000. Includes maps, diagrams, and payment. We are ordering the photo light meter. It will be $5000 photographs, and information on economics, trade, personalia. A for equipment and shipping. A progress report will be sent to all Title good candidate for the general CRL ballot. Needs no further action VI Center directors with a copy to Coelho. from CAMP right now. CAMP executive will be canvassed. After general discussion and a motion that CAMP pay for the shipping of the equipment for the project was approved. Another —edited from minutes distributed by the Secretary. motion was made and approved that CAMP send someone at least annually to check on progress. 16. Union Lists O f African Newspapers On The World Wide Web: The Northwestern List of African Newspapers Currently Re­ ceived by U.S. Libraries, compiled by Mette Shayne is at: http:// wwwcrl.uchicago.edu/bsd/ afnew 196. html AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 7 JULY-OCTO BER 1996 OTHER NEWS NEWS FROM OTHER ASSOCIATIONS FREE MATERIALS REQUESTED Notes on requests fo r books are listed as received, CALENDAR without any endorsement by the editor, MSU or ALC. ALA: Crop Management Research Training Project (PO Box 677, Njoro, Feb. 14-20, 1997, Washington - Midwinter Meeting Kenya) seeks books for use by trainees. Details available from: Apr. 11-14, 1997, Nashville - ACRL National Conf. Robert K. Obura, CMRT Project Coordinator, address above; June 26-July 3, 1997, San Francisco - ALA Annual Conf. cmrt@arso.sasa.unep.no Jan. 9-15, 1998, New Orleans - Midwinter Meeting June 25-July 2, 1998, Washington, D.C. - ALA Annual Conf. Hadiya Development Association (PO Box 152, Hossana, Ethiopia) 1999, Philadelphia - Midwinter Meeting seeks books, pamphlets, and periodicals for its newly created Apr. 9-12, 1995, Detroit - ACRL National Conf. Library. 1999, New Orleans - ALA Annual Conf. 2000, San Antonio - Midwinter Meeting Mukwano Secondary School, P.O. Box 2148, Bungoma, Kenya. 2000, Chicago - ALA Annual Conf. IFLA Annual Conferences: RESOURCES AT LIBRARIES Aug. 31-Sept. 5, 1997, Copenhagen AND RESEARCH CENTERS Aug. 1998, Amsterdam Aug. 1999, Bangkok Kathrada Collection was deposited at Michigan State University 2001, Boston Library during the October 1996 visit of Ahmed M. Kathrada. He is a veteran of the South African liberation struggle, one o f the Rivonia defendants, and a political prisoner on Robben Island and AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION at Pollsmoor Maximum Prison between 1964 and 1989. The 1996 Midwinter Meeting (San Antonio): collection consists of microform copies (4 reels of microfilm and In response to an International Relations Committee report, ALA 132 fiche) of his prison correspondence, personal notebooks and Council voted that ALA support comprehensive sanctions against documents from his prison years, and the Pollsmoor Library List. the Government of Nigeria, because of that Government’s violation The microforms were prepared by Abba Microfilm Services in of human rights and freedom of expression. See American Librar­ South Africa. An Index prepared by Kier Schuringa was published ies, Aug. 1996, for tally. as part of a series of Mayibuye Centre catalogues. 1996 Annual Meeting (New York): National Archives of Uganda Panel on Libraries in Post-Apartheid South Africa: An Eye Status Report as of August 1996, by Kathryn Barrett-Gaines (Stanford Witness Report (sponsored by the Black Caucus of ALA and the Univ.) International Relations Committee). Moderated by Ismail Abdullahi The Chief Archivist is Mr. Wani; other archivists are Ms. Justine (Clark Atlanta Univ.); presentations by Mary F. Lenox (Univ. of Nalwoga and Mr. Charles Etomet. The staff are very proud of the Missouri) and Alfred Kagan (Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). archives and are looking forward to cataloging the whole collection, Spirited discussion on how to help followed. acquiring more materials, and moving into their own building in The following resolution was passed by the ALA Council: Kampala. They are very welcoming and helpful. Current location be it resolved that the American Library Association commends the is the basement of Department of Agriculture, on the shore o f Lake Zimbabwe International Book Fair for its stance in support of Victoria in Entebbe. Mailing Address: National Archives of freedom of expression and human rights as reflected in Article 19 of Uganda, Ministry of Public Service, P.O. Box 7003, Kampala. the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Official research permits are required to use or see the collection. Nations General Assembly. Scope and arrangement of the of Collection: The 1891-1910 ACRL’s Asian, African and Middle Eastern Section: Peter records are itemized in a typed catalogue and are organized chrono­ Malanchuk was elected member-at-large. logically. The 1910-1929 records are itemized in a handwritten catalogue and are organized chronologically. The 1929-1941 records MIDDLE EAST LIBRARIANS ASSOCIATION are itemized in a handwritten catalogue and are organized by the MELA’s meeting will be held in Providence, RI, on Nov. 20-21, in following themes: customs, trade, military, post/telegraph, agricul- conjunction with MESA’s annual meeting, which is held Nov. 21- ture/forestry, game/veterinary, medical, external affairs, land, geo­ 24. logical, railway, public works, municipal, labor, education, avia­ tion, printing/publishing, societies/clubs/institutes, & finance. The 1941-1959 records are uncatalogued. PERSONNEL CHANGES Further details available from author at: anansi@ leland. Stanford.EDU. Frank Carroll, head of the Newspaper Section at LC, retired on August 2, 1996. He has been a particular friend of ALC and of the African Section at LC. AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 8 JULY-O C TO BER 1996 RESEARCH ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE BOOK REVIEW The condition of the book industry has a considerable bearing on by Andrew de Heer (New York Public Library) the fate o f library development in Africa. The encouragement of local publishing reduces dependence on imported materials, which Olden, Anthony. Libraries in Africa: Pioneers, Policies, Prob­ require scarce foreign exchange. lems. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1995. 190p. ISBN The greatest challenge facing libraries in Africa is how to fashion 0-8108-3093-0 $37.50. information policies in response to recent exponential advance in information technology. Discussion like the IDRC conference Olden has compressed an enormous amount of historical facts about (1992) are a healthy sign that information transmitted electronically library development in English-speaking Africa. The arrangement is going to play a vital role in libraries. But engaging in the Internet of his material demonstrates very striking similarities in the se­ involves an investment that is far above the resources some coun­ quences of the events chronicled here. Other distinctive aspects of tries can afford, and concerns are expressed as to what happens when this book are the depth and extent of his sources and the manner in international support ceases. which he has combined them with his personal knowledge of the While it is fashionable for commentators on the African library events as they unfolded. scene to point to weaknesses, stagnation and deterioration as evi­ The library arrived in the colonies as a service for expatriates, and dence of failures, libraries have performed remarkably well. Olden’s Europeans were reluctant to extend library services to the few history spans a period of only about 7 0 years, half of it under colonial literate Africans on the grounds that they might be a source of rule. Judging it on the basis of standards obtaining in Western unwelcome enlightenment. By the end of the colonial period, public libraries is misleading. In a continent where the culture is predomi­ libraries catered for both Africans and non-Africans, even though nantly oral, the adaptation to foreign written culture should be given patrons were segregated in certain places. These changes were the a longer transitional period. Western nations have taken centuries direct results of the activities of individuals such as Ms. Fegan, to establish viable institutions. The difficulties being experienced Elspeth Huxley and Eve Evans and organizations such as Carnegie now will enable African libraries to evolve more meaningful ser­ Corporation, East African Literature Bureau, and the British Coun­ vices. cil. But at this time, the main objective was to provide what they termed imaginative literature rather than textbooks, which were the main interest of most Africans. JOURNALS & ARTICLES Significant developments in the late colonial period include the Gold Coast Library Board Ordinance (1950) which empowered African Research and Documentation, no. 69 (1995): central government support and the UNESCO Seminar at Ibadan • SCOLMA Chairman’s Report, 1994-95; (1953) which established a clear link between the library and • J.F. Hargrave, Sir Roy Welensky and his Archives (part 2); education and promoted professional training and the formation of • New developments in African publishing - access to libraries: associations. The enthusiastic support for libraries resulted in the Papers presented to the Librarians’ Seminar at the London expansion of existing services and many new buildings after inde­ International Book Fair, 20 March 1995 — papers by Irene pendence. By the end of the decade after independence, almost all Staunton, Tade Akin Aina, Agnes Katama, Mary Jay, & APNET public libraries were led by Africans who had been trained mostly report on projects & activities, 1993/94. in Britain, and they were paying more attention to the needs of • Reports on meetings for IFLA (Istanbul, 20-26 August 1995); education and information. PADIS Workshop on Standardization of Information Systems Since the 70s, African governments find that they cannot continue (Addis Ababa, 14-18 Nov. 1994); & Anglophone Africa Seminar certain services at the same scale, and African librarians feel that on Government Information & Official Publications (Harare, 15- libraries have been marginalized in the queue for scare resources. 18 Dec. 1994); Acute shortages of reading matter, sometimes called a book famine, • Notes on recent publications; has driven libraries to review their policies, some of which were • Some Completed Theses on Africa 1993 and 1994. inherited from the pre-independence period. The concept of provid­ ing library services relevant to the needs of communities was the Innovation: Appropriate Librarianship and Information Work in focus of library forums in the 70s. This meant creating a library Southern Africa, no. 12 (June 1996) included: centers using audio, visual and reading facilities which appeal to all • Glenda Myers, Information Technology and health Information levels of literacy in any community. This also entails the training of Initiatives; a different type of librarians, and it was reflected in the writings of • Rona V. van Niekerk, Organising Local Government Informa­ Alemna, Mchombu, Boadi and others. tion. AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 9 JULY - OCTOBER 1996 REFERENCE SOURCES DATA ON DISKETTE “Sources for African Language Materials for the Countries of Anglophone Africa,” Alfred Kagan. IFLA Journal, 22,1 (1996): 42- South African Theological Bibliography [on CD-ROM]. Published 45. by the Research Institute for Theology and Religion, University of South Africa (UNISA), in partnership with the American Theologi­ cal Library Association (ATLA, 820 Church St., Suite 300, Evanston, BOOK REVIEW IL 60201-5613; 847-869-8513. Price is $350, plus s& h . This 1995 by Phyllis Bischof (University o f Califomia-Berkeley) CD-ROM replaces print production. Vol. 7, including data through 1991, was the final print edition. Mcllwaine, John. Writings on African Archives. London: Hans Zell Publishers, published for the Standing Conference on Library Ma­ terials on Africa (SCOLMA), 1996. 279p. $75 NOTES This partially annotated bibliography covers, in 2,355 entries, all “Africana Reference Works: Annotated List of 1995 Titles,” edited African countries. References are chiefly from 1960 through 1994, by Phyllis B. Bischof (with contributions by Jill Young Coelho, with a very few from the 19th century and from 1995. Although it Peter Malanchuk, Mette Shayne and David Westley), African Book excludes materials well-covered elsewhere, such as Amharic, Publishing Record, v. 22, no. 2 (1996), is noteworthy for qualitative Ethiopic and Arabic North African literary materials; it does include comments on African Biographical Archives (Saur, 1994-7) and all relevant languages, chiefly western, but also Afrikaans, Arabic, other reference sources. and Russian for monographs, journal articles, government reports, conference papers, and other grey literature. Mcllwaine examined JALA (Joint Acquisitions List of Africana) will cease publication 70 to 80% of entries, and provides references to some reviews in with the end of the current volume (vol. 35, no. 6, Nov. 1996). David archival or Africanist journals. L. Easterbrook, Curator, Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Both Part I (Archives in Africa) and Part 2 (Archives Relating to Studies, Northwestern University) listed several major reasons for Africa Located Overseas) are organized geographically. In a this decision, which was made after a great deal of consideration. combined author, title, series, and subject index, relevant material is The increased access to online catalogs and the inclusion of order brought together under the following types of archives: audio­ and provisional records in these catalogs has lessened the impact visual, business, film, map, missionary, oral, photographic, reli­ JALA once had on collection development, current awareness and gious archives, Arabic and Swahili manuscripts, and directories of resource sharing. Other factors were the tremendous growth in the archival institutions. References to archive and records manage­ production of publications in and about Africa and increased pro­ ment appear under the following categories: Archive Profession, duction costs. Automation in Record & Archive Offices; Buildings; Copying Projects; Education & Training; Legislation; Microfilming; “Mi­ grated Archives”; Preservation & Conservation; Records Manage­ NEW REFERENCE TITLES ment; Registry Management. Since most subject entries are geo­ graphically or institutionally based, to search a specific topic such Thefollowing items or issues are noted. For more titles, see the annual as Americans and whaling, one must check through far more entries “Africana Reference Books ” in The African Book Publishing Record, no. 2. than one might wish to consult. A more finely delineated subject index would significantly enhance this volume. Finding List o f Materials on Somalia and in the Somali Language in An essay by Anne Thurston, “Recent Activities and Current the Indiana University Libraries, Bloomington, compiled by Naomi Concerns in African Archives and Records Management,” intro­ Fisher and Yusuf Nur; edited by Nancy J. Schmidt. Bloomington, duces Part 1. She rightly stresses the need to train African archivists IN: African Studies Program (221 Woodbum Hall), Indiana Univer­ and area studies specialists in both traditional and records and sity, 1996. $3.00; $4.05 overseas surface; $9.30 overseas airmail. archives management, and in the increasingly electronic environ­ ment in which this work is performed. “As yet, adequate thought has Lems-Dworkin, Carol. Videos o f African and African-related not been given internationally to the management of records in the Performance: An Annotated Bibliography. Evanston, IL: Carol context of public sector reform in a computerised environment, nor Lems-Dworkin Publishers, 1996. 350p. $57. Address of pub.: Box to the professional education and training required.” [p. 1] Echoed 1646, Evanston, IL 60204-1646; tel.: 847-869-4235. here are concerns similar to those widely voiced at the Future of An informative guide to videos featuring African music, dance, Area Librarianship Conference hosted by Indiana University in July drama, rituals, oral tradition, storytelling, games, healing practices, 1995. A second essay, “Recent developments in Providing Better and other activities. Includes name, subject and distributor indexes. Access to African-related Materials, by John Mcllwaine introduces Part II. Mandela ’sFive Years o f Freedom: South African Politics, Econom­ Much of this materials first appeared in a recent series of articles ics and Social Issues, 1990-1995: A Selected and Annotated in African Research & Documentation. The appearance of this will Bibliography, compiled by Elna Schoeman, Jacqueline A. Kalley be applauded by archivists, librarians, and scholars alike. and Naomi Musiker. Johannesburg: South African Institute of International Affairs, 1996. 770p. (Bibliographical series, no. 29) “Selected List of Recent Writing on Sudan,” compiled by Joanne M. Zellers, SSA [Sudan Studies Assoc.] Newsletter, v. 16, no. 2 (1996): 42-46. AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 10 JULY - OCTOBER 1996 LETTERS & OPINIONS In this section, the editor hopes to publish letters and During ZIBF I met two members of LC staff and expressed my essays that challenge prevailing practices or beliefs. concern about his situation. In their defense they cited the usual In all cases, the opinions expressed are those o f the writer. reasons, i.e. US libraries face severe budget cuts and savings must No endorsement by the editor or ALC or MSU is intended. be found, etc. Fair enough, but I think it is quite wrong if such savings are then achieved at the expense of African journal publish­ PALMERI’S DREAM ers who already live a highly precarious existence. It would perhaps be a different matter if the savings were really significant, but an What I thought would be useful to do with CAMP was to learn about analysis I ’ve done shows that the average overseas institutional modem copying technology and then cooperate with it to help it subscription rate of the 100 or so African serials that were included collect the theses, archives, etc. which it wants and then use the same in the collective African Periodicals Exhibit/APEX at last year’s equipment to go on to copy current publications particularly news­ ZIBF is a modest US$48 annually. papers to provide such publications in either a microfilm or digital The editors o f some of the Zimbabwean journals ... fear that they format without a single ounce of weighty paper crossing the Atlan­ will lose the subscriptions altogether if they refuse to supply via LC tic. Or am I pipe dreaming? ... [Local servers] at some point might at local prices. But I have urged them and others to decline to supply start providing access to Ivoirian newspapers and other publications if the ultimate destination of the journal issues is going to be libraries through the Internet... Would a commercial service be viable? in the USA. This is not to suggest of course that the LC may not purchase copies in bulk locally, but they must pay for them at the —edited from 6/96 email message from Robert J. Palmeri, 06 B.P. 1160, overseas rates if the subscribers are libraries outside Africa. Abidjan 06 Cote d ’Ivoire. I think this is a matter that should be discussed by the ALC at its meeting in San Francisco this year (though I will not unfortunately be present on this occasion). HENNEPIN COUNTY SUBJECT HEADINGS Among the new and revised subject listed in HCL Cataloging Bulletin no. 141 is: Mfecane, replacing: Bantu-speaking peoples— EDITOR’S COMMENTS-------------------------------------- Migrations. -continued from p.10 The Letters & Opinions section carries a letter from Hans Zell. I AFRICAN JOURNALS AND LC NAIROBI have already sent him a personal letter o f dissent. I will share some dissenting ideas on the issue of the recruitment Letter to Editor from Hans Zell (9 Sept. 1996) (and training) of the next generation of Africana librarians. Many of us did our graduate work in the 1960s and 1970s and began I see from the latest issue of the LC Accessions List Eastern and working as Africana librarians over 20 years ago. While there has Southern Africa th a t, in addition to serving the Library of Congress, been some hiring o f younger librarians (after retirements), there are the LC Eastern Africa Office is currently acquiring “selected pub­ now a substantial number of ALC members within a decade of lications from another 33 US libraries. Moreover, I understand that retirement. Personally, I am hoping for a waiver from the usual the LC Nairobi Office is now purchasing African serials collec­ retirement/death requirement; but some are concerned about where tively. libraries are going to find replacements for this pool of experience. This is something that was discussed at the Harare workshop for One solution to the apparent problem is a program to train area African journal editors and publishers which I conducted in Harare studies librarians. This was discussed at the Future of Area during the week immediately before this year’s Zimbabwe Interna­ Librarianship Conference held in Indianapolis on July 13-14,1995. tional Book F air... I understand that, in Zimbabwe, for example, LC S qcALN , July 1995, p. 8 for more details on this Indiana University- are acquiring through a resident representative who goes round funded meeting. journal editors’ offices and purchases 20 copies or more of each This approach strikes me as misguided for two reasons. First, issue (at local prices/local currency) and then ships them to Nairobi there is no evidence that libraries have been ill-served by on-the-job or to a processing centre in the States. training, which will become more common in an era of rapid change. The LC Nairobi Office will no doubt argue that, similarly as for Second, there are relatively few positions (1 or 2 per year in African books or monographs, this is a cost-effective way to systematically Studies) available for the products of such training. To paraphrase acquire new serials from Africa. However, several of the journal Louis Menand, this looks like inefficient social expenditure, of publishers participating at the workshop have protested that this is overinvestment in a product with few buyers. (See his “How to an unfair method to subscribe to their journals. I have to agree, for Make a Ph.D. Matter,” New York Times Magazine, Sept. 22, 1996, it deprives the journals of much-needed foreign earnings, at their pp. 78-81.) overseas rates. Most journal editors purposely keep their local A few years earlier, there was talk within the broader African subscription rates, or price per issue, as low as possible, but they Studies community of seeking grant or federal funding to train next rightly set a considerably higher price for overseas subscriptions. If generation of scholars who would replace those hired in the expan­ they are then deprived of these foreign exchange earnings because sion of the 1960s. It was an attractive argument, for a non-problem. copies of issues are purchased locally by LC staff, then the US As Jane I. Guyer pointed out, in her rich and careful analysis librarians who are participating in the LC acquisitions scheme are (African Studies in the United States: A Perspective (Atlanta, GA: doing a great disservice to struggling African journal publishers, ASA Press, 1996), p.17 & 28): “All logics of profound discourage- who very badly need every bid of hard currency income they can get. — continued on page 13 AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 11 JULY-O CTO BER 1996 NOTES ON MATERIALS AND VENDORS VENDOR ANNOUNCEMENTS • Ways o f Dying (novel), by Zakes Mda (Cape Town: Oxford University Press, 1995); ABC (African Books Collective, The Jam Factory, 27 Park End St., • Presence o f the Earth : New Poems, by Stephen Watson (Cape Oxford 0X1 1HU, UK) announced the exclusive distribution of Town: David Philip Publishers, 1995). Bellagio Studies in Publishing. 1996 titles include: Publishing in Africa: One M an’s Perspective, by Henry Chakava. They also distributed Catalogue no. 12 and the 17th batch of EVENTS cards. Among the publishers for the 25 new titles: Spectrum, Academy Science Publ., Baobab Books, Malthouse Press, New The Third AnnualNational Book Week, organized by the Nigerian Namibia Books, CODESRIA, Ghana Univ. Press, Tanzania Publ. Book Foundation (NBF) was held 13-18 May 1996 at the University House, Univ. Port Harcourt Press, Woeli Publ. Services. of Lagos Conference Center. The theme was: Creating a Conducive Environment for Authorship. Activities included: Presentation of African Publishers’ Network (APNET) (PO Box 3773, Harare) has the first NBF publication: Making Books Available and Affordable’, issued Agricultural Books Published in Africa: A Catalogue, which The Legal Deposit Award, sponsored by the National Library of describes over 100 publications published in 10 countries. Their Nigeria, went to Snaap Press Limited, Enugu; British Council quarterly African Publishing Review also lists new titles from announced the creation o f its Nigerian Book Development Award; African publishers. Subscriptions rates: $40 (surface); $50 (air); A National Conference on the Development of Authorship heard $25 or $30 inside Africa. various papers; A drama presentation, “Aruku Shanka”, written and directed by Felix Okolo. Librarie de l’univers (B.P. 18.018, Kinshasa 13) has distributed a The Fourth Annual National Book Week is scheduled for April list of available titles. 21-27, 1997. Livres de l’Afrique Centrale offers new and old books from Zaire. The 1996 Zimbabwe International Book Fair was held 30 July-3 Founded by Isaac Ntiakulu, it specializes in publications from Bas- August in Harare Gardens, Harare, on the theme of “Books for Zaire, including the works by Ne Muanda Nsemi and Zamenga Business.” It was preceded by a two day Indaba (conference) on Batukezanga. Orders and correspondence to: 1531 Walnut St., National Book Policy, attended by African education ministers, Berkeley, CA 94709; email: wdrake@sirius.com; tel. 510-841- publishers, writers, representatives of the book trade, book develop­ 6732. ment agencies and donors from throughout Africa and internation­ ally. A programme of information, education and training events Norman Ross Publishing (330 W. 58th St., New York, NY 10019) and workshops took place in parallel with the Book Fair itself. distributes the microfilm edition of the following current newspa­ A total of 268 direct exhibitors took part in ZIBF96, representing pers from Cairo: Egyptian gazette; Journal d ’Egypte; Messager; an estimated 450 publishers; 30,000 visitors came, including 2,000 Progrès Egyptien. registered trade and professional visitors over the first two, trade- only days. African countries represented by exhibitors: Botswana, Yoruba Center (610 New York Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11203) offers Cameroon, Cote d ’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, books and audio & video cassettes about traditional Yoruba religion. Lesotho, M adagascar, M alaw i, M ali, M auritius, M orocco, It carries the work of Athelia Henrietta Press, publishing in the name Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Af­ of Orunmila. rica, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe; other countries: Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Jamaica, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, BOOK AWARDS USA. The ZIBF Book Shop, which sells publications on behalf of Noma Award for publishing in Africa exhibitors and others, recorded sales of Zim$ 112,000, a small increase on 1995. Exhibitors and trade visitors reported significant Kitia Toure’ novel Destins par alleles (Abidjan: Nouvelles Editions growth in business transacted during ZIBF96, both quantitative and Ivoiriennes, 1995) was named the winner of the 1996 award. The qualitative, compared with previous years. Orders worth several novel constructs the narrative development around three characters million rand were taken, for example, from visiting South African (a ten-year-old orphan, a student and a politician) with the same librarians and provincial education authority representatives. The name but with divergent fortunes. The sharp socio-political satire expansion of co-publishing agreements and trade in rights, both is illuminated with subtle irony and the sustained use of monologue. intra-African and internationally, was also apparent. “Special Commendation” was awarded for Paulus Gerdes’ Women & Geometry in Southern Africa: Some Suggestions fo r Further Research (Mozambique: Universidade Pedagogica, 1995). Another four titles received “Honourable Mention”: • The Law o f Interpretation in Ghana: Exposition & Critique, by Sy. Bimpong-Buta (Accra: Advanced Legal Publications, 1995); • Rope o f Sand: The Rise and Fall o f the Zulu Kingdom in the Nineteenth Century, by John Laband (Jeppestown, South Africa: Jonathan Ball Publishers, 1995); AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 12 JULY-O CTO BER 1996 ZIBF97 will be held from Saturday 2 August to Saturday 9 August Karen Fung, “Africa South of the Sahara: Selected Internet Re­ 1997, on the theme of ‘Libraries’. A programme of conferences, sources” is available at: http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/ workshops and public events runs throughout the period, while the affica/guide.html Book Fair itself is open for five days, as follows: Saturday, 2 August - Internet Journal o f African Studies (ISSN 1363-2914) was pub­ Sunday, 3 A ugust.............Indaba on ‘Access to Information’ lished in April 1996. Available at: http://www.brad.ac.uk/research/ Monday, 4 A ugust................ Setting-up day for exhibitors ijas. Tuesday, 5 August- Wednesday, 6 A ugust..... Book Fair open: trade-only days Peter Limb (University of Western Australia) has made available a Thursday, 7 A ugust..............Trade-only in morning, new, much revised and enlarged version of his “An A-Z of African public admitted in afternoon Studies on the Internet” [October 1996], with hot links, at http:// Friday, 8 August- www.library.uwa.edu.au/libweb/w_sch/sc_ml_afr.html Saturday, 9 A ugust...........Book Fair open to the general public It is also available at the H-Affica web site at http://www.h- net.msu.edu/~africa/intemet/index.html#gen; or as a plain text email Besides the keynote Indaba conference, the ZIBF97 events attachment from: plimb@library.uwa.edu.au programme incorporates a five day Writers’ Workshop and an African Booksellers Convention. Within the ZIBF’s outdoor exhibit site, new features for 1997 include a dedicated visitor meeting area SERIAL CHANGES and service centre, a thematic pavilion on African and international librarianship, a technology, print and publishing services section, African Journal o f Political Economy has become the African and a special educational and entertainment section for children and journal o f Political Science, effective with New series, vol. 1, no. 1 the general public. (June 1996). The first issue is also a special issues, edited by Horace For further information contact: Margaret Ling, 25 Endymion G. Campbell, carrying papers which were written within the context Road, London N4 1EE, UK; zibf@mango.zw of the debates o f the 7th Pan African Congress (Kampala, April 1994). AJPS is a publication of the African Association of Political Science. It appears in June and December of each year. Address: LITERATURE ON THE BOOK TRADE PO Box M P1100, Mt. Pleasant, Harare, aapp@harare.iafrica.com Jacob Jaybgay, “Scholarly Publishing in Francophone Africa,” African Studies in Russia is the English-language yearbook of the African Book Publishing Record, 22/2 (1996): 99-105. Despite title, Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of African Studies. The generally focused on broader issues including the book famine materials for 1993-1996 are being published in 3 volumes. The first which is put into a broader context. (162 p.) is now available for $20 from the Institute. Contact shubin@inafr.msk.su for details. Ragai N. Makar, “Book Publishing in Egypt - Its Politics and Economics,” MELA Notes, no. 63 (1996): 20-29. Drum (Johannesburg) changed to a weekly instead of a monthly, as from 5 Sept. 1996. Bellagio Publishing Network Newsletter, no. 17 (July 1996) in­ cludes a reports on the June 1996 Bellagio Seminar (P.G. Altbach), South Africa Survey is the new name for Race Relations Survey, the March 1996 Arusha Seminar (Elieshi Lema), the March seminar effective with the volume for 1996/96. An important new feature is on the Southern African book scene (at the London International the human rights review, including recent legislation and court Book Fair), reports by Katherine Salahi, Mary Jay, Diana Newton, decision relating to each of the main rights in the bill of rights. Emmanuel Lacha Mateso, Philip G. Altbach, and Ian Randle; a book review (by Kate Pool) of Intellectual Property Law, by Holyoak and Third World Reports has been converted from a fortnightly to a Paul Torremans; and Hans Zell’s annual annotated bibliography on monthly, according to a April 10, 1996 note from Colin Legum, the publishing and book development in Africa. editor. Partners in African Publishing, no. 5 (Summer 1996) carries notices of publishers and efforts to promote publishing in Africa. Available NEW SERIALS from: CODE Europe, The Jam Factory, 27 Park End St., Oxford 0X1 1HU. African Affairs Bulletin is the newsletter of the Center for African Studies, Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio 45384. Sub­ Publishers Weekly, Sept. 4, 1996, had a long article by Sally Taylor scription is $30/year. Vol. 2, no. 2 (Spring 1996) (8 pages) includes on publishing in Southern Africa. Additional information posted on CAS news and a guest editorial by V,K. Ametwee. the PW website (http://www.bookwire.com/pw/) African Crop Science Journal began in June 1993. This quarterly is available from: The African Crop Science Society, Faculty of ONLINE FILES Agriculture & Forestry, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda. Annual subscriptions are: $180 (institutions) Africanews is available at http://www.freeworld.it/peacelink/ and $80 (individuals). afrinews.html Edited by Andrew Awuour of the Koinonia Media Centre (PO Box 8034, Nairobi), it carries news and views on Africa from Africa. Issue 6 appeared in September. Hard copy versions are available for $60 per year. AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 13 JULY-O C TO BER 1996 Afrique Education is a monthly news magazine covering education SPECIAL ISSUES OF JOURNALS in Africa and issues of interest to African students. No. 22 (juin 1996) had 50 pages. Subscription: 200FF in France; 480FF in “Divergent Modernities: Critical Perspectives on Orientalism, Africa; $208 in the USA. Address: 3, rue Carves, 92120 Montrouge, Islamism and Nationalism,” edited by Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi. France. Comparative Studies o f South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, v. 16, no. 1 (1996). This includes papers on the Noma Award winners Domestic Monitor is a series of newsletters about business condi­ presented at the Orlando meeting of ASA. tions in African countries. These monthlies were developed by Information Network Limited, and they currently cover Nigeria, Journal o f Theoretical Politics, v. 8, no. 2(1996): “South Africa: Ivory Coast, and Southern Africa. Annual subscription: $360. Designing New Political Institutions,” edited by Murray Faure & Available from: KTM, 1100 Lombard St., Philadelphia, PA 19147; Jan-Erik Lane. tel.: 215-925-2995. “Human Rights Groups in Africa,” HRI [Human Rights Internet] Journal o f African Travel-Writing,no. 1 (1996). ISSN: 1085-9527. Reporter, v. 16, no. 1 (1996). 276p. Detailed information on 730 A semi-annual journal presenting and exploring accounts of past and organizations; arranged by country, with geographic, subject, acro­ contemporary African travel, the aim is to publish good writing nym and name indexes. Cooperative effort of Human Rights about African travel and travelers. No. 1 has fiction by Lisa Fugard, Internet in Ottawa and The Netherlands Institute of Human Rights Eileen Drew and Sandra Jackson-Opoku; true narratives by Phillip (Utrecht). Available from: HRI, 8 York St., Suite 202, Ottawa, Richards, Richard J. Houk and Michael O. West; and other contri­ Ontario K IN 5S6, Canada; hri@hri.ca butions including reviews. Subscriptions are $10 for individuals; Note: A human rights bibliography was a high priority for the $14 for libraries. Add $4 outside the US. Available from: PO Box Bibliography Committee when it was created in the late 1970s. 346, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Namibia National Bibliography. The first issue, covering 1990- 1992, was to be published by the National Library of Namibia in October 1996. The next issue will cover 1993-1995. For more information, contact Johan Loubser, National Library of Namibia, at jloubser@natlib.mec.gov.na Safere: Southern African Feminist Review is published by the Gender Division, SAPES/SARIPS (Box MP 111, Mount Pleasant, Harare). Bi-annual. Vol. l,n o . 1 (1995): “The Gendered Politics of the Land.” EDITOR’S COMMENTS-------------------------------------- -continued from p.10 SELECTED NEW BOOKS ment to the contrary, there is presently no dearth o f strong candidates for taking on scholarship about Africa.” The average number of This section is generally limited to titles outside the regular book trade, or titles received by the editor. Many more titles and/or details on Africana dissertations per year has gone from 150 in the 1960s to publisher addresses can be found in The African Book Publishing over 400 since 1980. Record (Hans Zell Publishers), American Book Publishing Record This is not to deny the importance of attracting highly motivated (Bowker), Accessions List: Eastern and Southern Africa and qualified replacements. For Africana librarians, I would sug­ (LC Office, Nairobi), or in one o f the current national bibliographies. gest two small steps to expand the pool: 1) Fight credentialism and accept applications from individuals without the MLS who can Constance Agatha Cummings-John: Memoirs o f a Krio Leader, demonstrate a commitment to librarianship; 2) Encourage interest edited with introduction and annotation by LaRay Denzer. Ibadan: by acknowledging that we have great jobs. (Even editing a newslet­ Sam Bookman, for Humanities Research Centre, 1995. $38.00 ter can be fun.) hardback; $15.95 pbk. Credentialism takes many forms. During the 1980s, there was an attempt to require a Ph.D. for certain library positions. Equally Lambricht, Frank L. Pawa: A memoir from the Belgian congo, absurd is the renewed insistence (at least at my institution) upon the 1945-1949. Santa Barbara, CA, 1994. llOp. Available for $17.95, MLS for all positions, including library director. I would have plus $3.50 for p&h from author at: 333 Old Mill Road #80, Santa thought that successful experience in a library or comparable facility Barbara, CA 93110-4421; tel: 805-967-6908. would be more appropriate than the degree for a non-entry level Chiefly photographic documentation of MaBudu life by a Red position. Does any graduate school require a high school diploma Cross worker. for admittance? In rejecting the necessity of the MLS, I am not arguing that it is useless. Nor am I arguing that those with doctoral training in African Studies are better than the MLS librarians who specialize in African Studies, sometimes after years as generalists. I am arguing that librarians such as Julian Witherell, Daniel Britz or David Henige, all of whom came to field without any formal training in librarianship, could perform at least as successfully as those who took up African Studies as a new challenge in librarianship. And we should recruit similar talent. AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER 14 JULY-O C TO BER 1996 uoimnsui ¿Qiunjuoddo-pnbd ‘uoijov-dAiiDuuiffv uv si f)SW I Z OJSI JIUU3J ££01-^88^ ire§npipM ‘Suisinn jsirg Iy$ ‘Suisireq g J9JU 93 ^UO I^UJSJUI 001 aivd XjxsjSAiUjg ireS u p ij^ 39VISCM STL H3XN3 D s a i a m s MVDraxv gjQ jijojj - uom