AFRICANA LIBRARIES NEWSLETTER No. 69, January 1992 ISSN 0148-7868 Africana Libraries Newsletter (ALN) is published quarterly by the Michigan State Univer­ sity Libraries and African Studies Center(East Lansing, MI 48824). Those copying contents are asked to citeAZJVas their source. ALN is produced to support the work of the Archives- Libraries Committee (ALC) of the African Studies Association. It carries the meeting min­ TABLE OF CONTENTS utes of ALC, CAMP (Cooperative Africana Microform Project) and other relevant groups. It also reports other items of interest to Africana librarians and those concerned about information resources in or about Africa. Editor’s Comments Editor: Joseph J. Lauer, Africana Library, MSU, East Lansing, MI 48824-1048. Acronyms Tel.: 517-355-2366; E-mail: 20676afr@msu.bitnet; Fax: 517-336-1445. Deadline for no. 70: March 15, 1992; for no. 71: July 1, 1992. ALC/CAMP NEWS ................................................ 2 Calendar of Future Meetings Schedule for Iowa City, April 1992 E D IT O R ’S COM M ENTS Panel for Fall Meeting in Seattle ALC Business Meeting (Nov. 24) Minutes Contributors to this issue include Moore Crossey, Beverly Gray, Yvette Cataloging Subcommittee Meeting (Nov. 23) Scheven, Nancy Schmidt, Gretchen Walsh and Julian Withered. Thanks to the Bibliography Subcomm. Meeting (Nov. 24) Pitts Theology Library (Atlanta) for its contribution to the costs of postage. Executive Committee Meeting (Nov. 24) The official minutes for the Fad meeting in St. Louis begin on page 2. It was ALC Executive Committee, 1991-92 a good meeting, at a fine hotel with helpful staff. Unfortunately, it was also the first ready cold weekend of the season, and the (?Missouri) flu afflicted many OTHER NEWS......................................................... 6 librarians either during or immediately after the conference. This led to some News from other Associations delays in producing this issue. CAMP minutes will appear in the next issue along Calendar with some reviews and other reports. ACRL Conference (April 1992) The opportunity for confrontation between producers and buyers was avoided Middle East Librarians Association at the panel about serial costs; but the ALC business meeting did witness an Free Materials Offered & Requested: Namibia exchange of views between book vendors (supported by Lauer and Walsh) and Resources at Libraries and Research Centers librarians on the potential impact of the West Africa Office. It was not unlike U. of Illinois; Ohio U.; -continued on p. 6 Royal Commonwealth Society; Yale U. Personnel Changes: Plantz & Withered RESEARCH ON LIBRARIES & INFO. SCI.......... 8 Theses ACRONYM S Journals & Articles ABC - African Books Collective; or Africa Book Centre ACRL - Association of College & Research Libraries (ALA) NOTES ON REFERENCE SOURCES ....................8 ALA - American Library Association (Chicago) LETTERS & OPINIONS ......................................... 9 ALC - Archives-Libraries Committee (of ASA) LC West Africa Office: ASA - (U.S.) African Studies Association ALC record of support CAMP - Cooperative Africana Microform Project CRL - Center for Research Libraries (Chicago) NOTES ON MATERIALS AND VENDORS ....... 10 IAI - International African Institute Vendor Announcements IFLA - International Federation of Library Associations Literature on the Book Trade LC - Library of Congress MELA - Middle East Librarians Association MSU - Michigan State University SCOLMA - Standing Conference on Library Materials on Africa U. - University UCLA - University of California, Los Angeles AFRICANA LIBRARY NEWSLETTER 2 JANUARY 1992 ARCHIVES-LIBRARIES COMMITTEE / CAMP NEWS CALENDAR OF FUTURE M EETINGS Harper (LC), David Henige (U. of Wisconsin), Sharon Howard (Schomburg Center, New York Public Library), John Bruce Howell April 23-25,1992, Iowa City - ALC/CAMP Spring Meeting. (U. of Iowa), A1 Kagan (U. of Connecticut), Mary Alice Kraehe(U. November 20-23, 1992, Seattle - ASA Annual Meeting. of Virginia), Joseph Lauer (Michigan State U.), A.D.H. Leishman December 3-7,1993, Boston - ASA Annual Meeting. (UK), Robert W. Lesh (Northwestern U.), Helen MacLam (Choice Fall 1994, Toronto - ASA Annual Meeting. Magazine), Peter Malanchuk (U. of Florida), Valerie Mwalilino Fall 1995, Orlando - ASA Annual Meeting. (LC), Razia Nanji (U. of Florida), Dorothy Niekamp (Indiana U.), Patricia Ogedengbe (Northwestern U.), O.O. Ogundipe (U. of the West Indies, Trinidad), Hans E. Panofsky (Northwestern U.), SCH EDULE FO R ALC/CAM P Elizabeth Plantz (Boston U.), Kay Raseroka (U. of Botswana), M EETING S IN IOW A CITY Yvette Scheven (U. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Nancy Schmidt (Indiana U.), Mette Shayne (Northwestern U.), Denise April 24,1992 (Friday) Shorey (Princeton U.), Andrea Stamm (Northwestern U.), Ruth Cataloging Subcommittee... ....9:00- 10:30am Thomas (LC, Nairobi), Gretchen Walsh (Boston U.), Thomas Bibliography Subcommittee ....11:00-12:30pm Weissinger (Cornell U.), David Westley (Boston U.), Elizabeth A. Business M eeting............... ..... 1:45 - 3:15pm Widenmann (Columbia U.), Dawn Williams (Northwestern U.), Executive Meeting ............. ....4:00 - 5:00pm Dorothy Woodson (State U. of New York, Buffalo), and Joanne Zellers (LC). April 25,1992 (Saturday) CAMP Business Meeting ........9:00 - 11:00am Introductions. CAMP Executive Meeting ......11:15 - 12:30pm Malanchuk introduced Tom Weissinger, the librarian for African and Afro-American materials at Cornell. He also noted the retire­ More details on the agendas will appear in the next issue oiALN. ment of Doris Hull from the Moorland-Spingarn Library of Howard This meeting is simultaneous with the Ninth Triennial Symposium University. on African Art, April 22-25,1992, organized by the Arts Council of ASA. Conference hotels are Iowa House (319-335-3513; reserva­ Minutes from the spring meeting (Washington) \ALN Aug. 1991] tions under “ African Art” ) and Holiday Inn (319-337-4058). Air were approved. travel is via Cedar Rapids. American Airlines has a discount through Meecham Travel (319-351-1360). Announcements. For details on local arrangements and the CAMP agenda, contact Members were invited to a reception hosted by Hans Zell that John Howell, Univ. of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City, IA 52242; tel: evening. 219-335-5885. Nominations for the Conover-Porter Award are due before De­ For details on the ALC business, contact Onuma Ezera (Chair), cember 31,1991. MSU Libraries, East Lansing, MI 48824-1048; tel: 517-355-2366. CAMP members were asked to review the Bascom Collection materials at the Norman Ross booth. PA N EL FO R FA LL M EETING IN SEATTLE Spring Meeting. Howell distributed the agenda for the Ninth Triennial Symposium Chair-elect Nancy Schmidt is organizing an ALC-sponsored panel on African Art which occurs April 22-25, 1992, or the same for the Fall ASA meeting in Seattle. The title is ‘‘African Bibliog­ weekend as the spring meeting, and discussed hotel and travel raphies: Compilation and Evaluation.*’ Invited panelists include a arrangements. compiler of a general bibliography, a compiler of an Africanist Ezera extended Michigan State University’s invitation for the bibliography, an evalutor and a critic. 1993 spring meeting. Nominating Committee (Bischof & Fung). A LC BUSINESS M EETING MINUTES Nominated for deputy chair: Schmidt and Stamm; for member-at- large: Bell-Gam and Westley. Sunday, November 24,1991 11:15a m -12:45pm Elected: Schmidt, deputy chair; Bell-Gam, member-at-large. Adam’s Mark Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri LC West Africa Office Report (Armstrong): The meeting was called to order by Peter Malanchuk, Chair. The Library requested authorization and funding for a West Africa Present were: James Armstrong (LC), Helene Baumann (Duke Field Office to support enhanced acquisition activities in that part U.), Ruby Bell-Gam (U. of California, Los Angeles), Phyllis of the world. Congress provided funds for staff travel and consultant Bischof (U. of California, Berkeley), Christopher Boyd (African expenses during FY 1991 “ to determine the feasibility and cost Imprint Library Service), Dan Britz (Northwestern U.), Moore effectiveness over current dealer arrangements of establishing a Crossey (Yale U.), David Easterbrook (U. of Illinois at Chicago), Kay Elsasser (LC), Vicki Evalds (Philadelphia), Onuma Ezera West Africa office.” Congress further directed the Library to “ submit to the committee a comprehensive analysis documenting (Michigan State U.), Gregory Finnegan (Dartmouth Coll.), Karen the study which compares the current dealer book acquisition effort Fung (Stanford U.), Jean Gosebrink (St. Louis Public Library), with alternatives.” Beverly Gray (LC), L. Harkombe (U. of Illinois, Urbana), Marieta AFRICANA LIBRARY NEWSLETTER 3 JANUARY 1992 During the past fiscal year (FY 1991) the Library conducted its Book Famine Task Force Report Walsh reported on her draft of studies and analysis and is now completing the report which will be the “ Handbook and Directory” on book donation projects for submitted to the Congress. Its release is at the discretion of the Africa. It will be published as an insert of ASA News, and she will Congressional Committee, once is has been submitted by the have it available for groups interested in developing book donation Library. projects. ASA is involved in other projects to disseminate informa­ As of FY 1992 the Library has been authorized $100,000 a year tion to Africa. [See ASA News, 1991, no. 1, p. 10.] in support of West African acquisitions. Specific plans for the Ogedengbe wrote to 37 African embassies in the US to seek their expenditure of these funds will depend in part on direction from cooperation with small parcels. Of the 8 replies, only one was really Congress pursuant to its review of the Report. However, the Library positive. Easterb rook wanted the AAAS (American Association for is encouraged by this indication of support for the project. the Advancement of Science) Sub-Saharan Africa Journal Distribu­ For FY 1994 (which is the next opportunity for a new budget tion Program to add library journals. ALC endorsed his suggestions initiative), any budget request to increase this $100,000 to an to ACRL, ALCTS (ALA’s Association for Library Collections and amount sufficient to support a full field office is largely dependant Technical Services) and ALA to donate journal subscriptions to on the findings of the Report and the direction received from Africa. Congress as a result of its review of the Report. ASA Board. Newly elected member Walsh asked members to Discussion of West Africa Office: forward their concerns to her. She encouraged everyone to partici­ Walsh referred to the vendors’ letters inALYand asked for their pate in the NEH challenge grant which will establish an ASA comments on the impact of this plan. Malanchuk announced that the endowment. Priorities for funding are travel by African scholars, K- Executive Committee will write a letter in support of the West 12 outreach activities, and publications. African Office. Boyd expressed his concern about the effect of the multiple copies program on vendors; he also voiced a hope that a LC Serials Task Force Report. Mwalilino noted with pleasure the accession list for West Africa would result in more orders, thereby documentation of journal cancellation in ALN. She asked for benefiting all parties. Bischof proposed a panel at ALA to introduce volunteers to take over the work of the task force on serials. Gray, the dealers to ALA membership. Malanchuk seconded this sugges­ Schmidt, and Walsh volunteered. tion, noting that ACRL African and Asian section would be a natural place for this issue. The possibility of linking with the Black Africana Oral Tradition Archives. Gray suggested establishing Caucus, major public libraries, and children’s librarians’ groups an oral history project to interview selected retired members of was discussed. MacLam suggested that the ALA Black Caucus fall ALC. The questions were raised and there was a brief discussion. meeting would be a good place for such a presentation. Walsh felt Howard, Finnegan, Malanchuk and Widenmann expressed interest that we need to de-exotify Africa and expand the number of African in working with Gray on this project. imprints in non-specialist libraries, thereby expanding the recogni­ tion of the intellectual products of Africa. Schmidt noted the ALN Report (Lauer). Problems with slow mail were noted. The publication of the Africa volume in the ALA series on foreign mailing list is being reviewed, and some names have been dropped. acquisitions. Crossey expressed reservations about the LC program Ideas and letters are welcome. for monographs, but not for the serial program nor for the biblio­ graphical value of the acquisitions list. Given the general lack of ASA Publications Committee: Report on meeting by ALC liaison current national bibliographies and reliable sources for serials and Scheven [not presented during ALC business meeting]: government documents, LC’s services are very valuable. He sees Mark DeLancey, the new editor of the African Studies Review, ABC as the supplier for smal ler academic and publ ic 1ibraries. Bel 1- plans to include review essays and wants suggestions for topics. He Gam voiced concern for public libraries; but LC has offered lists of needs reviewers for Russian titles. books to them. Britz felt that some were exaggerating the negative The Committee commended Howell for his Index to theASR and effect on the dealers. LC will provide services that the dealers recommended that it be continued with 5-year cumulations. cannot offer, such as newsprint on a regular basis and materials in ASA has begun work on a new directory of African studies. microformat. Elsasser noted that LC field offices stimulate biblio­ The Executive Secretary seeks recommendations of firms who graphic efforts in host countries. Zell pointed out that dealers can do microfilms and microfiches in a timely manner. depend on the library market for their business and that LC only The ASA membership list will be issued every other year. It was services about two dozen libraries. Walsh questioned whether there not sent to institutional members, but probably will be in the future. would be a future requirement that field offices be fully self Institutional membership will be raised by $5. supporting. Taussig argued that small libraries will never generate enough business to satisfy the dealers. After comparing titles on his Discussion of the by-law changes (Baumann): lists with [?monographic] titles in Accessions List: Eastern Africa, See ALN Oct. 1991, p.2, for list o f 9 proposed amendments. he estimates that he carries about 95% of LC-Nairobi monographic Due to time constraints, discussion limited to Name Change. acquisitions; plus some titles they miss. He has no objection to fair Since ASA will no longer accept “ Committee’’ in the ALC name, competition, but he does not feel that the proposed program is fair. the consensus was to replace it with Council; and not Caucus. Lauer argued that a multi-copy program from all countries would Africana Librarians Council was discussed as a new name that probably cause the Boyds to radically change their business; but he keeps the same initials. Preliminary votes were to drop the word thought it highly unlikely that more than a few countries would be “ Archives” and to prefer “ Librarians” to “ Libraries.” so covered. Bischof ended the discussion saying that there would Some then expressed a preference for “ Africanist” in lieu of be room for both since we are only scratching the surface of the “ Africana” in the name of ALC. Further discussion was deferred larger publication base in West Africa. to the spring meeting. Meeting was adjourned. - Mette Shayne (Secretary) AFRICANA LIBRARY NEWSLETTER 4 JANUARY 1992 CATALOGING SUBCOM M ITTEE M INUTES BIBLIOGRAPHY SUBCOM M ITTEE M INUTES St. Louis, Nov. 23,1991 7:30 - 8:45am St. Louis, November 24,1991 9 - 11am The meeting was called to order by Robert Lesh, Chair. Acting Chair Helene Baumann called the meeting to order. 1. Minutes of the spring meeting (Washington, D.C.) were read Announcements: and approved. Vincent Ferrante, Norman Ross Inc., presented information on the William Bascom Collection microform set. The full titles list was 2. Library of Congress Reports: Elsasser reported on the reor­ available at the booth. ganization plans, scheduled for March 1992. An outline of the new Mick Delap, BBC Africa Services, discussed several projects: structure was presented and discussed. Inquiries concerning cata­ 1. Sound recordings of Somalia materials, including accounts, loging and classification problems should be sent to the Cataloging interviews and poetry, have been collected since 1957. John Support Office, who would forward them to the appropriate office. Johnson (Indiana University) is working on a project to house these Gray announced that a two volume, loose-leaf draft of the at IU with appropriate preservation and cataloging. schedule KL-KWX: Law of Asia and Eurasia, Africa, Pacific Area 2. BBC Focus on Africa has archived interviews and reports since andAntarctica is now available. An index is being prepared, and the 1960. These comprise about 5000 items, or about 5-600 hours. final version should be ready at the end of ’92 or early ’93. The Since BBC funds, by act of Parliament, are confined to broadcast­ Africana Pamphlet Collection has been declared in arrearage, and a ing, they are looking for another body to undertake a project to contractor has been assigned to prepare collection level records. preserve, catalog and make use of these tapes. 3. Currently, Focus on Africa prepares a printed daily distillation 3. ALA Committee on Cataloging: Asian and African M ate­ of news on Africa. They hope to have this digitalized in about 18 rials (CC:AAM) report: Niekamp reported that Africana catalog­ months. They are looking for a project which would make this more ing issues were not a topic of primary discussion at the meeting in widely available. This is not the same information that is already Atlanta. available on NEXIS. 4. African Language Codes Project (MARC field 041): The Conover-Porter Award: Howell distributed a list of nomina­ purpose of this project is to propose new language codes for African tions and called for further recommendations to be sent to Janet languages to LC. A list of 172 languages was prepared by the Chair Stanley, the Chair of the Subcommittee. These should be accompa­ from several sources. These included lists by Niekamp and Widen- nied by a rationale for the recommendation and/or a review. mann, a list of languages remaining from a previous project in 1984, as well as languages from collection level records at Northwestern. Issues in Bibliography and Indexing: Walsh discussed the Lesh presented a preliminary report of the findings of 9 out of 13 concerns articulated at the last meeting. [SeeALNAug. 1991, p.5.] participating libraries who searched their collections for items in Africa Bibliography is continuing under the editorship of Chris these languages. Literary warrant for establishing language codes Allen at Edinburgh University. Easterbrook reported that the editor is believed to be 20 or more items. Of the languages on the list, 68 ofInternadonalAfricanBibliography does not plan to retire, as had meet this criteria and 54 have 10-19 citations. It is hoped that when been rumored earlier. Carol Priestly of the International African the surveys of the 4 remaining institutions are completed, an even Institute had reported to Janet Stanley that LATs survey of African larger number of languages will meet the criteria. It was decided bibliography and indexing will be published in a forthcoming issue that upon completion of the survey, the lists of languages for of African Research & Documentation. proposed codes will be submitted to two ALA committees: CC: AAM Walsh repeated her suggestions of Spring 1991, that a conference and the Subject Analysis Committee (SAC). The lists will then be of agencies and individuals providing printed or electronic indexing submitted to the ANSI Z39 sub-committee. Millie Wewerka in bearranged. She will explore this possibility. She also reported that LC’s Subject Cataloging Policy Division will be responsible for Ed Brown’s Abstracts for Africanists is nearing final production. devising the actual codes. She had some sample entries and descriptive information. The Lauer raised a question about the suitability of some of the compiler envisions this service to be directed toward researchers language names provided. It was discussed that some of the rather than libraries. established headings for languages might need to evaluated. It was decided that this evaluation was not appropriate at this time. Library of Congress projects were reported by Zellers. Work for the bibliography on the United States and Africa (1981-1990) was 5. Proposed changes in Folk Literature in Dewey Decimal Clas­ suspended upon Julian Witherell’s retirement. The existing entries sification: A proposal prepared by Northwestern was presented and will be accessible in the African Section. discussed. The Sub-committee voted to fully endorse the North­ The African Section has been exploring the feasibility of updat­ western document and submit it to CC:AAM and SAC for discus­ ing Africa South of the Sahara: Index to Periodical Literature. So sion as well as to LC directly. far they have determined that there is a perceived need and that production would necessitate either a new unit or a cooperative 6. Authority records for African languages: Elsasser asked for approach. The Section needs endorsements of the concept to help with a project to upgrade the reference structure of authority proceed. The Publication Office has urged CD-ROM technology, records for about 500 African languages. Six members volunteered. but a year will not fill a disk. Kay will prepare instructions on how to do the work and the Chair Zellers also outlined several African projects she has imple­ will forward them and the list of languages to those interested. The mented on LC’s GENBIB mai nframe systems. These are accessible results should be returned by Feb. 1,1992. at LC and at state libraries subscribing to LC Direct. The files she - Elizabeth J. Plantz has created include a list of Africana serials received by LC; items AFRICANA LIBRARY NEWSLETTER 5 JANUARY 1992 receiving minimal level cataloging; and African-1 anguage materi­ House Conference on Libraries and Information. The proposals als in the “ lesser known languages” category. became part of the final conference document which was sent to President Bush. RLG/ACLS Meeting on Access to Bibliographic Information: On behalf of ASA, Widenmann attended this June 6th meeting The South African Now program has ended despite the efforts of sponsored by the Research Libraries Group and the American ALC to preserve it. Video tapes are available commercially, at high Council of Learned Societies. After some discussion of the issues, prices. ALC should contact them to negotiate prices. Perhaps the meeting turned out to be, in effect, an announcement of RLG’s CAMP should consider purchasing selected items or the entire decision to use CARL Uncover, an article delivery service that collection. indexes 10,000 journals. The constituent societies of ACLS were encouraged to work within the Uncover system to add necessary Members mentioned that there should be time allotted for discus­ access to their specialized materials. sion of the ALC panel for next year’s annual meeting. Members of the Bibliography Subcommittee noted that Uncover is very popular with undergraduates, but most felt that the system Widenmann offered to discuss the African librarian oral history trades depth for currency. It is also poor in foreign and area studies project with the head librarian of the Women’s collection at Rad- coverage. cliffe. Budget Survey: Baumann presented a form to survey budget Malanchuk reported that Jeff Gardner of the Association of Re­ information among the major Africana collections. This project is search Libraries referred him to Jutta Reed-Scott, the senior pro­ modelled on SALALM’s budget information-sharing system, and it gram officer in charge of administering the Mellon Foundation was felt by some to be useful in local budget negotiations. After Grant to strengthen area studies collections. Malanchuk will some discussion, it was decided that libraries will use the draft. contact her. The collection information survey constructed by the (Note: Further discussion among ALC members resulted in a Latin American bibliographers may be useful for ALC to adopt to postponement of the project until the questionnaire can be improved collect information on Africana collections. ALC hopes to become to provide more detailed and meaningful data.) a liaison to ARL for the purpose of participating in the ARL preliminary project. Other reports: Malanchuk reported that Jutta Reed-Scott is now heading the ARL project to study access to foreign materials, and he The ALC ad hoc committee on serials needs to be reviewed with will follow up his initial communication to have Africa included in some possible amendments to its original charge. the pilot study. Alice Nhkoma, Ph.D. candidate at the University of North Caro­ Lauer distributed a tentative list of ALC members. [The 44 listed lina and librarian from Uganda, was introduced. She is also chair were ASA members. Finnegan’s ‘‘Africana Librarians Directory’’ of the ASA Taskforce on Gender Relations. Her dissertation topic lists 52 regulars.] This was used for first- class mailings of the pre- is transfer of information technology. meeting A LN and could be used to establish a quorum. Errors were Shayne reported that Northwestern’s grant proposal to index con­ noted. Committee confirmed that ASA membership is required but ference papers has not been funded, as the project was deemed too did not settle the issue of ALC membership for librarians who do not costly and of marginal importance. attend our meetings but are members of ASA. Kagan announced that Bill Katz is looking for a compiler of the African section of Magazinesfor Libraries. He also noted that IFLA Bischof urged a response in ALN to the vendors who expressed their is bringing out a book on reference service for international govern­ concerns regarding the establishment of a LC West African Office. ment publications. A journal of interest is Focus on International The Committee will respond in ALN. Malanchuk agreed to draft a and Comparative Librarianship. response with Bischof and Ezera. Bischof suggested some ideas to Hans Zell offered packs of ABC’s new card service, which will assist the dealers to increase their market. A panel at the ALA supplement their catalogs. The 4th edition of African Books inPrint annual meeting sponsored by ACRL’s African/Asian Section, along will appear in late 1992, with an estimated 30,000 titles. with the ALA Black Caucus and various collection management, Westley is working on a bibliography of mental health in Africa. children’s and public librarian constituents seemed the most prom­ - Gretchen Walsh, recorder ising. ALC/ALA members would lobby for such a program through ACRL at ALA Midwinter, January 1992. ALC EXECUTIVE COM M ITTEE M EETING Malanchuk reported that he thanked Congressman Howard Wolpe St. Louis, November 24,1991 7:30 - 8:45am for his continued support on behalf of the establishment of the LC West African Office. The meeting was called to order by Peter Malanchuk, Chair. Present: Baumann, Bischof, Ezera, Gray, Howard, Howell, Lauer, Scheven will resign as ALC’s liaison to the ASA Publications Lesh, Malanchuk, Scheven, Shayne, and Widenmann. Committee after this meeting. A new liaison will be appointed. The agenda order for the ALC business meeting agenda was Discussion continued regarding the organization of the review of discussed and agreed upon, with the by-laws review to occur near ALC by-laws. the end and institutional reports to follow with a time limit. Malanchuk reported that ALC proposals which underscored the importance of area studies libraries were submitted to the White AFRICANA LIBRARY NEWSLETTER 6 JANUARY 1992 ALC EXECUTIVE COM M ITTEE, 1991-92 Editor’s Comments, continued from p. 1 Chairperson the usual domestic quarrel, with each side speaking a language that Onuma Ezera, Michigan State (517)355-2366 is only partly understood or acknowledged by the other. Since we will continue to depend on each other, it was all very polite. Nobody Deputy Chair/Chair elect asked rude questions, such as: Nancy Schmidt, Indiana (812)855-1481 • Is the difference between LC’s 50% overhead and vendors’ 150-200% overhead the result of federal subsidies or some­ Secretary (1990-92) thing else? Mette Shayne, Northwestern (708)491-2934 • Is LC becoming another multinational corporation engaged in Members-at-large exporting jobs? (1990-92) Robert W. Lesh, Northwestern (708)491-7585 • When will vendors inform librarians when they are unable to also Cataloging Sub-Committee Chair. provide timely and reliable coverage (especially of newspa­ pers) from a country? (1990-93) Sharon M. Howard, Schomburg Center (212)491-2233 • Why should LC field offices produce acquisitions lists when (1991-93) Ruby Bell-Gam, UCLA (310)825-1518 more complete lists of African imprints can be done with the JALA database at Northwestern? Ex-Officio Members • When will vendors of African imprints supply the types of Past Chair: Peter Malanchuk, Florida (904)392-4919 records and monitoring services that are standard for other Bibliography Sub-Committee Chair: Janet L. Stanley, blanket order suppliers? National Museum of African Art (202)357-4875 • Is it purely coincidental that LC-Nairobi increased the number of libraries served just before submitting the proposal Library of Congress Rep.: Beverly Gray, (202)707-5528/29 for a West African office? ALN Editor: Joseph J. Lauer, Michigan State (517)355-2366 • How does LC manage to get the best librarians, despite less than ideal working conditions? CAMP Chairperson: John Bruce Howell, Iowa (319)335-5885 Other features in this issue include more details on the career of ASA Publications Committee Liaison: Julian Witherell and a brief statement of the history of ALC support for LC projects. Finally, readers might note the continuing discussion on what is CAM P BUSINESS M EETING M INUTES ALC. We are no longer a Committee, but we are not yet a Council. Minutes were unavailable as o f 13 January 1992. They have been Do we want to let outsiders know that archivists rarely attend our distributed direct to member institutions and will appear in the next meetings? To be continued in Iowa City. issue of ALN. OTHER NEWS NEW S FRO M O TH ER ASSOCIATIONS • “ Old Worlds, New Worlds: Area Studies meets Multi­ cultural Ethnic Studies,” by Merry Burlingham. CALENDAR • “ Book Donations to Third World Academic Libraries: ALA: Practical Considerations and a Roundtable Discussion,” Jan. 25-30,1992, San Antonio - ALA Midwinter meeting. by David L. Easterbrook. April 12-14,1992, Salt Lake City - ACRL National Conf. • ‘‘Research and the Academic Librarian: A Global View. ’’ June 25-July 2, 1992, San Francisco - ALA Annual Conf. Scheduled speakers include James Ngana (U. of Nairobi). Sept. 4-7,1992, Columbus - Black Caucus National Conf. Details on registration fees ($85-255, with discount if before Jan. 23-28,1993, Denver - ALA Midwinter meeting. March 2) and other matters are available from ACRL/ALA, 50 East June 24-July 1,1993, New Orleans - ALA Annual Conf. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795. Fax: 312-280-2520. Canadian Association of African Studies: Middle East Librarians Association: May 13-16,1992, Montreal MELA Notes no. 53 (Spring 1991) carried minutes of the MEMP (Middle East Microform Project) Executive Committee Spring IFLA Annual Conference: meeting on April 26. Discussion covered expanding membership, Aug. 30-Sept. 5,1992, New Delhi. a MEMP union list, changes in the by-laws, and new filming projects. Most of the issue was taken by a document explaining the procedures developed by Princeton University Library’s Near East ACRL (Association of College & Research Libraries) Confer­ Cataloging Team for establishing Arabic personal name headings. ence (April 1992): Scheduled papers and panels include the following: MELA Notes no. 54 (Fall 1991) carried book reviews and minutes • “ Using a For-Credit Course to Increase Access to a of the Fall 1990 annual meeting. In addition to the usual business Diverse Collection,” by Rudolph Clay, Jr., & Clara P. and reports, a Committee on an International Conference of Middle McLeod. Addresses the needs of students conducting East Librarians and a Committee on Intellectual Freedom were library research in African, Caribbean, and African-American established at their meeting in San Antonio. studies. AFRICANA LIBRARY NEWSLETTER 7 JANUARY 1992 FREE M ATERIALS OFFERED AND REQUESTED Julian W. Witherell retired as chief of the Library of Congress African and Middle Division on August 30,1991, after 30 years of National Library of Namibia (Windhoek 9000), formerly the service. Windhoek Reference Library, seeks material on Namibia published Mr. Witherell was bom (1935) and raised in the Washington, DC, outside the country before 1990. area. After undergraduate studies at Bowdoin College, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin where he became one of Philip D. Curtin's first African history doctoral students. After a Master's in RESOURCES A T LIBRARIES AND 1958, his study on the 19th-century history of Cayor (Senegal) led RESEARCH CENTERS to research in the archives of Senegal and France. He defended his history dissertation in March 1964. Fellows Program at the University of Illinois: The C. Walter and Julian's library career began in the Summer of 1957, when he was Gerda B. Mortenson Center for International Library Programs at hired as a private in the LC Guard Force. He also worked as a stacker the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a fellows in the Periodical Reading Room at the University of Wisconsin's program for librarians from around the world. Currently, librarians Memorial Library. His professional career at LC began in 1962, from Ethiopia and Malawi are among the Fellows in residence. For when he was appointed a reference librarian in the Government Pub­ further information, please contact Marianna Tax Choldin (Direc­ lications Section of the Serial Division. His experience there tor, C. Walter and Gerda B. Mortenson Center for International stimulated the great interest he had in government documents and Library Programs and Mortenson Distinguished Professor), 246J reports, and this is reflected in his many activities and publications. Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1408 West From 1963 to 1966, he was promoted first to senior reference Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801. Tel: 217-244-1898; fax: 217- librarian and then to an area specialist in the African Section, where 244-0398; E-mail: mcholdin@uiuc.edu. he distinguished himself in acquisitions activities. He has under­ taken acquisition and survey trips to 38 countries in Africa and Ohio University Libraries has been made the United States deposi­ Europe, and his trip reports served as acquisition guides to many tory for publications from Swaziland, per an agreement signed by libraries and scholars. He also played a prominent role in the the Swaziland Minister of Education. The University is also the meetings and activities of the African Studies Association, its depository for publications from Botswana and Malaysia. Archives-Libraries Committee and CAMP. [Editor’s note: The largest U.S. collections o f Botswana and His abilities and knowledge of the African situation were recog­ Swaziland documents are usually considered to be at LC, Yale nized when he was asked by the then Processing Department to act University and Northwestern University.] as an adviser and to accompany a LC delegation to survey possible East African sites for the establishment of a PL-480 center. The Royal Commonwealth Society announced that Commonwealth delegation visited centers in Tel Aviv and Cairo before proceeding House, including the Library, was to close on 20 December 1991. to Nairobi, Dar-es-Salaam and Lusaka to study the problem of Efforts are being made to secure the future of the Library. If these selecting the most appropriate site, which turned out to be Nairobi. fail, the Library or parts of it, will have to be sold. The Society will On June 20, 1966, Dr. Witherell was appointed head of the endeavour to place material within suitable institutions and librar­ African Section. In 1967 he received the William A. Jump Founda­ ies. For further information, contact the RCS Library, 18 Northum­ tion Meritorious Award for achievement in public service. In July berland Ave., London WC2N 5BJ. 1979, the new African and Middle Eastern Division was created during a reorganization in the Reference Department. Dr. Witherell Yale University has received a microfiche copy of the International was appointed chief of that division, comprising the Near East, Defence & Aid Fund (IDAF) South Africa Archive and Namibia Hebraic and African sections. In addition to his membership in Archive. This collection of 10-12,000 fiche contains about 15,000 ASA, he belonged to the American Library Association, Middle files (totaling 500,000 images) of clippings from newspapers, East Librarians Association, American Oriental Society, and North magazines and newsletters published in South Africa, Namibia and American Conference on Afro-Asiatic Linguistics. the UK, 1975-1990. Coverage is broad, with an emphasis on Among Dr. Witherell's many accomplishments, his bibliogra­ repression. There are substantial files on wage rates, sanctions, phies stand out. He compiled numerous guides such as the lists of housing, education and police brutality. The set is arranged official publications of French-speaking Central and West Africa, chronologically, with a computerized index. This deposit is part of Ghana and Madagascar, and he initiated several continuing the process of closing IDAF's London office and transferring its bibliographic projects. His The United States and Africa: Guide to resources to southern Africa. U.S. Official Documents and Government-Sponsored publication on Africa, 1785-1975 (1978) was the first winner of ASA's Conover- Porter Award. A supplement was published in 1984, and similar PERSO NNEL CHANGES titles were published for Afghanistan (1986), Turkey (1988), and Libya (1990). He also edited and saw through to publication Northwestern University is pleased to announce the recent ap­ Africana Resources and Collections (Scarecrow Press, 1989), a pointment of Elizabeth Plantz to the position of Africana Cata­ festschrift in honor of Hans Panofsky. [Based in part on LC loged effective February 4. Elizabeth was previously a cataloger of Information Bulletin, 1991, p. 444.] Africana materials at Boston University. She holds a joint Master's in Library Science and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. AFRICANA LIBRARY NEWSLETTER 8 JANUARY 1992 RESEARCH ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE The following items have come to the attention o f the editor. p. 27-36; and “ The Plight of School Libraries in Africa,” by Felix Tawete, p. 123-138. THESES International Library Review, v. 23, 3 (Sept. 1991) includes: C.O. Gathegi, John Ng’ang’a. “ Policy on the creation of scientific and Enyia, “ Computerization in Nigeria Libraries;” M.I.S. Boye, technological information in developing countries: The case of “ Education for Library and Information Work in Ghana;” K. agricultural information in Kenya.” Ph.D. thesis, University of Mchombu, “ Which Way African Librarianship;” C.O. Enyia, California, Berkeley, 1990. 287p. DAI52A:1116. Examines the ‘‘The Role of the Nigerian Publisher in National Development; ’’ D. government efforts to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge for Savic, “ Information and Documentation Services as a Tool for development through the creation of scientific and technological Improving National Development Planning: A Case Study of Sierra information. Within the agricultural sector’s information system, Leone.” the effectiveness of the state’s intervention is hampered by limited resources, expertise and authority. Alemna, A.A. “ Characteristics and Careers of Past Post-Graduate Diploma Students of the Department of Library and Archival Lau, Jesus G. “ A study of selected social factors influencing Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, 1981/82-1987/88.” Educa­ information development in low, middle, and highly developed tion for Information (Amsterdam: IOS Press), v. 9 (June 1991): 121- countries: An assessment for the period 1960-1977. ’’ Ph.D. thesis, 8. University of Sheffield, 1988. 415p. DAI52A:1117. Used 10 library indicators and 5 publishing indicators to compare informa­ Alemna, A.A. “ Continuing Education for Librarians in Ghana: tion development with socio-economic development (health, edu­ Problems and Expectations.” IFLA Journal, v. 17 (1991):303-. cation, food, water supply and sanitation) in 31 countries. Cluster­ ing analysis suggested that the information gap between highly and Alemna, A.A. “ Librarianship as a Profession in Ghana.” ASLIB lesser developed countries is wider than that of social aspects. Proceedings, v. 43 (Sept. 1991): 287-. Regression analysis suggested that all social indicators have a close relationship with information indicators, especially life expectancy Kaniki, A.M. “ Information Seeking and Information Providers and food consumption. among Zambian Farmers.” Libri, v. 41 (1991):147-164. Malanchuk, Peter. ‘‘African Acquisitions: Strategies to Locate and JO URNALS & ARTICLES Acquire Current and Retrospective Africana.” Library Acquisi­ tions: Practice and Theory, v. 15 (1991): 453-562. Information Trends - News Magazine (Review of Developments in Information Studies in the Eastern and Southern African Region), Nawe, J. “ Need and Priority Areas for Continuing Education for vol. 4 (1991), nos. 1-3, is available from the University of Botswana, Sub and Professional Information, Library and Archives Personnel Dept, of Library & Information, Pvt. Bag 0022, Gaborone. In in Tanzania.” IFLA Journal, v. 17 (1991): 310-. addition to numerous short communications, the following articles appeared: “ The School Library: Why should it be an integral part Simmons, W. “ International Library Education: A History of the of every Zambian School,” by Albert Kakoma, p. 3-16; “ An University of Botswana Department of Library and Information Evaluation of Marketing Strategies of a small Documentation Studies.” Journal o f Education for Library and Information Centre,” by Melania Bachubire, p.17-26; “ Legacy of the past: The Science, v. 32, no. 1-2 (1991): 135-. state of school libraries in Namibia, ’’ by Andree-Jeanne Totemeyer, NOTES ON REFERENCE SOURCES The following items or issues are noted. For more titles, Index des documents microfiches au Mali, compile par Mekonnen see the annual “Africana Reference Books ” in Assefa. Addis-Abeba: Centre international pour l’elevage en The African Book Publishing Record, no. 2. Afrique, 1991. 238p. (ILCA-MP/ML-1337/91) Available for $14 from ILCA, POB 5689, Addis Ababa. Lists 1337 documents filmed Dictionary o f African Biography, vol. 3, covering South Africa, in 1990. Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, has been announced for 1992 by Reference Publications. This work contains 174 biographies. ISBN Kane, Thomas Leiper. Amharic-English Dictionary. Wiesbaden: 0917256212. $75.00 O. Harrassowitz, 1990. 2 vols (2351 p.) DM298. Humphreys, R. Stephen. Islamic History: A Framework for Khoury, Fawzi W., and Bates, Michele S. The Middle East in Inquiry. Revised Edition. Princeton: Princeton University Press, Microform: A Union List o f Middle Eastern Microforms in North 1991. 401p. Paper: $12.95. Focus on methods and approaches for American Libraries. Seattle: University of Washington Libraries the studying the political and social history of the central region, & Middle East Microform Project, 1991. $49.95 600-1500. Excellent introductory chapters on reference works and on sources. AFRICANA LIBRARY NEWSLETTER 9 JANUARY 1992 Periodica Islamica, a new quarterly, is to reproduce the tables of Wiseman, John A. Political Leaders inBlackAfrica: A Biographi­ contents of an estimated 500 core journals which cover the religious, cal Dictionary of the Major Politicians Since Independence. Brookfield, cultural, socioeconomic and political affairs of the Muslim world. VT: Edward Elgar, 1991. 248p. $74.95 Annual sub.: $35 & $70 (institutions) from Berita Publishing, 22 Jalan Liku, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hans ZelPs 1991/92 catalog of new titles includes: African Music: A Pan-African Annotated Bibliography by Carol Quarterly Index to Periodical Literature, Eastern and Southern Lems-Dworkin. £48/$70 approx. Africa, vol. 1, no. 2 (1991), contains another 524. Available from Guide to Indexing and Abstracting Services in the Third World, LC Office, PO Box 30598, Nairobi. by G.E. Gorman & J.J. Mills. £37.50/$65 approx. Dictionary of Portuguese-African Civilization, by Benjamin A South African Bibliography to the year 1925, vol. 5: Supplement, Nunez. £48/$84 approx. compiled by Fransie Rossouw; assisted by Elizabeth A. Vockerodt. Cape Town: South African Library, 1991. 476p. (Grey bibliogra­ phies no. 19) ISBN 0-86968-101-X. Price: R175+postage. 2778 annotated entries, plus 308 addenda and corrigenda. The original four volumes (1979) are also available for R600 from the South African Library (P.O. Box 496, Cape Town 8000) and other vendors. LETTERS & OPINIONS The last two issues carried letters from three vendors, expressing concern ies. Since no commercial alternative to this support exists, im­ about the Library o f Congress proposal to act as a supplier of monographs proved library collections of Africana remain quite dependent upon and serials from most African countries. The first letter was solicited by the this type of assistance. editor, who felt that the vendor outlook had not yet been given a fair hearing. ...Africana librarians consider publications of Nigeria to be What was missing was a letter or statement from the community of librarians, expressing the almost unanimous support o f ALC for the West among the most urgent to acquire; they are also among the most African FieldOffice. Many librarians have distinguished themselves and ALC difficult.... Recently established (since 1984) Nigerian publishers, with their efforts in behalf o f this office. are all quite significant, but thus far only poorly represented in ALC support is part o f a long tradition o f collaboration with the Library of libraries of this country. They include the following: Fountain Congress. The support o f ASA was part o f the process that led to the Publications (Ibadan), Booklinks (Ibadan), Gbemi Sodipo Press establishment oftheLC field office in Nairobi in 1966. At the time, librarians (Abeokuta), Malthouse Publishing (Ibadan and Lagos), Paperback were hoping for additional offices in West or Central Africa and that these offices would supply copies o f monographs and serials at cost. Publishers (Ibadan), Saros International (Port Harcourt), Vantage The Nairobi Office’s supply o f copies was essentially limited toLC and the Publishers (Ibadan), Zikizum Publishers (Benin City), Pero Press New York Public Library until 1989, when Kenyan serials and then mono­ (Lagos), Zim-Pan African Publishers (Oguta), etc. Publications of graphs were offered in what is part of a plan to supply American libraries with these newly established publishers and other indigenous publishers, imprints from most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. as well as the information issued by West African governments The enthusiasm of ALC librarians for this plan is eloquently expressed in should be readily available in major research libraries here in the the statement by Phyllis Bischof (then chair of ALC) that was submitted to a Congressional Subcommittee in February 1990 during hearings on funding United States. I wish to make emphatically clear that adequate forLC. Excerpts from this public document follow: private sector resources to supply research libraries with these publications do not exist. ...Establishment of this office provides a singular opportunity to “ A Statement to Support the Library of Congress’s Request for a bridge a troubling gap in our sources of information on West Africa. West African Regional Accessions Office’ ’ The Archives/Libraries Committee of the African Studies Asso­ by Phyllis Bischof ciation is encouraged by the present endeavor to establish a West African acquisitions office. We consider passage of the Library of Thank you for this opportunity to state the wholehearted support Congress proposal for this office essential to the successful per­ of the Archives-Libraries Committee of the African Studies Asso­ formance of our work. Passage is also essential to the national ciation of the U.S. for the establishment of a West African regional interest, for it would enable policymakers to base their decisions on office by the Library of Congress. Members of this Committee a fuller representation of West African information of all kinds. manage the most substantial and prestigious collections of Africana Members of the Archives-Libraries Committee unanimously urge held by our nation’s major research libraries. Our seventy members the Subcommittee’s favorable consideration of this measure. and our respective libraries welcome the prospect of better acquisi­ tion of and improved bibliographic control over West African [For the full document and the testimony of Edna Bay and materials, publications which have been notoriously difficult to Gretchen Walsh, see Hearings before a Subcommittee of the Com­ acquire. mittee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, 101st Con­ ...The Archives-Libraries Committee wishes to express its appre­ gress, Second Session : Subcommittee on Legislative Appropria­ ciation to the Library of Congress for this [recent] extension of the tions, Vic Fazio, Chairman (Washington: GPO, 1990) (SuDocs No. activities of its Nairobi Office. This action should significantly Y4.Ap6/l:L52/991/pt.2), pp.1063-72, esp. 1070-2.] strengthen and improve East African holdings in American librar­ AFRICANA LIBRARY NEWSLETTER 10 JANUARY 1992 NOTES ON MATERIALS AND VENDORS V ENDO R ANNOUNCEM ENTS main beneficiaries are the elected politicians, foreign publishers and distributors, the public sector and the westernized elite. The Chadwyck-Healey announces that the microfiche set South Africa: publishing industry is officially expected to contribute to nation­ The Making of U.S. Policy, 1962-1989 was to be available in Fall building and to cultural independence, but the government’s own 1991. The microfiche set reproduces 2500 documents (or 12,000 policies do not allow for such a role. pages) from the Department of State and other agencies. A printed The governmenthas chosen to legislate and practice censorship, guide and index of about 2000 pages accompanies this latest to impose a high customs duty on raw materials, to virtually exclude addition to the National Security Archive series. Prices are $3900 the private sector from the only profitable educational segment,and for complete set or $900 for printed index. Contact Chadwyck- to give preferential treatment to foreign publishers. Healey Inc., 11012King St., Alexandria, VA22314. Tel: 702-683- Logos, a new quarterly with the slogan “ The professional journal 4890. for the book world ’’, has carried the following articles about Africa: Hans Zell, “ Africa: the neglected continent.” 1,2(1990): 19-27. Dakar Newspapers: Selected back issues of Dakar-Matin and Le Hooper, “ The case against the South African book boycott.” 1,3 Soleil are available for $1 per issue. Years covered are 1952-1988. (1990). For details, contact: M. Fily Ba, Archives Nationales, Building David Philip, “ Oppositional publishing in South Africa from administratif, Dakar, Senegal. 1945 to 2000.” 2,1 (1991): 41-48. Subscription prices for vol. 2 (1991): $54.50 or £32.50 for indi­ McBlain Books (P.O. Box 5062, Hamden, CT 06518; 203-281- viduals; $81.50 or £49 for institutions. Contact Whurr Publishers 0400) has just issued Catalog 121, “ Sub-Sarhahan Africa: Scarce Ltd, 19b Compton Terrace, London N12UN (or c/o Thomas Slatner and Rare Books” , with 1746 titles. & Co, 401 Baldwin Ave, Jersey, NJ 07306). The editor seeks con­ tributions placing experiences and ideas in the context of history or LITERATURE ON THE BOOK TRADE contemporary trends. Average length of articles is 3000-5000 words. Logos does not carry news or advertising or footnotes or lists The African BookPublishing Record, vol. 27, no. 2 (1991), includes of references. Send manuscripts or proposals to: The Editor, Diana C. Newton, “ Autonomous Publishing in Cameroon,” pp.95- LOGOS, Harleyford Estate, Marlow, Bucks LS7 2DX, UK. 102. Conclusion: The Public Choice analysis revealed that the publishing industry in Cameroon cannot qualify as autonomous: its MSU Is An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution Non-Profit Org. AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER U.S. POSTAGE Michigan State University P A ID 100 International Center E. Lansing, MI East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1035 Permit No. 21