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African Libraries Listserv

PRESS RELEASE: for immediate release
August 1997

by IFLA Headquarters

We are happy to announce the establishment of the AFRICAN LIBRARIES LISTSERV, the result of an informal meeting of the tiny "Africa Caucus" (Christine Kisiedu, Gboyega Banjo and Peter Lor) at the Summit of World Library Leaders held in New York in April last year.

In discussing the barriers to library development in Africa, we identified professional isolation as one of the things that we can actually do something about ourselves, thanks to electronic mail and the connectivity that is spreading through our continent.

The AFRICAN LIBRARIES LISTSERV (AFLIB-L) is an open, lightly moderated discussion list. Its aim is to provide a discussion forum for libraries in Africa, to encourage contact and communication between and among professionals on the continent.

Let us break down the barriers of isolation through the exchange of ideas.

Our primary language will be English, but in due course we hope to get some assistance so that we can deal with French and Portuguese as well.

This list is being established with the blessing of the Africa Section of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) (chair Kay Raseroka) and the Standing Conference of African National and University Libraries - East, Central and Southern Africa (SCANUL-ECS) (chair Tirong arap Tanui). It is open not only to members of IFLA and SCANUL-ECS, but to all libraries and information workers (including documentalists, archivists and information managers), teachers of librarianship and information work, researchers in library and information science, and others with an interest in librarianship and information work who are working in Africa of have a strong interest in Africa.

The themes we anticipate being discussed on our list include:

  • general discussion of professional problems and issues to promote intra-African contact, communication and dialogue.
    (Questions and answers forum)
  • discussion of professional training and what should go into this in order to strengthen capacities to meet the demands of this information age
  • circulation of information on current major projects for general information, seeking ideas and support, and towards the possibility of undertaking joint projects, dissemination of research in progress.
  • discussion of technology applications in Africa
  • discussion on issues in the dissemination of literature and information generated in Africa.

Conference announcements and the like will be welcomed, but the list is not open for commercial advertising.

The moderator is Susan Oelofse, who works in the Bibliographic Services Programme in the State Library, Pretoria. I look forward to receiving your contributions.

For subscription information, please contact:

Susan Oelofse
susan_o@statelib.pwv.gov.za

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