This panel will address the theme of cooperation between libraries in Europe and Africa for the purpose of supporting and developing African studies. The nature and operation of selected cooperative projects will be discussed and the possibilities for establishing a Europe-wide forum for future activity considered. [46 words]
The ultimate aim of any cooperative project among Africana librarians is to support and develop the study of Africa. To this end, two principal methods are employed:
For both of these the utilization of modern, in addition to traditional, techniques and technology is invaluable.
At present, individual libraries in universities and centres of African studies around Europe are initiating individual links and cooperative projects with one another or with African partners. But there is no overview of the full range of exciting and innovative work currently in progress or planned – either at the trans-European or at the country level. As the study of Africa increasingly takes on an international dimension – with scholars in different countries, European and Africa, working together on specific themes or receiving funding from supra-national donors, librarians need also to work together in a more structured way so as to offer enhanced support at the broadest level. The possibilities for setting up a Europe-wide forum for cooperative activity will be addressed during panel discussions.
Case studies of selected international cooperative projects to be discussed at this panel of librarians include principally work involving electronic preservation and retrieval of primary and secondary resources. Details of methodologies and technique will be described along with insights into how the, mainly personal, links came into being and have evolved. In addition, SCOLMA (Standing Conference on Library Materials on Africa) will be flagging up its new, online directory of Europe-wide libraries and information centres with Africana collections. [258 words]
A personal and anecdotal reflection on the changing ecology of African studies over the last 25 years. This paper will consider, inter alia, the impact of the internet, the role of specialist libraries and the decline of the specialist librarian.
Abstract to follow
The editors of the forthcoming 6th edition of the 'SCOLMA Directory of Libraries & Special Collections on Africa in the UK and Europe' present their work to date on what will be a hybrid web/print publication. The majority of data is being collected electronically, and the web database will be systematically updated