ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 486 / C & RL News “The Africans” and academ ic libraries By David Easterbrook Bibliographer University o f Illinois at Chicago A new PBS series on a timely topic. T he Africans,” a nine-part television series that will air on most PBS stations beginning in October, will likely generate requests for information about Africa in many academic libraries. Those libraries with established Africana interests and collections policies serving institutions with Africa-related curricular and research programs are no doubt well prepared. For many libraries, however, the challenge to respond to increased interest may be great. This article elaborates on ALA’s efforts to in­ form libraries about the series and to make some practical suggestions to those libraries that may wish to pursue Africa-related library programs or strengthen Africana library resources. The follow­ ing suggestions are not intended to be comprehen­ sive or to focus on the development of in-depth re­ search collections.1 First, some comments about the series itself. It was produced by WETA/Washington, D .C ., and the British Broadcasting Corporation, with major funding provided by The Annenberg/CPB Project. Additional funding came from the National E n ­ dowment for the Humanities, the Public Broad­ casting Service, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.2 The series will focus on the “triple A1 fricana refers to all materials relating to Af­ rica, regardless of the place of publication. African imprints refer to those titles published in Africa. For a comprehensive survey of Africana, see Hans E. Panofsky, A Bibliography o f Africana (West­ port: Greenwood Press, 1975). 2“The Africans” is also part of a college-level course that includes the series, a reader, and a study guide. Credit will be offered by colleges and universities throughout the country. Interested heritage,” three major factors that have shaped contemporary Africa: Africa’s own traditional her­ itage, the impact of Islam, and the impact of the West. The host of the series is Ali A. Mazrui, inter­ nationally known professor of political science at the University of Michigan and research professor at the University of Jos in Nigeria. Born in Kenya, Mazrui, who holds a doctorate from Oxford Uni­ versity, taught for ten years at Makerere University in Uganda before coming to Michigan. He is a pro­ lific, sometimes controversial, scholar and lively commentator whose analyses frequently stimulate considerable academic debate. Response to his 1979 BBC Reith Lectures published as The African Condition (London: Cambridge University Press, 1980) is a good example of this. Along with this series have come three publica­ tions including a 68-page V iew er’s Guide: The A f­ ricans (Washington, D .C .: Greater Washington Educational Telecom m unications Association, 1985), which contains an introduction to the theme of each episode and suggested related readings both from the series texts and from other works. Also in the V iew er’s Guide are a number of appendices in­ cluding maps, basic statistical and historical data, a biographical index, and a bibliography of about 175 titles relevant to the series. The Africans: A Tri­ p le H eritage, by Ali A. Mazrui (Boston: Little, Brown, 1986), and The Africans: A R eader, edited by Ali A. Mazrui and Toby K. Levine (New York: Praeger, 1986), are the texts that accompany the series. faculty and students may call (800) 532-7637 for in­ formation. Septem ber 1986 / 487 Cr: John Chiasson A h ealer in a D oep cerem on y in Senegal. The ALA Public Information Office created a li­ fr o m the University o f Illinois Film C enter (1985) especially helpful not only because of its film list­ ings but also because it includes Louise C rane’s im­ portant “Some Guidelines for Evaluating and Us­ ing Films and Other Visual Media about Africa” (pp. 1–5). This publication is available at no cost from the University of Illinois Film Center, 1325 S. Oak S t., Cham paign, IL 61820. In addition to those large and well-known distributors who han­ dle A frica-related film s, there are less widely known distributors that offer important film and videotape lists such as the Southern Africa Media Center, 630 Natoma S t., San Francisco, CA 94103, and Mypheduh Film L ib rary , 48 Q S t., N .E ., W ashington, DC 20002. When considering a film, it is important to remember that films set in Africa, however popular they may be (for example, the re­ cent Out o f A frica and The G ods Must B e Crazy) are not necessarily films from which one will learn about Africa. (Before screening T he G ods Must Be Crazy, the review by Toby A. Volkman in A m eri­ can A n th rop olog ist 87 (1 9 8 5 ):4 8 2 —84 is recom ­ mended reading.) Another suggestion from the packet of interest to some libraries regards displays. Many displays will feature African art or textiles. Displays that do will be most successful when they also include refer­ ences to publications that will help the viewer un­ derstand the cultural, intellectual, and technologi­ cal context from which the works have come. A particularly important reference tool with useful annotations for this purpose is Janet Stanley’s A fri­ can Art: A B ibliog rap h ic G uide (New York: Afri- brary information packet about the series that was sent to about 14,000 academic and public libraries in July. Included in the packet are a poster, promo­ tion ideas, program suggestions, and a bibliogra­ phy. Among the program suggestions that academic libraries might follow up on is the organization of media programs. The five titles described by Irene Wood of Booklist in “Selected Films & Video” in­ cluded in the packet— The D iscarded P eople, G en­ erations o f Resistance, Living A frica: A Village Ex­ p erien ce, M oving On: T he Hunger f o r L a n d in Z im b a b w e, and Six F eet o f the Country— are all worthy of careful consideration. There are, how­ ever, many others to consider. Whether a library is interested in screening A frica-related films or building its collection of film and video resources, there are a number of helpful guides. David W i­ ley’s A fric a on F ilm a n d V id eo, 1960– 1981: A C om pendiu m o f R eview s (East Lansing: African Studies Center, Michigan State University, 1982) is a comprehensive reference tool offering informa­ tion about 700 films and videotapes from over 100 distributors. All of the entries summarize content and many provide excerpts from reviews. Nancy J. Schmidt’s Sub-Saharan A frican Film s an d F ilm ­ m akers: A Prelim inary B ibliography (Blooming­ ton: African Studies Program, Indiana University, 1986) provides access to over 1,600 books and arti­ cles focusing on films and filmmakers coming from Africa south of the Sahara. Many libraries will find Film s an d Video Resources A bout A frica A vailable 488 / C & RL News cana Publishing, 1985). A beautifully illustrated 35-page pamphlet that would also be helpful is Su­ san M. Vogel’s A esthetics o f A frican Art (New York: Center for African Art, 1986), available for $6.95 (plus $3.00 postage and handling) from the Center for African Art, 54 E. 68th St., New York, NY 10021. Also included in the packet is an annotated bibli ography of 75 titles organized in broad subject cat egories by Hazel Rochman of Booklist (this is th same bibliography that has appeared in the Ju ly/August American Libraries; a modified versio for young adults appears in the Sep tem b er Booklist). This bibliography lists titles in print that along with the bibliography in the V iew er’s Guide can serve as important first steps for assessing a li brary’s Africana collection. At institutions where the television series is bein offered as a course, these two bibliographies ma suffice short-term needs. However, a good Afri cana collection, no matter how small it may be o how limited the resources allocated to it, needs on going and careful attention. It is important that th collection be current, be inclusive of the arts, hu manities and literature as well as the social sci ences, be representative of scholarship and though about Africa published in Africa as well as in North America and Western Europe, and not be overl “crisis” focused— many titles on drought, political instability, refugees, South Africa, for example— at the expense of other areas. Retrospective bibliographies that in the past proved useful in assessing and building Africana collections in many libraries such as the American Universities Field Staff’s A Select B ibliography: Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin A m erica: Cu­ m u lative S u p p lem en t, 1961–1971 (New York: American Universities Field Staff, 1973) and Peter Duignan and Helen F. Conover’s G uide to R e­ search and R eferen ce Works on Sub-Saharan A f­ rica (Stanford: Hoover Institution Press, 1971), have not been revised. For a current overview of Africana covering the broadest possible spectrum and adding considerable depth to the Rochman and V iew er’s Guide bibliographies, Jean E. Meeh Gosebrink’s “Bibliography and Sources for African Studies” in Africa, 2nd edition, edited by Patrick O’Meara and Phyllis M. Martin (Bloomington: In­ diana University Press, 1986), is recommended. This bibliography provides broad interdisciplinary coverage for a large number of titles grouped into abou t 35 headings such as general referen ce sources, statistics and women, as well as the arts, economics, history, and political science. Each di­ vision contains references to serial bibliographies, bibliographies, journals, and monographs. Access to additional titles through in-depth subject and area bibliographies can be achieved by consulting Yvette Scheven’s Bibliographies fo r African Stud­ ies, 1980-1983 (Oxford: Hans Zell, 1984). Previous editions also by Yvette Scheven are Bibliographies fo r African Studies, 1976–1979 (Waltham: African ­ ­ e ­ n ­ g y ­ r ­ e ­ ­ t y Studies Association, 1980) and Bibliographies for African Studies, 1970– 1975 (W altham : African Studies Association, 1977), selected by C hoice as one of the best reference works of 1978. Indiana University Press frequently includes substantive bibliographies in its African Studies monographs. Some recent examples in addition to Gosebrink in­ clude the bibliographies compiled by Hans E . Panofsky in A frican In d e p e n d e n c e : T he First T w en ty-F ive Years, edited by Gwendolen M. Carter and Patrick O’Meara (1985), by David L. Easterbrook in International Politics in Southern Africa, edited by Carter and O’Meara (1982), and by Gosebrink revised for the 2nd edition by Eas­ terbrook in Southern A frica: The Continuing Cri­ sis, edited by Carter and O’Meara (1982). Although Gosebrink does list select journal titles in the bibliography in A frica, a more comprehen­ sive serials-only source to consult is Janet Stanley’s “Africa” in Magazines fo r Libraries, 5th edition (1986), edited by Bill Katz. Helpful annotations are provided for about 70 titles. Africana pamphlet literature and newsletters are available from many sources. ASA News (the African Studies Association’s news publication) can provide helpful direction in this area. Some sources include: Africa Fund, 198 Broadway, New York, NY 10038; American Committee on Africa, 198 Broadway, New York, NY 10038; Interna­ tional Defence and Aid Fund, P.O . Box 17, Cam­ bridge, MA 02138; United Nations Centre Against Apartheid, United Nations Secretariat, Room 2775, New York, NY 10017; TransAfrica, 545 8th St., S .E ., Washington, DC 20003; and the Wash­ ington Office on Africa, 110 Maryland Ave., N .E ., Washington, DC 20002. Another source that brings together both a select list of monographs as well as inexpensive pam­ phlets, serials, audiovisual resources, curriculum guides, and organizations that publish pamphlets and newsletters is Third W orld Resource D irec­ tory, edited by Thomas P. Fenton and Mary J. Hef­ fron (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1984). The direc­ tory includes both area and subject divisions. The subject division, including such topics as human rights, transnational corporations, and women, also contains Africana references. For libraries wishing to focus special attention on publications relating to issues of social justice and economic pol­ icy, this work is recommended. Reviews of current Africana will be found in many issues of C hoice, but it is important to re­ member that C hoice reviews are limited to publi­ cations available for sale or distribution in North America, thereby excluding large portions of Afri­ cana, particularly African imprints. C hoice does review , how ever, some A frican im prints of multinational publishers such as Heinemann and Longman, and titles of the very important South African publisher, Ravan Press, which are distrib­ uted in the United States by Ohio University Press. C h oice coverage of Africana sometimes extends September 1986 / 489 Otumfuo Poku W are II, asanthehene (king) o f the Ashantis in Ghana. Cr: Anna Tully into its review essays. Recent examples are Ree Coughlan’s “Ethnicity and the State: Five Perspe tives,” 23, no.3 (1985):409– 18, and Dean d c­ C h oice e W . Ferm ’s “Third World Liberation Theology: A B ib lio g ra p h ic S u rv e y ,” C h o ic e 2 2 , n o .9 (1985): 1446-59. T L S : T h e T im es L ite r a r y S u p p lem en t fr e ­ quently reviews Africana and is readily available in many academic libraries. TLS occasionally pub­ lishes Africana news items such as Christopher Hit­ chen’s “Zimbabwe Notes,” TLS, December 13, 1985, p. 1426, which describes two publishers of lit­ erary and social science titles that would be of in­ terest to many library collections: Mambo Press and Zimbabwe Publishing House. Reviews are also found in many scholarly jour­ nals. Some, such as the A m erican Historical R e­ view and W orld Literatu re Today, group reviews of Africana into separate sections. Reviews in Afri­ can studies journals such as A frica Today, African Affairs, African Arts, International Journal o f A fri­ can Historical Studies, Journal o f African History, Journal o f M odern African Studies, Research in A f­ rican Literatures, and African Studies Review (the journal of the African Studies Association) can also provide direction. ASA News includes lists of new publications in almost every issue, but no reviews. A review journal that could be helpful to many libraries is Third W orld B ook Review (published by Third World Communications, Kwame Nkru­ mah House, 173 Old St., London, EC 1V 9NJ, E n ­ gland). Third W orld B ook Review offers a third world perspective in its Africana reviews focusing on titles primarily, but not exclusively, in political economy and related social science disciplines. A ournal focusing entirely on African imprints is The frican B oo k Publishing R ecord (published by Hans Zell, 14 St. Giles, Box 56, Oxford, 0 X 1 3E L , ngland). In addition to reviews, this quarterly ournal contains brief articles about publishing in frica and a bibliography of recent African im­ rints arranged by subject, country of publication, and author. Acquiring English-language African imprints is not always as difficult as one might expect. Some ountries, such as Nigeria, offer a real challenge. ut for others, such as Kenya or Zimbabwe, for ex­ ample, some publishers’ titles can be received with­ ut great difficulty. As mentioned earlier, multina­ ional publishers’ titles are frequently available hrough the publishers’ North American offices. lso, Ravan Press is distributed by Ohio University ress, which offers a separate catalog of the Ravan ress titles it distributes. A not-for-profit distribu­ or, Third World Publications Co-op, Ltd. (151 tratfo rd Road, B irm in gh am , B l l 1R D , E n ­ gland), publishes a catalog featuring titles from about 10 Eastern and Southern African publishers hich it stocks in Britain. B .H . Blackwell also tocks in Oxford titles from a number of Eastern and Southern African presses and will attempt to btain titles from other publishers upon request. frican Im print Library Services (410 W . F a l­ outh Highway, Box 350, Falmouth, MA 02574) j A E j A p c B o t t A P P t S w s o A m 490 / C & RL News offers approval plan and blanket order plan pro grams for African imprints. Many libraries may want to consider expandin their sources for current events information on Af rica. Gosebrink contains a current events sectio and the annotations in Stanley’s contribution t M agazines f o r L ibraries will be useful here as well O f special interest in this category are the U.S. pub lications A frica News (biweekly) and A frica R epor (bimonthly), the British publications A frica: A International Business, E con om ic, and Politica M onthly and West A frica (weekly), and the Ken yan publication W eekly R eview . A frica R ep o r and A frica: An International Business... are bot indexed in Public A ffairs Inform ation Service Bul letin while A frica News is indexed in A lternativ Press Index. The Archives-Libraries Committee of the Afri can Studies Association is the focal point of activit for Africana librarians in the United States.3 Som of this Committee’s efforts are of wide interest an have been published in the ASA News. For exam ple, “The Lonely Africanist: A Guide to Selecte U.S. Africana Libraries for Researchers,” by Co rinne Nyquist and Leon Spencer (ASA News 17 no.4 (1984):15p. insert) describes 18 Africana re search collections focusing on practical informa tion useful both to visiting scholars and those wh would like to make use of such collections throug interlibrary loan. This has also been published as pamphlet and is available from the African Studie Association, 255 Kinsey Hall, UCLA, Los Angeles CA 90024, for $2.50, including postage and han dling. Other efforts associated with Archives-Librarie Com m ittee activities include Nancy J. Schmid and Ernest J. Valenzuela’s “Checklists for Updat ing Holdings on Africa in Community College L i braries,” ASA News 19, n o .l (1986):45–49, and series of lists of recent reference works— Phyllis Bis chof and Yvette Scheven, “Africana Referenc W orks 1980 and 1 9 8 1 ,” ASA N ew s 15, n o . (1982):41-46, Phyllis Bischof, “Africana Referenc Works 1982,” ASA News 16, no.3 (1983): 19–24 P hyllis B isch o f, Josep h J . L a u e r, and M ett Shayne, “Africana Reference Works 1983,” AS News 18, no.2 (1985):36–42, and Phyllis Bischof Joseph J. Lauer, and Mette Shayne, “Africana Ref erence W orks, 1 9 8 4 - 8 5 ,” ASA N ew s 19, n o . (1986): 18–28. Another organization of interest i the C oop erative A frican a M icroform P ro je c (CAMP) administered by the Center for Researc 3The 1986/87 chair of the Archives-Librarie Committee is Gregory A. Finnegan, 104 Baker L i brary, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755 For more information on the activities of this com mittee, see David L. Easterbrook, “Internationa Library and Archival Cooperation: Am erica,” i A frican Studies: Papers Presented at a C olloqu iu at the British L ibrary, edited by Ilse Sternberg an Patricia M. Larby (London: The British Library i association with SCOLMA, 1986), pp. 153-60. ­ g ­ n o . ­ t n l ­ t h ­ e ­ y e d ­ d ­ , ­ ­ o h a s , ­ s t ­ ­ a ­ e 3 e , e A , ­ 2 s t h s ­ . ­ l n m d n L ib ra rie s . C A M P’s extensive holdings are de­ scribed in the CAMP C atalog: 1985 Cum ulative Edition that was sent to all C R L member libraries earlier this year. All C R L members may borro CAMP materials. Minutes of both the Archives L ibraries C om m ittee and CAMP meetings ar published regularly in A fricana L ibraries N ew slet ter along with considerable other Africana infor mation. Beginning with no.45 (March 1986), fre subscriptions are available by writing to The E di tor, Africana Libraries Newsletter, E660 Main L i b ra ry , In d ian a U niversity, B loom in g ton , I 47405. Librarians seeking advice and assistance wit Africana in general or relating to the PBS serie “The Africans” specifically are encouraged to con tact one of the U .S. Departm ent of Education funded N ational Resource Centers for A frica Studies. Some of the Outreach Coordinators a these centers may be involved in planning activitie for “The Africans.” Africana specialists in the uni versity libraries at these centers are also available t offer advice regarding Africana. These centers are African Studies C enter, 270 Bay State Road Boston University, Boston, MA 02215; (617) 353 7303. African Studies Center, University of Califor nia, Los Angeles, CA 90024; (213) 825-3779. African Studies Program, University of Florida 470 G rinter, Gainesville, F L 32611; (904) 393 2183. African Studies Program, University of Illinoi at Urbana-Champaign, 1208 W . California, 10 Urbana, IL 61801; (217) 333-6335. African Studies Program, Indiana University W oodburn Hall 221, Bloom ington, IN 4 7 405 (812) 335-6825. African Studies Center, Michigan State Univer sity, East Lansing, MI 48824; (517) 353-1700. African Studies Program, Northwestern Univer sity, 630 Dartmouth S t., Evanston, IL 60201; (312 491-2598. African Studies C enter, Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305; (415) 497-4824. African Studies Center, University of Wiscon sin, Madison, W I 53706; (608) 262-2171. Center for African Studies, P.O . Box 13A, Yal Station, Yale University, New Haven, C T 06520 (203) 436-0253. E d i t o r ’s n o te : T h e a u th o r is 1 9 8 6 /8 7 c h a ir o A C R L ’s Asian and African Section and has serve terms as chair o f the C oop erativ e A fricana M icro fo r m Project and the A frican Studies A ssociation A rchives-Libraries C om m ittee. w - e ­ ­ e ­ ­ N h s ­ - n t s ­ o : , - ­ , - s 1 , ; ­ ­ ) , ­ e ; f d ­ ’s