[NEW LIST] AFLIB-L: African Libraries Listserv

[Terry Kuny]

ANNOUNCING: AFLIB-L African libraries Listserv

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 LISRSERV (AFLIB-L) is an open, lightly
moderated discussion list.  It aims 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 coarse 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:

a) general discussion of professional problems and issues to
promote intra-African contact, communication and dialogue.
(Questions and answers forum)

b) discussion of professional training and what should go into
this in order to strengthen capacities to meet the demands of
this information age

c) 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.

d) discussion of technology applications in Africa

e) 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
Servises Programme in the State Library. Pretoria.  I look
forward to receiving your contributions.

Susan Oelofse

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