African languages and African studies librarianship: taking a stronger position

Abstract

Most African educational systems are centred on imported languages such as English, French, and Portuguese. The emphasis in national publishing industries on producing books, journals and newspapers overwhelmingly in those tongues is also hard to justify. It is difficult to imagine a future African renaissance that does not incorporate the validation of African languages in all their diversity, and librarians should be actively seeking ways in which they might play a part. Librarians and their organisations can and should take stronger positions in supporting initiatives to validate, preserve and encourage African languages. Measures are suggested that librarians - and especially academic librarians - might adopt.


(Innovation: 2002 25: 37-44)