READING AFRICA

THE BACKGROUND

In February 2002, the Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF) announced a list of Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century. Selected by an international jury from over 1,500 titles nominated from around the world, the 100 Best Books list aims to celebrate the achievements of African writers, increase awareness and knowledge of African writing, stimulate debate and promote African publishing and the book trade.

In the UK, the Southern African Book Development Education Trust (SABDET) took the initiative to publicise and promote the list and its aims, starting with an event at the British Council in January 2003. Called Reading Africa, it sought to

  • publicise the list of Africa’s 100 Best Books of the 20th Century
  • stimulate interest in African writing and publishing
  • encourage reading of African books in the UK
  • provide resources for learning about Africa and African writing and publishing
  • bring together the key players in disseminating African-authored books, including publishers, writers, booksellers and distributors, librarians, book and reading promotion organisations, educators and African-interest groups
  • encourage networking and practical marketing, promotional and educational initiatives

The British Council and the Arts Council of England gave essential support to Reading Africa and the basis for ongoing partnerships was laid.

With the cooperation of the British Council and in consultation with Book Aid International, further areas for development of the Reading Africa initiative were identified. Both the British Council and Arts Council England agreed substantial budget or funding commitments to support the next phase of the Reading Africa programme.

READING AFRICA PROJECT AREAS

The Reading Africa programme covers

  • Reading Promotion - to direct readers to selected titles by African writers
  • Linking UK and Africa - activities implemented in parallel in the UK and Africa
  • Literary Festivals and Book Fairs – to include African writers and African-authored books in their programmes
  • Media and PR – to raise awareness of Reading Africa and the issues it embodies
  • Seminars and Conferences – to develop professional awareness of Reading Africa

While Reading Promotion is the central element of the programme, all its parts are important to the overall strategy of supporting African writing and publishing.

READING PROMOTION

The Reading Promotion campaign is being put into effect through the public library sector in the UK where promotion packages and mechanisms for delivery are now well developed and familiar to librarians. The Reading Africa promotional package draws on models developed by organisations such as Opening the Book and
The Reading Agency. The aim is take-up of the package by 50% of the 208 Public Library Authorities in the UK. Enough promotional packages are being produced to meet this demand plus take up of the promotion in Africa through the British Council in cooperation with Book Aid International.

30 titles for the promotion have been selected, many of them from the Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century list, and an informative and attractive accompanying text prepared. The promotional package also includes banners, dump-bins, counter-top headers, show-cards, book stickers and postcards.

LINKING UK AND AFRICA

Reading Africa seeks to link activities, readers and libraries in the UK with counterparts in Africa. The first main area of activity is Reading Promotion with libraries in Africa. The British Council are placing Reading Africa promotional packages in their 19 centres in Africa, in six selected public libraries in Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and in six partner library authorities in the UK - Birmingham City, Blackburn with Darwen, Derbyshire County, Essex County, Glasgow City and London Borough of Lambeth. The British Council is also offering reader development training, an interactive website and videoconferencing for BC staff in Africa. It will build on this to create links between libraries and reading groups in Africa and the UK.

The Zimbabwe International Book Fair, as the originator of Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century, is an important link with other book fairs and the book industry in Africa.

LITERARY FESTIVALS AND BOOK FAIRS

Reading Africa will encourage literary festivals and book fairs to include UK and African-based African writers in their programmes, as part of developing awareness of Africa’s 100 Best Books.

MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Reading Africa aims to raise the profile of African books and authors in the media, particularly on radio and television book programmes and through newspaper and magazine features. Coverage of the aims of the programme and issues it covers is a priority.

SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES

The first seminar in the Reading Africa programme will take place at the London Book Fair on 15th March 2004 under the title Africa at the Fair - How can Literary Festivals and Book Fairs promote African Books and Reading? It will be held at the British Council's International Welcome Point, followed by a formal launch of Reading Africa.

Two further seminar/conference events will be held in 2004 the first of which will be a panel at the African Studies Association of the UK biennial conference, 13th-15th September 2004 and the second, the final event of the programme, at Oxford Brookes University on the 30th October 2004.

PARTNERS

Effective partnership is vital to the success of Reading Africa. The partners in the programme are SABDET, the British Council and Book Aid International, with SABDET providing the lead coordination and administration.

DURATION

Following the formal launch of Reading Africa in March 2004, programme activities will run through to the end of October 2004.


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