Newspapers Section

Survey on Holdings of African Newspapers kept in National Archives,
National or University Libraries in Africa

Conducted by the IFLA Section on Newspapers together with IFLA PAC July - December 2003

The IFLA Section on Newspapers together with IFLA PAC takes up again the JICPA survey on the safeguard of newspapers and periodicals in Africa which was conducted by IFLA PAC in 2001. The Section will limit the new Survey to newspapers only, published in Africa (retrospective holdings as well as current files). The newspaper is by definition an ephemeral item which is normally printed on poor oversize paper with poor ink, whose preservation is precarious. So it becomes urgent to safeguard the holdings, for instance by transfer to another medium, preferably without any kind of previous expensive restoration. In this regard it is absolutely necessary to locate and know about newspaper holdings preserved in Africa in national or university libraries as well as in national archives.

Thanks to your precise replies the IFLA Section on Newspapers will be able to list holdings, possible gaps, equipment needs, microfilm and/or digitisation needs, in order to work out priority actions and funding requirements. It is therefore important that our African colleagues involved should provide as complete replies as possible.

We thank you in advance for your co-operation.

Hartmut Walravens
Chair of the IFLA Section on Newspapers

Edmund King
Secretary of the IFLA Section on Newspapers