Section on Library Services to Multicultural Populations

Annual Report 1994-1995

Antoine Carro-Réhault (Direction du Livre et de la Lecture, Ministère de la Culture et de la Francophonie, 27, Avenue de l'Opéra, 75001 Paris, France (fax: +(33-1) 40157404; e-mail:acr@culture.opera.fr)) was elected Chair of the Section of Library Services to Multicultural Populations, succeeding Stan Skrzeszewski (Canada). Ms Ulla-Britt Nordin Siebolds (Swedish Central Library for Immigrant Literature, Stockholms Stadsbibliotek, Invandrarlanecentralen, Box 47601, S-117 94 Stockholm, Sweden (fax: +(46-8) 7756540; e-mail:siebolds@kultur.stockholm.psi.se)) was elected Secretary, succeeding Earnest DiMattia, Jr.(USA).

Standing Committee and Section Membership

The Section now has 16 members from 11 countries, two corresponding members, one special advisor, and one observer. There are 63 IFLA members registered for the Section.

Projects

Library Materials in the Threatened Languages of Africa

The Section initiated a study to produce an extensive report on the availability of library materials in the mother tongue languages of Africa. The first stage was to conduct a study which will identify sources of indigenous publishing in Africa, review the current stage of language retention, and the stage of preservation of oral languages through recordings and other audiovisual materials. Thanks to the efforts of Olusegun Fajemisin of Nigeria who produced the report, and Paul Brickhillof the African Publishers' Network who managed the project, the report is completed. Reports are now available on indigenous publishing in Namibia, Lesotho, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana and Togo. The Section will decide how best to promote and distribute there ports.

Publications

Multicultural Communities: Guidelines for Library Service

The Section has begun the work of revising and updating the Guidelines. Virginia Ballance has completed a first review and the new version should be ready in 1997. Japanese multicultural librarians, through the services of Yoko Fukai, donated a sum to support the production of the guidelines. TheItalian Library Association, through the work of Letizia Tarantello, translated the Guidelines into Italian and these appeared in the March 1995 edition of their bulletin.

Multicultural Librarianship: An International Handbook

This title was published by K.G.Saur in August 1993, as No. 59 in the series, IFLA Publications. The Section took a special interest in promoting the title and making copies available free of charge to IFLA members in developing countries.

Section brochure

Suzine Har Nicolescu (USA) and Adriana Tandler (USA) are producing a new Section brochure and a draft was available during the Istanbul Conference in 1995.

Future Conferences

Beijing 1996

The Section is considering a workshop joint with the Section on InformationTechnology on "Multilingual and Multiscript Automation". One of the recommendations from the satellite meeting held in Madrid in 1993 on this topic was to have a follow-up seminar, preceding the Beijing 1996 Conference, with a focus on the development and progress of multiscript automation in the three years from Madrid to Beijing. The Section will also co-sponsor a second workshop, with the Section on Cataloguing, on "Across the Language Barriers: Subject headings - The Unifying System".

Istanbul Meetings

Workshop

The Section held a workshop jointly sponsored with the Round Table of National Centres for Library Services held in the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture. Presentations were made by Bozhurt Guvenc on cultural life in Turkey today; SuatKarantay on modern Turkish literature; Mubeccei Gonen on the qualities of Turkish picture story books; Tulin Saglamtuc on libraries in Turkey; and Nermin Abadan-Unat on aspects of the Turkish migration. The workshop concluded with brief reports on library services to Turkish people in other countries.

Open Session

The Section held a joint session with the Regional Section for Africa with the theme, "Library Materials in the Threatened Languages of Africa".

Papers presented

Preservation of Indigenous Languages in Africa
by A.A. ALEMNA

Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of oral tradition in Africa, and to address issues and possible ways of the preservation of oral culture. The paper also discusses factors affecting the development of indigenous languages in Africa and strategies for the preservation of these languages. Various measures such as the intensification of the study and teaching of African languages in schools, and the acquisition and management of vernacular materials in libraries are recommended.

Sources for African Language Materials from the Countries of Anglophone Africa
by ALFRED KAGAN

Abstract:
There is a general lack of information on how to acquire materials in African languages outside the countries of origin. However, there are some very well established mechanisms in collecting this material. In this paper the author notes the standard current reference sources, blanket and approval plan dealers, bookshops and publishers, printed and online library catalogues, and two microform collections. With sufficient time, energy anda reasonable hard currency budget, it is quite possible to develop an African language collection appropriate to local needs.

Les langues vernaculaires en Afrique noire francophone: edition et enseignement
by SOUAD HUBERT

Abstract:
Not Available.

Workshop Presentations

Cultural Life in Turkey Today: Origins, Dynamics and Prospects of Multiculturalism
by BOZKURT GUVENC

The Qualities of Turkish Picture Story Books
by MUBECCEL GONEN, HAVISE CAKMAK, and SELAY OZMEN

Public Libraries in Turkey
by TULIN SAGLAMTUNC

Turkish Readers in the Public Libraries of Berlin
by TANK SEDEN

Turkish Migration to Europe
by NERMIN ABADAN-UNAT

Library Service to the Turkish Communities in Sweden
by LENA WESTER

Public Library Services to Turkish Readers in the United States
by SYLVA NATALIE MANOOGIAN

Abstracts:
Not available.

Latest Revision: May 29, 1996