Many topics I could talk about, but haven’t got round to … yet

Guilt, guilt, guilt … at not posting recently!

I come home, relax a bit with a couple of books, but then feel too tired, so end up just checking email, and worse still, playing Spider solitaire!  Not terribly constructive I admit!

I feel I really should comment about the GhanaBlogging meet-up with Ethan Zuckerman of Global Voices, among many others, which took place on 25 July.    Great to finally meet him, especially as I remember hearing about his work with Geek Corps (quite a long time ago), and currently follow his blog regularly.

Then the Booker longlist for 2010 was announced this week.  I do admit that when I was working at British Council Ghana, (when there were libraries there – but alas no more) ,  this was a signal for making sure that some of the best of contemporary UK fiction would be ordered.  I am sad to say I don’t do this now, but at least there are a few titles that I may put on my personal wish list and/or bring up for future selection at Accra Book Club.

And just this morning, got a tweet from a colleague about the new improved Kindle so naturally I had to add that to my wish list, and delete the earlier ones!  I wonder if anyone wants to give me a slightly expensive, somewhat indulgent, present???

And related to the above on Kindles, there were several stories about the World Reader project here in Ghana, including a video of Colin McElwee talking about Books for all at TEDx at Barcelona.

More later…

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GLA/Goethe Institut organise workshop on “Getting published”

Group photo

I mention the GLA (Ghana Library Association) in this blog quite a bit, which is not too surprising since I proudly admit to being a librarian/information manager/information provider and book junkie!

So since I spent most of today attending a workshop organised by the GLA, with support from the Goethe Institut, I have to mention them again!

And no, being a librarian doesn’t mean that you are living in a dusty old fashioned world – at least I don’t think of myself that way!  What others think?  hmmm, well, that is a topic for another day!

This time the workshop was officially called “Fundamentals of getting published in scholarly journals”, and basically consisted of extremely detailed  lectures, with some questions, on the basics, ethics, editorial issues and referencing – among other matters – all led by the current editor of the Ghana Library Journal, I K Antwi.

I K Antwi speaking

Antwi is the long-serving Librarian at the University for Development Studies in Tamale whom I remember meeting often in the mid 1990s when I used to travel to Tamale regularly on the British Council’s outreach programme, which by the way doesn’t exist any more – just in case someone was wondering!

Plenty of material to absorb though, so I think it will be a good idea to really look at the slides of the presentation!

In the meantime I am including a couple of photos.

“Libraries with a kick” exhibition launched at Goethe Institut in Accra

At the beginning of 2010 the Goethe Institut launched its “Libraries with a kick” poster competition – all in an effort to promote the use of libraries and reading, but tied in with the expected  interest in the World Cup in South Africa.

Over a 1000 entries were received from all over Africa, and finally the exhibition came to Accra, where it opened at the Goethe Institut in Accra on 8 July.

Although the event started about an hour late, it was pretty short – with some good music from a local band, Big Shot.  There were a couple of speeches, introduction of the three Ghanaian winners – all male interestingly – formal opening by the Vice-President of the Ghana Library Association, Albert Fynn, and a praise poem.  All then looked at the winning posters, and formed the usual neat line for the ever popular “item 13” – refreshments!

The posters range from fairly sophisticated images to what almost look children’s drawings, but in a way that is part of their charm.

Do take a look at the online exhibition which is via the Goethe Institut link above.

Olufemi Terry Wins 2010 Caine Prize for African writing

For news about the announcement on the 2010 Caine Prize for African writing, the story on the BBC news website does say most of it.

But for more details the best place to go is the actual Caine Prize website, which has links to the full press release, and a copy of the winning story, “Stickfighting days”.

Why does it matter who wins?

Well, it is a prestigious prize, and let’s face it, £10,000 is not an amount to be sneezed at!

Also, if the past is any way a predictor of the future, the winner is likely to become a well-known writer and representative of the African continent.

So Ayikoo to Olufemi Terry, and we look forward to reading more of his work.