The Africana Librarians Council (ALC) was founded in 1957 as part of the African Studies Association (ASA) under the name Archives/Libraries Committee. The ALC continues today as an ASA-sponsored organization. Members of ASA whether they are librarians, archivists or documentalists working with materials from and about Africa or scholars interested in the preservation of or access to Africana may join the ALC.
Upcoming Meetings of the Africana Librarians Council
ALC Fall 2009 Meeting - New Orleans: at African Studies Annual meeting, 19-22 November 2009 | Schedule of meetings
ALC Spring 2010 Meeting - Lawrence: at University of Kansas, 15-17 April 2010 | Online registration, schedule of meetings, hospitality information forthcoming
Past ALC Meetings (Penn Libraries Sakai) | Past ALC Business Meeting Minutes (Penn Libraries Sakai)
Conover-Porter Award for Africana Bibliography or Reference Work
2008 Conover-Porter Award winner announced: Sources for the Mutual History of Ghana and the Netherlands / Doortmont and Smit. | 2008 Conover-Porter Award press release
Deadline for 2010 nominations: 1 January 2010
The Conover-Porter Award is presented every two years by the Africana Librarians Council of the African Studies Association (US). The award recognizes outstanding achievement in Africana bibliography and reference tools among works published in the preceding two years. The Conover-Porter Award was established in honor of two pioneers in African Studies bibliography, Helen F. Conover, of the Library of Congress, and Dorothy B. Porter, of Howard University.
Nomination Form (Deadline for nominations: 1 January 2010)
Past Conover-Porter Award winners | 2006 Conover-Porter Award winners (press release)
ASA Book Donation Awards
Deadline for 2008 award applications: 2008 award cycle cancelled by African Studies Association
The ASA Executive has informed the ALC that pending future funding, 2007 constituted the last final award cycle for the ASA Book Donations Award. In past years, the ASA made available up to $3000 annually to assist groups with shipping costs for book donations to African libraries and schools. The Committee generally provided grants in amounts from $200 to $1,000. Those applying for partial funding of a project should clearly show how additional funding will be solicited. The grants were intended to encourage innovative projects that incorporate essential elements, including: Recipient participation; High quality materials; Attention to details of logistics.
Call for Applications: 2008 ASA Book Donation Awards (Press release, no longer in effect)
ALC Committees
Bibliography Committee: Meeting minutes (Penn Libraries Sakai) | Conover Porter Award documents | Related documents
Book Donations Committee: Meeting minutes | (University at Albany) | Committee procedures
Cataloging Committee: Meeting minutes (Penn Libraries Sakai) | Africana Subject Funnel reports
