IRRT (International Relations Round Table)

Dear colleagues,

The ALA IRC Africa Subcommittee met on 16 June 2025 and 21 July 2025. We report the following:

• Thank you to all those who responded to our survey asking for themes for a session at ALA Annual 2026. The ideas were very helpful and the committee is reviewing them now.

• Our session at ALA Annual 2025 had good participation. Thanks again to Arnold Mwanzu, Kentrone Mercy Ayilo, and Oluwafemi Fajonyomi for your presentations and patience with technical difficulties.

• There is interest in strengthening participation in the Subject Authority Cooperative Program (SACO) Africana funnel. Read more about SACO funnels here: https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/saco/funnels.html. If you are interested in proposing subject headings or contributing feedback on proposals, please email Justine Withers (seealsoandinfo@gmail.com) and I will connect you. There is also interest in a general Africana cataloging community if you have ideas about that.

• The committee is currently recruiting representatives in each country in Africa (where possible). These "liaisons" agree to share information among the committee and their local networks and attend meetings when possible. Thanks to Nerisa Kamar of Information Organization Africa for your help. Again, email Justine if you are interested. 

• We welcome our new liaisons: Ify Evangel Obim, University of Nigeria; Ngozi Perpetua Osuchukwu, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Nigeria); Jama Musse Jama, REDSEA Cultural Foundation and Hargeysa Cultural Centre (Somaliland); Winny Seroney, Kenyatta University (Kenya); Futhi Dlamini, Eswatini National Library Services; Bernard Dione, Cheikh Anta Diop University (Senegal); Helena Asamoah-Hassa, AfLIA (Ghana); Kenneth Abong, The Aga Khan University (Uganda); and Chintamani Devi Sahadew, National Library of Mauritius. Arnold Mwanzu of The Aga Khan University and Kenya Library and Information Science Consortium continues his liaison role. 

Our meetings are open to all practitioners. The committee welcomes guest speakers to talk about projects, ideas, and issues. Feel free to send agenda items and any information to share to Justine.

Next meeting:

Monday 15 September 2025 (Note: no meeting in August)

6:30 a.m. Pacific / 7:30 a.m. Mountain / 8:30 a.m. Central / 2:30 p.m. West Africa / 4:30 p.m. East Africa 

https://msstate.webex.com/msstate/j.php?MTID=m8e0ff090c6ebaf3672be9fe72b9bf1ce (new link)

Preston Salisbury, subcommittee chair (psalisbury@library.msstate.edu)

Justine Withers, past chair (seealsoandinfo@gmail.com)