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AnnouncemenAbout the Africana Collections
For Africa south of the Sahara, the focal point of the Library's reference and
bibliographic service is the African Section, one of three units of the African
and Middle Eastern Division. The Section was formally established in the Library
of Congress in 1960, a momentous year in sub-Saharan Africa as 17 nations gained
independence. Supported initially by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation and
later by funds appropriated by Congress, the Section continues to advise and
cooperate in the Library's acquisition program, provide reference and bibliographic
services, and maintain liaison with other research and teaching institutions
in the United States and abroad.
The African Section is well known for its bibliographic products. Notable among
them is the series of bibliographies of the official publications of African
countries in which the documents of some thirty African nations from colonial
times through independence have been systematically listed. A related publication
is the United States and Africa: Guide to U.S. Official Documents and Government-Sponsored
Publications on Africa, 1785-1975, with a supplement for the period 1976-1980.
The Section's bibliographic program also includes the Maktaba Afrikana, a series
of short topical bibliographies on subjects of current interest and Africana
Directions, an irregular series of short bibliographies and reference aids designed
to help readers user the Library's collections more effectively.
For both historical and contemporary research studies, the Library's collection
of Africana (material published in or relating to Africa) are substantial, including
sources in every major field of study in the social sciences and in the humanities.
Holdings include invaluable primary source documents, facsimiles, and secondary
sources, in diverse formats. Language coverage includes English, French, German,
Portuguese, and many African vernaculars. Africana holdings are integrated into
the general collections and other special collections of the Library.
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Library of Congress