Specialisation

SCOLMA Specialisation Scheme

SCOLMA seeks to monitor, co-ordinate and improve the acquisition of library materials on Africa. Libraries participating in its co-operative scheme specialise in the acquisition of materials from particular areas of Africa and act as information centres.

Acquisitions Specialisation Scheme by area:

  • University of Birmingham: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo
  • British Library: All African countries, all subjects; holdings strongest for Anglophone countries. Historic and current books and serials; newspapers; official publications; e-resources. Predominantly in English but also in African and European languages and Arabic.
  • LSE Library, University of London: South Africa (politics, economics, sociology)
  • Durham University: Sudan
  • Edinburgh University: Malawi, Zambia
  • Exeter University: Ghana
  • Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London: Gambia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda
  • Bodleian Social Science Library, University of Oxford: Namibia – politics, economics, social studies
  • Leeds University: Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo (ex-Zaire) (non-social sciences), Commonwealth Africa (literature, history, politics, geology)
  • The John Rylands University Library, University of Manchester: Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Madeira, Mozambique, Principe, Sao Tome
  • Bodleian Library, University of Oxford: Namibia, St. Helena – politics, economics, social studies
  • School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Nigeria, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Madagascar (humanities and social sciences only)

Specialisation by subject

  • British Library for Development Studies, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton: broad coverage of economic and social development (for all Sub-Saharan African countries).
  • Main Library, University of Reading: Grey literature (historic collection only)
  • Radcliffe Science Library, University of Oxford: Forestry and allied subjects
  • Bradford Centre for International Development, University of Bradford: Economic development, biodiversity and environment, trade, finance, agricultural/rural development, aid and projects
  • Henry Martyn Centre, Westminster College, Cambridge: Christian mission in Africa
  • Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London: Law – Anglophone Africa
  • Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London: Trade unions, political ephemera – Commonwealth Africa.
  • Institute of Education, University of London: Education in Africa
  • Leeds University: Geology
  • Institute of International Visual Arts, London: Contemporary visual arts and cultural studies
  • Women’s Library, London Metropolitan University: African women (particularly Commonwealth)
  • London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London: Global public health, infectious diseases and tropical medicine
  • School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London: African vernacular languages.
  • Thomas Parry Library, Aberystwyth University: Librarianship (East and West Africa)