WGBLM Archived Publications

Promoting Reading !
This handbook of case studies on book promotion in Africa is a compilation of various types of experiences from within SSA countries that have been involved in promoting and encouraging reading. The experiences highlighted here can serve as useful knowledge for future endeavors in reading promotion.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series, No 18. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 2008. (Available in English only) 

Bringing the Story Home. A guide for developing and selecting materials for early childhood education: The South African Perspective by HUGO Nadine
There is a desperate shortage of relevant material written in indigenous languages for children from birth to 9 years throughout Africa. This publication has been written to encourage writers, publishers and book selectors to write, publish and select more locally-produced material of quality for children in Africa. Although this publication is focused on the South African ECD book industry as an example of what is available and should be available, the lessons in best practice that can be extracted from this text transcend language and context and are relevant to the rest of Africa.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series, No 17. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 2006. ISBN: 978-13-901 183 0241. 61 pages. (Available in English only) Price: £11.95 ($20). 

Making Reading Matter: Guidelines for selecting, developing and disseminating easy readers for adults by THUMBADOO, Beulah
This document highlights the key processes and approaches involved in successfully selecting, developing and disseminating easy reading material for adults. It is based in no small part on the experiences of a civil society organization, the ERA Initiative, which was active in South Africa during the 1990’s. It also draws on experiences from Asia, Africa and Canada.. Making Reading Matter asks questions and raises issues that need to be considered in order to ensure that the materials required for adults wanting to improve their reading profi ciency are as relevant and appropriate to their needs as possible. It is a useful handbook for communities and agencies working towards the improvement of adult literacy. Perspectives on African Book Development Series, No 16. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 2006. ISBN: 978 1 901830 22 4. 52 pages. Price: £11.95 ($20) .Available in English only. 

Changing Public/Private Partnerships in the African Book Sector By BRICKHILL, Paul; CHIRWA, Chris & LINDAHL, Bengt 
This study documents the trend towards the increasing liberalization of the publishing and bookselling industry and the decentralization of book selection and procurement to school level in different parts of Africa. It highlights the development of different kinds of public/private partnerships that reflect this fundamental change in textbook procurement, and calls on Governments to create better enabling environments for their book industries to flourish.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series, No 15. 
ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials and the Sub-Saharan Publishers, Accra, 2006. ISBN 92-9178-056-1

Crossing Borders: Adapting educational materials for other countries: The Soul City Choose Life Project By PERLMAN, Harriet 

Crossing borders highlights the key processes and approaches involved in successfully adapting print materials for use in other countries. It is based on Soul City's recent innovative work in this area and identifies lessons learned from taking materials that have been developed in one context for use in another. Crossing Borders asks questions and raises issues that need to be considered in order to ensure that the materials you adapt are as relevant as possible to the people who will use them. It is full of practical ideas and tips for people involved in planning and managing the adaptation process.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series, No 14. 
ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 2004. ISBN: 19-0183-018-7 

Making Book Coordination Work! by Salzano, Carmela
P
erspectives on African Book Development Series, No 13. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, UNESCO/DANIDA, 2002. ISBN 1 901830 16 0. Price: US$ 21.50.
This book synthesizes recent moves to coordinate book sector planning and development. It describes the changing scenario in which book sector coordination has become necessary, and raises the key issues that need to be confronted as ad hoc committees or working parties become more established. Examples are drawn from stakeholder experience in the public, private and NGO sectors in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The insights that emerge from the synthesis should provide inspiration for all those interested in the establishment of a book coordination structure in their countries. 

Upgrading Book Distribution in Africa Edited by Read, Tony; Denning, Carmelle and Bontoux.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series, No 12. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 2001. ISBN 1-901830-15-2.Price: £17.95/$29.95.
The quest for an equitable textbook distribution system represents one of the key challenges facing governments in sub--Saharan Africa today. This study tries to bridge the gap between what is happening and what is possible. It provides a comparative analysis of the key policy issues affecting book distribution in Africa, drawing on major case studies done in Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, and Uganda, and mini studies from Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania, and Togo. This study includes key options that policy makers need to consider in developing national frameworks for efficient textbook delivery. It represents the most comprehensive survey of efficient textbook distribution in Africa for over a decade. 

Gender-Sensitive Editing by Monde Sifuniso et al.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 2000. ISBN: 1-901830-13-6. Price: £17.95 /$29.95. 
Materials used both inside and outside school continue to suffer from gender stereotyping and bias. This handbook was originally intended for publishers and editors involved in developing popular reading material. It has been expanded into a training manual for use by a wide range of professional people involved in materials development like authors, curriculum developers, teachers, reading specialists, adult literacy trainers, illustrators and journalists as well as the intended target audience. The training modules have been designed for use in workshop situations, and are accompanied by a pack of laminated training cards that can be used in different combinations by trainers or for self-study purposes. 

Expanding the Book Trade Across Africa 
A Study of Current Barriers and Future Potential by Ruth Makotsi with Flora Musonda et al.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 2000. ISBN: 1-901830-19-5. Price: £10.95 /$18.95. 
In spite of the expansion of publishing in Africa over the past decade, few countries are able to provide the full range of good quality, relevant material that a growing reading public requires. In the struggle to combat illiteracy, there have been persistent calls for more cross-border trade and co-publishing ventures. However, book access is thwarted from reaching its full potential by the taxes and legislative procedures that affect the growing book trade both within and between countries. Based on research in ten African countries and in selected regional economic community organizations, this joint ADEA/APNET (African Publishers’ Network) publication identifies the barriers and puts forward solutions that are applicable throughout the continent.

Books for Schools 
Improving Access to Supplementary Reading Materials in Africa edited by Diana Rosenberg. 
Perspectives on African Book Development Series. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 2000. ISBN: 1-901830-09-8. Price: £13.95 /$23.95.
Limited access to books and to library services has had a profound effect on education in Africa. This book explores the provision of supplementary reading materials in a number of African countries. It reveals how high expectations, ambitious plans and individual efforts have frequently been stunted by inadequate planning, resources and infrastructure, and lack of follow-up in the form of training for teachers in teaching with books. Most of the studies conclude that the way forward is to develop a viable local publishing industry in tandem with improved training for teachers. 

Financing Textbooks and Teacher Training Materials by A.J. da Cruz, T. A. George, F. Z. Gnahoré, F. K. Kouakou, P. Mendonça, A. Read, C. Sehlabi, and M. Simão.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 1998. ISBN: 1-901830-12-8. Price: £10.95/$18.95.
The provision of relevant, good quality, affordable school textbooks is a key educational objective. Yet few children have access to the books they need in order to underpin effective learning. Despite funding agency contributions, free textbook supply from primary through secondary level can be problematic as a long-term solution. At the same time, the costs of learning materials continues to be prohibitive for many parents. This book examines the key issues in funding provision of textbooks and training materials through individual country perspectives from The Gambia, Lesotho, Mozambique and Côte d’Ivoire, and describes the different strategies adopted in order to provide a cost effective, equitable and sustainable book funding system.

An Introduction to Publishing Management by Ian Montagnes.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 1998. ISBN: 1-901830-06-3. Also exists in French. £13.95 /$22.95. 
This introduction to publishing management sets out the basics of efficient, economical and prudent management of time and money in publishing. It is intended to equip African publishers with techniques that will contribute to success, whether they are tendering for contracts or competing in a completely open market.While much of the emphasis is on textbooks, the principles apply to all types of publishing, and to most countries of the world. The premise is that managers need not be skilled in every area of publishing, but do need to know enough about each area to ask the right questions about strategies, costs and cost recovery.

The Economics of Publishing Educational Materials in Africa by Walter Bgoya, Nigel Billany, Marita Lujanen, Richard Noonan, Timo Paajanen and Eero Syrjänen.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 1997. ISBN: 1-901830-02-0. Also exists in French.Out of print. 
The quality of education depends to a large degree on the availability of textbooks. To what extent is this perception honoured by the actions of educational policy makers? Using research from a wide range of African countries, the authors examine the issues and provide an understanding of the publishing process and market. 

Cost-Effectiveness of Publishing Educational Materials in African Languages edited by Maureen Woodhall.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials,1997. ISBN: 1-901830-00-4. Also exists in French. Out of print.
New ground is broken in providing case studies of an under-researched aspect of policy. Research conducted in five African countries (Gambia, Madagascar, Namibia, Senegal and Zambia) examines, within a cost-effective framework, the advantages and problems of learning in a local or national language vs. learning through a second, foreign language. 

A Bibliography of Publishing and the Book Chain in Sub-Saharan Africa - 1997 edited by Hans M. Zell.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 1998. ISBN: 1-901830-08-X.Price: £19.95 /$32.95. 

A Bibliography of Publishing and the Book Chain in Sub-Saharan Africa - 1996 by Hans M. Zell.
Perspectives on African Book Development Series. ADEA Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, 1997. ISBN: 1-901830-04-7. 
These bibliographies of the book chain in sub-Saharan Africa supplement the Publishing and Book Development in Sub-Saharan -Africa: An Annotated Bibliography, by Hans Zell and Cécile Lomer, published in 1996. They record, annotate and classify literature on the subject which has appeared since the main bibliography was published. The literature includes new serials, books, references sources, reports, papers in edited collections, periodical articles as well as book sector studies. 

Publications available in French only
Strategies For Developing a National Languages Book Sector in the Sahel Countries. Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Senega (Stratégies pour le développement d'un secteur éditorial en langues nationales dans les pays du Sahel. Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger et Sénégal)
Reading Habits in Sub-Saharan Africa and Traditional Learning. An Analytical Bibliography ( Les habitudes de lecture en Afrique subsaharienne et les apprentissages traditionnels. Bibliographie analytique)