"In these two volumes, readers will find comparative, in-depth essays on the press systems of 232 countries and/or territories. World Press Encyclopedia (WPE) is unique and valuable to users because, in addition to essays on each country’s press system, WPE also contains custommade graphs and stat
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istical tables, as well as regional maps, useful appendices, and an extensive index. This comprehensive, authoritative source of information allows for easy comparison between essays with a standard format or set of “rubrics” used whenever possible (see section titled “Essay Components”). Each essay also features basic data information—such as official country name, literacy rate, language(s), and number of daily newspapers—clearly marked with headings at the beginning of each entry. Additionally, WPE’s contributors include scholars, professionals, and educators from across the United States and around the world; each essay has a byline. Although this is the second edition, WPE has been completely reconceptualized and 100 percent revised from the first edition, which was published in 1982." (Introduction)
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"This study is currently the most comprehensive survey of textbook distribution in sub-Saharan Africa. If offers a detailed survey and analysis of the key policy issues affecting book distribution in Africa today. The study was organized and co-ordinated by International Book Development Ltd. in Lon
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don, and Danaé-Sciences, a Paris-based consultancy company specialising in editorial support, training and written communication. It draws on a series of major case studies carried out in Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda, together with mini case studies from Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Togo, undertaken by book practitioners in these countries, most from the private sector. All of the case studies cover some common elements, including, for example, information on the national education system (including basic education statistics), and a discussion of the main players and mechanisms in the book distribution chain; they also review regional trade in books, and most case studies comment upon the impact of funding, agency investment, and government policies affecting national book development. In addition to the case studies, a useful feature is the inclusion of a fold-out chart “Critical issues on upgrading book distribution in Africa – A decision tree for policy-makers”, which shows the key options that policy makers need to consider in developing a national framework for textbook delivery. An extensive glossary of common terms and acronyms used in education, development and the book trade, completes the volume. The survey concludes “there is already a policy change underway among a number of governments and funding agencies in their approaches toward national textbook distribution. This change is more apparent in Anglophone than in Francophone countries and is by no means universal even in Anglophone countries. But the reaction against the inefficiencies, the lack of a service culture and the typically high cost operations of state centralist policies is now almost ten years old.” It also notes that times are changing, and that senior government officials in many countries now openly acknowledge and welcome the increasing involvement of the private sector in educational book provision activity." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 1515)
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"APNET - the African Publishers Network - was formed in 1992 to promote indigenous publishing in Africa. From a modest beginning, APNET has grown to become a well-established network with members in 27 countries in all parts of the continent. With a secretariat in Harare and the active participation
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of the Board and General Council members, APNET has gained recognition as an important Pan-African network. From the inception, Sida has been one of the core donors of APNET. Sida and APNET jointly selected COWI to undertake the present evaluation, which is circulated to all donors and key stakeholders. The evaluation was designed to assess the achievements of APNET with a view to promote learning within APNET and make recommendations for the future. In addition, the effectiveness of the donor support for APNET should be assessed. The evaluation was undertaken from August to December 1998. It has included five country case studies and workshops with the Secretariat and Board, and participating as observers at the International Book Fairs in Zimbabwe and Ghana. This executive summary of the evaluation includes a total of 44 key findings, 15 conclusions and 16 recommendations." (Executive summary, page III)
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"With the increasing use of PRA methods and practices by NGOs, governments and multinational agencies, the potential impact for poor people is phenomenal. The book demonstrates the far-reaching implications of such approaches for the development sector. It is presented in an easily readable three pa
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rt structure. Part 1 explores case studies in which participatory methods and approaches have been used to influence policy, Part 2 concentrates on PPA (Participatory Poverty Analysis), an innovative approach designed to bring local poverty and policy analysis into the policy process, and Part 3 discusses key issues arising during the Institute of Development Studies workshop, and includes chapters by several participants." (Catalogue Intermediate Technology Publications 2000)
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"Contains essays on aspects of indigenous publishing in various African countries, overviews on the state of publishing in specific regions, a directory of book trade publications and reference sources published in five African countries, plus two inventories of (i) African book development organiza
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tions, and (ii) international organizations promoting indigenous publishing." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 200)
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"Annotated listings of over 4,600 libraries, publishers, booksellers, magazines and periodicals, and major newspapers throughout Africa." (commbox)
"The editors attempt to provide "comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date information, in both English and French, on libraries, publishers and the retail book trade, research institutions with publishing programs, book industry and literary associations, major periodicals and newspapers, government a
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s well as commercial printers, throughout Africa, South Africa excepted for the last name group." In all, 4,621 institutions and organizations are represented. Data varies according to the type of organization or institution and completeness and accuracy also vary because, the editors tell us, 45 percent of addresses failed to update their entries or retum the questionnaire. These cases are indicated with a dagger or asterisk. Even so, it provides a formidable amount of information. Librarians proved the best respondents; consequently data about libraries is more likely to be the most complete. Arrangement is alphabetical by country. Appendixes include a subject index to special libraries and to periodicals and magazines, and listings of book clubs, awards and principal dealers in African books in Europe and the U.S. Text is in English and French." (Eleanor Blum, Frances G. Wilhoit: Mass media bibliography. 3rd ed. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1990 Nr. 1127)
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"The final report of a regional seminar on reducing the costs of school textbooks in Africa, which took place in Bujumbura, Burundi in 1983, and focussed on raising the awareness of government organizations about textbooks, what measures should be taken regarding the importation of textbooks, the ma
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nufacture and distribution of textbooks, training in the book industry, and regional cooperation. There are contributions from several countries including Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Guinea, Madagascar, Niger, Togo and former Zaïre." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 1877)
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