The Endangered African Languages Project at Yale University Library

Twenty-five percent of the world’s 6,000 languages are spoken in Africa, yet Library of Congress subject headings only account for the roughly 600 in which there has been publishing activity. Cataloging of works in indigenous African languages remains a challenge for libraries, and thousands of materials wind up uncataloged in backlogs as a result. Yale’s African Collection applied for and received 2 generous grants from the Arcadia fund (UK), enabling us to hire someone to do original cataloging for these materials. This presentation will discuss the findings of Yale’s endangered African languages project. Presenters: Dorothy C. Woodson, Yale U & Charles L. Riley, Yale U Library Moderator: Laverne B. Page, African & Middle Eastern Division, Library of Congress, Area Specialist (Africa)