OCLC Here I Come: Advocating for Africa Countries

During the third week of my journey, I had the opportunity to visit the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Public Library and Museum, the Illinois State Library, and Abraham Lincoln’s home in Springfield. One aspect that stood out for me was the preservation of oral history, which aligns perfectly with my career aspiration of digitizing oral traditions. I am excited to connect with these institutions to gain more ideas for my future projects.

Another significant stop on my journey was the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) in Ohio. This visit allowed me to advocate for Africa’s inclusion in their assessment reports. At Ohio State University, I was intrigued by their use of creative learning spaces to enhance research. I stopped by the Westville Public Library in Dublin, Ohio.  This library is well resourced.  The children section is well decorated and at a point felt like changing roles from Academic Librarian to Children Librarian.

There were presentations on grant writing and scholarly publishing, with a specific focus on Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open Access (OA). As a librarian, I am determined to promote and encourage faculty members to embrace Open Access publishing. In fact, I am considering organizing a workshop for faculty with the theme of “decolonization of the mind, promoting open science, and open access.”

An interesting observation I made was the contrast in acquisition practices between University of Illinois and my own university. The notion that “Acquisition is not Based on Demand, a pride to have and to hold” was intriguing and different from what I am accustomed to “Demand Driven Acquisition”. It will be difficult to adopt this in my library. In terms of storage space and funding.

Overall, this third week of my journey was filled with enlightening experiences and valuable insights that align with my career aspirations. From preserving oral history to advocating for inclusivity and promoting, Open Access Publishing.

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