From diplomatic spats between Qatar and Saudi Arabia to ubiquitous deceptive "news" updates purportedly sent by the Eritrean government urging all men to marry two wives or risk imprisonment, the future of fact-based reporting appears uncertain as mass media recipients world over become accustomed to consuming "fake news."…

Background: In the UK, African communities are a focus of public health efforts to increase uptake of HIV testing. Mobile phone interventions may be an innovative way of reaching migrant groups who are known to face multiple obstacles in accessing mainstream health services. This paper presents findings from a feasibility study that used…

An online epistolary project was conducted with Cameroonian French-speaking students in order to boost English language learning. The project involved email exchanges (in English) between a small group of students from Cameroon and Canada, and it was coordinated by their teachers in both countries. At the end of the study, student emails were…

Purpose: The following study was carried out to evaluate the socio-economic factors influencing access to Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) information and knowledge among farmers in western Kenya, and subsequent ISFM uptake with a view to assessing communication gaps. Design/Methodology/Approach: Structured questionnaires were…

While the HIV/AIDS epidemic has wrought havoc in the lives of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa, access to information about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of the disease remains a challenge for many, and particularly for young people. This article reports on an action research study undertaken in a rural Ugandan village in 2006.…

This selected, annotated bibliography of information resources in English and/or French is divided into sections on books; documents and articles; UNESCO publications; reference works; and African periodicals. A list of institutions concerned with education in Africa is included, as well as educational documentation and information services in…

Shows that economic and political factors rather than education or training are the strongest indicators of editors' views of the New World Information Order. (FL)

Examines bibliographic control issues regarding socioeconomic development information in Africa by describing activities of the Pan African Development Information System in Ethiopia, the Southern African Research and Documentation Center in Zimbabwe, the South African Bibliographic and Information Network in South Africa, and the National…

This discussion of the impact of information services on the agricultural development of the developing countries of Africa. Covers the importance of information and problems of literacy; sources of agricultural information (extension services, radio, films, publications, friends); and the role of library services. Footnotes are included. (EJS)

Ways in which to incorporate education on francophone western Africa into French second-language courses are discussed. Geography, language role, and common themes to be explored are examined, and more complex aspects of the societies, such as beliefs and customs, are also considered as they may be appropriate for inclusion. (MSE)

Discussion of the information needs of agricultural researchers in Africa focuses on the potential usefulness of unpublished reports. Reasons for the underutilization of unpublished reports are addressed, including a lack of access resulting from poor bibliographic control, lack of an information policy in most countries, and inadequate and poorly…

Discusses the importance of oral tradition in African culture; describes efforts to collect, organize, and disseminate oral tradition; and highlights associated problems. It is concluded that librarians in Africa should place greater emphasis on oral tradition as a supplement to documentary sources. (18 references) (MES)

Discussion of development literature in Africa highlights DEVSIS Botswana, which was created to facilitate the collection, organization, and dissemination of socioeconomic development literature, and reports on an analysis of its annual index, DEVINDEX Botswana. Producers of development literature in Botswana are described and problems with…

Discusses the need for a regional information network in southern Africa to provide policy makers with access to needed information and reduce dependence on foreign advisers. The progress of the Southern Africa Documentation and Information System is described, and future trends and possible difficulties are identified. (CLB)

Discusses the current state of information systems and services in Africa, examines future possibilities, and suggests areas for improvement. Topics include the lack of automation; CD-ROM databases for accessibility to information sources; developing low-cost electronic communication facilities; Internet connectivity; dependence on imported…