A half century of abstracting at the African Studies Centre Leiden

The article discusses the history of the abstracts and indexing journal originally known as 'Documentatieblad,' which was renamed to 'African Studies Abstracts (ASA)' and later to 'African Studies Abstracts Online' (ASAO), published by the African Studies Centre (ASC) in Leiden, the Netherlands since 1968. Key themes are socioeconomic and political developments, government, law and constitutional development, history, religion, anthropology, women's studies, education, and literature. Publications are in a western language. Due to increased Internet connectivity in African countries, the monthly print edition of ASAO was discontinued from March 2012 onward. The number of subscribers to the ASAO mailing list has increased from 472 in 2004 to 1681 by the end of 2012. By contrast, the number of subscribers to the printed abstracts journal never exceeded 350. Of the 260 journals systematically scanned in 2013, some 160 were wholly or partially abstracted with the remainder being indexed. Over time the abstracting of monographs became increasingly selective. There have been various initiatives over the past twenty years to further cooperation in documenting African Studies material, including 'Africa-Wide Information', 'AfricaBib' and 'ilissAfrica' of the European Librarians in African Studies (ELIAS) network. Notes, ref., sum. [ASC Leiden abstract]ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

On documenting Africa in the Netherlands

Almost ten years ago to the day I gave a talk at SCOLMA's 1992 annual general meeting on African documentation in the Netherlands, and possibilities for European cooperation. My talk focused on the Afrika-Studiecentrum (ASC) in Leiden and the work of the Library and Documentation Department. This talk, too, will focus on the Afrika-Studiecentrum. As the only research and documentation centre in the Netherlands devoted exclusively to Africa, the Afrika-Studiecentrum plays a pivotal role in Dutch African Studies and, as in 1992, I happen to work there, so it is what I know best. I would like to tell you something about the Afrika Studiecentrum's origins and objectives, its research programme and the work of the Library, Documentation and Information Department. I will say a bit about the library collection and acquisitions policy and go into somewhat more detail on a number of the activities we have undertaken over the past years to facilitate national and international access to African Studies resources, through the development of the ASC OPAC, through partnerships with commercial publishers, and through cooperation with other Africana libraries and documentation services. However, before moving on to talk about the ASC, I would first briefly like to describe a few of the other collections on Africa which exist in the Netherlands. This is no more than a quick bird's-eye view and is no way meant to be comprehensive.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

African Studies Abstracts Online: number 33, 2011

ASA Online provides a quarterly overview of journal articles and edited works on Africa in the field of the social sciences and the humanities available in the ASC library. Issue 33 (2011). African Studies Centre, Leiden.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

African Studies Abstracts Online: number 19, 2007

ASA Online provides a quarterly overview of journal articles and edited works on Africa in the field of the social sciences and the humanities available in the ASC library. Issue 19 (2007). African Studies Centre, Leiden.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

African Studies Abstracts Online: number 28, 2009

ASA Online provides a quarterly overview of journal articles and edited works on Africa in the field of the social sciences and the humanities available in the ASC library. Issue 28 (2009). African Studies Centre, Leiden.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

African Studies Abstracts Online: number 23, 2008

ASA Online provides a quarterly overview of journal articles and edited works on Africa in the field of the social sciences and the humanities available in the ASC library. Issue 23 (2008). African Studies Centre, Leiden.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

African Studies Abstracts Online: number 16, 2006

ASA Online provides a quarterly overview of journal articles and edited works on Africa in the field of the social sciences and the humanities available in the ASC library. Issue 16 (2006). African Studies Centre, Leiden.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

African Studies Abstracts Online: number 17, 2007

ASA Online provides a quarterly overview of journal articles and edited works on Africa in the field of the social sciences and the humanities available in the ASC library. Issue 17 (2007). African Studies Centre, Leiden.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

African Studies Abstracts Online: number 34, 2011

ASA Online provides a quarterly overview of journal articles and edited works on Africa in the field of the social sciences and the humanities available in the ASC library. Issue 34 (2011). African Studies Centre, Leiden.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

African Studies Abstracts Online: number 38, 2012

ASA Online provides a quarterly overview of journal articles and edited works on Africa in the field of the social sciences and the humanities available in the ASC library. Issue 38 (2012). African Studies Centre, Leiden.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde