Classifying African Literary Authors

Authors

  • Marilyn A. Green
  • Susan Rathbun-Grubb

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5860/lrts.60n4.270

Abstract

This paper reviews the literature on the inadequacies of the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) schedules for African literary authors and describes a modified practice that collocates African literature and facilitates patron browsing. Current LCC practice scatters African literature across the multiple European language classifications of former colonial powers. Future strategies could place individual authors more accurately in the context of their country, region, culture, and languages of authorship. The authors renew the call for a formal international effort to revisit the literature schedules and create new classification practices for African literature.

Author Biographies

Marilyn A. Green

Marilyn A. Green (greenm@midlandstech.edu) is a Librarian at Midlands Technical College in Columbia, South Carolina.

Susan Rathbun-Grubb

Susan Rathbun-Grubb (srathbun@mailbox.sc.edu) is an Assistant Professor in the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina.

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Published

2016-10-07

Issue

Vol. 60 No. 4 (2016): October

Section

Notes on Operations

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