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BHL members attend the 4th International Conference on African Digital Libraries and Archives

Global Biodiversity Heritage Library members participated in the Fourth International Conference on African Digital Libraries and Archives at the University of Ghana in Accra. The conference, 27-28 May 2015, was attended by representatives from across Africa, the United States, and Europe.

ICADLA:

is the major African forum focusing on digital libraries and associated technical, practical, organizational and social issues. ICADLA-4 was hosted by Ghana Library Association, University of Ghana Department of Information Studies and Ghana Library Authority.
Collaboration and participation was invited from regional and international policy and development institutions, archives, libraries, museums, government agencies and departments, all levels of educational institutions, funding institutions, and research centres.

The conference opened with welcome from Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor (University of Ghana) and the Felix Kwakye Ofosu (Deputy Minister of Communication). The keynote was presented by Matilda Amissah-Arthur (Wife of the Vice President, the Republic of Ghana and former head of the Ghana Library Association).

Perpetua Sekyiwa Dadzie (Head of Department, Department of Information Studies, University of Ghana) led the conference and programming planning.

Martin R. Kalfatovic, BHL Program Director, and Anne-Lise Fourie, BHL Africa, attended the conference and presented on the status of BHL Africa. Kalfatovic and Fourie’s presentation, African Digital Libraries in Global Content: The Biodiversity Heritage Library Model, is available online. Kalfatovic also moderated the panel “Adopting Integrated Approach To: Content Selection, Digitization, Curation and Preservation.”

Other coverage of the conference:

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June 17, 2015
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Martin R. Kalfatovic is BHL Program Director and Associate Director, Digital Programs and Initiatives Division, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. As the BHL Program Director, Mr. Kalfatovic functions as the executive director and manager of the international consortium of over 80 natural history, botanical garden, government, and university libraries engaged in the mass digitization of taxonomic literature. The position also serves as a key contact for government, NGO, and academic leaders at both the national and international level. Within his role at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, Mr. Kalfatovic is responsible for the Libraries’ active Digital Library program. This program includes the creation of digital editions of library materials, online exhibitions, and new digital publications.