Africana 

Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies

Northwestern University Library
1970 Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 60208

847-491-7684

http://www.library.northwestern.edu/africana/about/welcome.html

We are located on the fifth floor in the east tower of the Main Library.

Northwestern University
620 Library Place
Evanston, Illinois 60208-4110, U.S.A.
847-491-7323
847-491-3739 (fax)
E-mail: african-studies@northwestern.edu
Web: www.northwestern.edu/african-studies

Looking for resources about Africa?  Start here:

• Northwestern University Online Catalog

Use NUcat to find books and other materials owned by the Africana Library.

The Herskovits Library has three online indexes which provide access to special resources.

• Africana Conference Paper Index

The Africana Conference Paper Index is an index to the individual papers -- in western European languages -- of the conference proceedings held by the Herskovits Library. The file is updated daily.  By doing a "Multi-Search," you can search the Conference Paper Index and NUcat simultaneously.

• Africana Vertical File Index

The Africana Vertical File Index covers an extensive collection of uncataloged government documents, official publications, pamphlets, periodicals and journals held by the Herskovits Library. The file is updated daily. By doing a "Multi-Search," you can search the Vertical File Index and NUcat simultaneously.

• Arabic Manuscripts from West Africa

The Herskovits Library houses an important collection of Arabic script materials from West Africa. It contains over 5,000 items collected from Africa and donated to the library by several Northwestern professors. Original, hand-written manuscripts make up more than 60 percent of the content, which also includes “market” editions (photocopies of handwritten works that are often sold in African marketplaces), printed editions, and photocopies. Most are in Arabic, though some are in ajami—African languages such as Hausa, Fulfulde, and Wolof written in the Arabic script. It is especially strong in works from northern Nigeria (Kano in particular) but also includes items from Ghana, Senegal, and Mali. The works cover a wide range of subjects, including poetry, Arabic grammar, history, theology, Sufism, law, astronomy, and numerology. Highlights include the collection’s rich body of work on the Tijâniyya Sufi order, fine examples of Hausa poetry, and writings on medicine and healing.