The Book Bunk

We build libraries.

Since November 2020, we have been digitising archives at the McMillan Memorial Library. A key element of the project is the preservation of the library’s photographic collection, ranging from the late 1800s to the early 1950s. This is necessitated by the accelerated deterioration of the photographic and newspaper collections housed at the library since the early 1900s.

Another crucial segment being digitised is the newspaper collection (approx. 13,350 issues) which includes reports of key historical events during Kenya’s struggle for independence such as the Mau Mau uprising, political assassinations, social and cultural developments, human rights movements and exploitative land acquisition laws.

This four-month long project is supported by British Council Cultural Protection Fund, and is delivered in partnership with African Digital Heritage Foundation and the BESIC Group Ltd

Digitising Kenya's history at McMillan Memorial Library

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The Book Bunk

Have you listened to our brand new podcast “A Palace for The People”? #NRBLibraries. This 8-part series unearths pieces of Nairobi’s history that support and feed the restoration process of the McMillan Memorial Library and its branches in Makadara and Kaloleni. The title is inspired by Eric Klinenberg's book; Palaces for The People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life. The podcast is hosted by Book Bunk Co-Founders, Wanjiru Koinange and Angela Wachuka

Supported by @British Council Kenya's #CultureGrows programme, this series features conversations with Owaahh Media (Ltd), Balmoi Abe, Dr. Alfred Omenya and many more, with conversations centred around the libraries' history, the restoration process, the importance of designing public spaces with people in mind and the future of Nairobi’s public spaces.

Tune in via SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and other platforms here: https://linktr.ee/BookBunk

For more on this podcast, please visit our pod page here https://lnkd.in/gRaFPdz

#podcast #community #libraries #kenya #nairobi

A Palace For The People

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The Book Bunk

Akala is not only a leading UK Hiphop artist but is also using his art to unpack decolonisation and promote a postcolonial world view.

During his talk at Sussex in 2016, he pointed that; If you never know or are never taught your own cultural history, you are put at a disadvantage against those who do, as you are not able to correctly position yourself in history, often leading to misrepresentation of your heritage….We need to start questioning the knowledge we are given and make sure that those that question this knowledge are not silenced.”

Want to hear more from this luminary? Join us on Thursday 28th at 7.30pm EAT for a virtual fireside chat in support of #NRBLibraries

Buy your ticket here : https://www.bookbunk.org/gala/in-conversation/

Learn more about his talk in Sussex here: https://thebadgeronline.com/2016/04/rapper-akala-talks-decolonisation-at-sussex/

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A great opportunity to ask award-winning hip-hop artist, writer and social entrepreneur Akala some questions while supporting our work restoring #NRBLibraries!

Join us for this session on Thursday 28th January from 7.30pm (EAT) and enjoy a moderated conversation with this luminary whose tours worldwide have yielded critical acclaim and accolades including an honorary doctorate from Oxford Brookes University and the University of Bristol.

More info: https://www.bookbunk.org/gala/in-conversation/

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The Book Bunk posted a video to playlist How to Build a Library.

To wrap up 2020, join our Research & Inventory Manager, Syokau Mutonga, for a tour of all 3 #NRBLibraries we are working on; Kaloleni Library, Eastlands Library in Makadara and the McMillan Memorial Library on Banda street, in the heart of the city centre.

The Kaloleni Library, fully restored in June 2020, is in an area built by Italian prisoners of war in the 1940s. Here, we take you round the neighbourhood and explore Kenya's history-making in the adjacent Kaloleni Social Hall, where Kenya's first parliamentary election results were announced in 1963.

The Eastlands Library in Makadara is located in Maringo Estate and is a stone throw away from the law courts and county offices, and now shares a compound with the Huduma Centre, a public service hub. Before pandemic-mandated closure earlier in the year, this branch got the most foot traffic of all three; an average of 182 users a day. Here, we explore current collections and use, with an emphasis on the plans for transformation that residents have shared with us. The restoration of this branch began in August 2020.

Finally, we make our way to the main branch on Banda Street, where historical collections dating back to the late 1800s are stored. Digitisation of the most fragile of these, totalling approximately 24,000 photographs, newspapers and other archives, began in November 2020.

Welcome to #NRBLibraries!

Narration by Syokau Mutonga.
Camera: Christopher King & Nyasha Kandadara.
Sound : Maia & the Big Sky.
Videography by Circle and Square Productions
Videography supported by British Council Kenya's #CultureGrows programme.

For more information on our work restoring #NRBLibraries, please visit https://www.bookbunk.org

A tour of #NRBLibraries with Syokau Mutonga

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The Book Bunk shared a video from the playlist How to Build a Library.

Welcome to A Palace for The People, our brand-new podcast on #NRBLibraries! This 8-part series unearths pieces of Nairobi’s history that support and feed the restoration process of the McMillan Memorial Library and its branches in Makadara and Kaloleni. The title is inspired by Eric Klinenberg's book; Palaces for The People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life.

Supported by British Council Kenya's #CultureGrows programme, this series features conversations with Owaahh, Balmoi Abe, Dr. Alfred Omenya and many more, with conversations centred around the libraries' history, the restoration process, the importance of designing public spaces with people in mind and the future of Nairobi’s public spaces.

Tune in via SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other platforms here: https://linktr.ee/BookBunk

For more on this podcast, please visit our pod page here https://www.bookbunk.org/media/podcast/

The Book Bunk

Welcome to A Palace for The People, a podcast unearthing pieces of Nairobi’s history that support and feed the restoration process of the McMillan Memorial Library and its branches in Makadara and Kaloleni. Hosted by the Founders of Book Bunk; Angela Wachuka and Wanjiru Koinange, the title of this podcast is inspired by Eric Klinenberg's book, Palaces for The People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life.

Join us on an eight-part journey featuring conversations with featured guests including McMillan Memorial Library’s Chief Librarian, Jacob Ananda, Kaloleni resident Orpah Agunda, Urban Ethnographer Dr. Wangui Kimari, Environmental Architect Dr. Alfred Omenya, Publisher Dr. Henry Chakava and Social Heritage Architect Balmoi Abe. Conversations are centred around Nairobi's McMillan Library; its history; the restoration process; the importance of designing public spaces with people in mind; plans for the library; publishing in African languages, and the future of Nairobi’s public spaces.

This podcast is supported by British Council Kenya's #CultureGrows programme.

Tune in via @SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other channels here: https://linktr.ee/BookBunk

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