NBO Litfest_02 – Book Bunk

The Book Bunk

We build libraries.

#BookBunkersofNRBLibraries
I am Bravin and I studied Information Technology. As a Kaloleni resident I’d always use the library but back then it was rather dusty. Now, it’s much better since it’s clean and there’s access to books and newspapers.
I was excited to be called into the digitisation project because I love photography. The best part has been working with the old newspapers which I find interesting because I have learnt the history of how we got our independence and how our country was governed during colonial times. I’ll always carry this project as a legacy when I see people access Book Bunk’s website to see what we did.

It would be good if Book Bunk got on board more libraries and maintained them not just the three McMillan branches, which will be good for any person near a library.

📸Credits: Quaint Photography
@Bravin Igambi
📍 Eastlands Library

*******
In February 2021, we completed digitisation of approx. 31,549 items housed at the McMillan Memorial Library. These items had been identified as some of the rarest and most endangered items in the library due to the impact of climate change. These items are now publicly available online here: http://bit.ly/NRBLibrariesArchive. In October 2021, we began our second phase of digitisation work with the aim of digitising an additional 40,000 items. We are ever so grateful for support from @britisharts and @dcmsgovuk in supporting this restoration work at #NRBLibraries. Hear from the amazing team digitising this work and stay tuned for more exciting updates on this digitisation work. 🙌

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The Book Bunk

#BookBunkersofNRBLibraries
My name is Mary from Kaloleni, I used to come here as a kid. Most of the books then were very old. I love being part of this digitisation project because it makes me part of the history I am preserving. I can also see myself ten years from now taking pride in being part of the team that took the photos from yester years and put them online.

To be part of the library renovation is a very big thing to me because I want my kids to come see these new books which we never had as kids. With these books now in the library they will be occupied and not engage in immoral things but instead come here and learn more.

📸Credits: Quaint Photography
📍 Eastlands Library

*******
In February 2021, we completed digitisation of approx. 31,549 items housed at the McMillan Memorial Library. These items had been identified as some of the rarest and most endangered items in the library due to the impact of climate change. These items are now publicly available online here: http://bit.ly/NRBLibrariesArchive. In October 2021, we began our second phase of digitisation work with the aim of digitising an additional 40,000 items. We are ever so grateful for support from @britisharts and @dcmsgovuk in supporting this restoration work at #NRBLibraries. Hear from the amazing team digitising this work and stay tuned for more exciting updates on this digitisation work. 🙌

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The Book Bunk

#BookBunkersofNRBLibraries
I am Primrose Wambugu and I am very excited to be part of the digitisation project. This project to me means that I get to go through some of the data of the history of Kenya with works from as far back as the 1920s which I enjoy immensely.

One interesting story I have found was about the Stella Awinja hostel at the University of Nairobi, posthumously named in honor of a theatre student at the university. Such stories make me look forward to using the library to access data for more stories and I do hope that this can get to more people.

📸Credits: Quaint Photography @_wambugu.prim_
Primrose Wambugu
📍 Eastlands Library

*******
In February 2021, we completed digitisation of approx. 31,549 items housed at the McMillan Memorial Library. These items had been identified as some of the rarest and most endangered items in the library due to the impact of climate change. These items are now publicly available online here: http://bit.ly/NRBLibrariesArchive. In October 2021, we began our second phase of digitisation work with the aim of digitising an additional 40,000 items. We are ever so grateful for support from @britisharts and @dcmsgovuk in supporting this restoration work at #NRBLibraries. Hear from the amazing team digitising this work and stay tuned for more exciting updates on this digitisation work. 🙌

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The Book Bunk

#BookBunkersofNRBLibraries

My name is Ivy Kwamboka. I am a software engineer, and enjoy coding. Before joining Book Bunk, I volunteered at Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Mekatilili Library. At Book Bunk, I am a research and inventory intern and love the metadata part of this digitisation work. I love reading these books and knowing the why, when and where, and being able to present these items in a way that future generations can access this information. I have seen how politics came from British hands to the African and how the Mau Mau fought for freedom.

From this archive, I would like to know what it was that other people saw that I did not. In future, I hope Book Bunk can move from one city or one town to another, like my hometown, Eldoret, where we have only one small public library.

📸Credits: Quaint Photography
📍 Eastlands Library

*******
In February 2021, we completed digitisation of approx. 31,549 items housed at the McMillan Memorial Library. These items had been identified as some of the rarest and most endangered items in the library due to the impact of climate change. These items are now publicly available online here: http://bit.ly/NRBLibrariesArchive. In October 2021, we began our second phase of digitisation work with the aim of digitising an additional 40,000 items. We are ever so grateful for support from British Council and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in supporting this restoration work at #NRBLibraries. Hear from the amazing team digitising this work and stay tuned for more exciting updates on this digitisation work. 🙌

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The Book Bunk

#ArtAtTheLibrary series features Joseph Chege, who’s created a series of sculpture installations at Eastlands Library Baze section aka “the courtyard”. He utilised recycled material and the library’s weeded out books to tell a historical story as one solid art piece. Hailing from Lamu, his work is influenced by his immediate surroundings, paying homage to ecology and conservation.

See more of his work here: (https://thanabster.com/)

📸Credits: Quaint Photography
🎨 @thanabster x @nabsterdraws
📍 Eastlands Library

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The Book Bunk

What says urban Nairobi than “smokie pasua”? Eastlands Library external toilet block features a mural depicting local urban scenes in multicolored acrylic skies. Andrew Chege’s art depicts Nairobi urban life: matatu culture and the city's daily hustle and bustle.

See more of his work on IG: @andre_be_crae

#ArtAtTheLibrary

📸Credits: Quaint Photography
🎨 Andrew Chege from Crae Studio
📍 Eastlands Library

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A VIRTUAL EDITION

Book of Cures by Barbara Earl Thomas

Courtesy of Claire Oliver Gallery and Barbara Earl Thomas

Photo by Spike Mafford Photography

ABOUT

Book of Cures by Barbara Earl Thomas

Courtesy of Claire Oliver Gallery and Barbara Earl Thomas

Photo by Spike Mafford Photography

NAIROBI LITRATURE FESTIVAL

The Virtual Edition

June 14 - 19, 2021

The Schomburg Center Literary Festival: Reading the African Diaspora expands the center’s long tradition of championing authors of African descent from across the globe and publications that celebrate Black history and culture. The day-long book festival has been reconfigured as a virtual festival taking place over six days as the Schomburg Center’s doors remain temporarily closed due to COVID-19. Throughout the week, our featured authors and books will help us explore concepts of freedom, culminating on June 19, also known in the United States as Juneteenth, a day in 1865 marking freedom for enslaved people in Galveston, Texas.

The Schomburg Center Literary Festival is generously sponsored by the New York Life Foundation and Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation.

Visit here frequently to find out about the books and authors joining us for the 2021 festival!

REVIST

You can revisit the 2019 and 2020 festivals at anytime. See the line-up or rewatch the programs on Livestream.