Nigerian school stakes claim to have set up Africa's first printing press

The Hope Waddell Training Institution, a school in Nigeria founded in 1895 by Presbyterian missionaries, is laying claim to have set up Africa's oldest press. But could it be so?Hope Waddell, in Calabar, Cross River State, had a functioning printing press from 1903, initially to serve the school but later used to print newspapers. In an interview with Nigeria's Daily Trust, the school's principal, Edet Inyang, was unequivocal: "Our school had the first printing press in Africa."According to Wikipedia a large Wharfedale flat-bed printing press, donated by "friends in Scotland" was still in use in 1960. But another Wikipedia entry, about the development of media in Sierra Leone, states that although the first printing press in Africa, which arrived in Freetown in 1794, was destroyed by a French raiding party, another one became operational in 1800.And a paper on printing presses in sub-Saharan Africa, published last year (July 2013) by Julia Cagé and Valeria Rueda, contends that several mission societies acquired presses in Cape Colony between the 1820s and the 1870s.And, they write, the Methodists acquired a printing press in Grahamstown in the 1830s while the Anglicans set up presses at several places in the eastern Cape in the 1860s and 1870s.So Hope Waddell's claim to printing fame looks rather shaky. On the other hand, to be using a flat-bed printing press as late as 1960 must be some kind of record. More of a last than a first, perhaps. Sources: Daily Trust/Wikipedia... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #sierra leone

Other news stories related to: "Nigerian school stakes claim to have set up Africa's first printing press"


Small Press Distribution is asking for $100,000 to cover coronavirus-related losses.

Small Press Distribution, which has brought titles from hundreds of independent publishers to readers for more than 50 years, is in urgent need of financial help to keep from folding. A GoFundMe campaign is aiming to raise $100,000 to cover its next month of costs, including health care for its... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-04-21 15:11:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #small press #gofundme campaign #independent publishers


Translating a Quality User Experience From Print Into Digital

Among the many degradations magazines have endured during the digital revolution, few are as heartbreaking as the erosion of the magazine design experience. Digital platforms are designed by engineers for engineers. The web browser shows little respect for any standardized flow and sequencing,... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-04-21 13:10:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #screen sizes #nat geo #creative process


US print sales stay stable amid lockdowns

Physical books sales in the United States are holding up in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with NPD BookScan reporting that 166.9 million units had been sold in 2020 through the week ending 11th April, just a 1.3% decline on the same period in 2019. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-20 18:30:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #print sales #bookscan #3% decline #coronavirus pandemic


Carty-Williams, Stibbe and O'Leary make Comedy Women in Print Prize longlist

Candice Carty-Williams, Nina Stibbe and Beth O'Leary are among the authors longlisted for this year's Comedy Women in Print Prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-19 22:33:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #print prize #comedy women #authors longlisted #nina stibbe #candice carty-williams


Duffy and Manchester Writing School launch coronavirus poetry project

Poet Carol Ann Duffy and the Manchester Writing School have launched an international poetry project in response to the coronavirus. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-19 14:30:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Coronavirus fundraiser: Help support photographers with these incredible prints

The photography community is fighting back with print sales to raise money for struggling artists during the COVID-19 recession. As the coronavirus pandemic forces us to embrace living remotely, often limiting our connection to the outside world to digital platforms and images, professional... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2020-04-18 12:31:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #print sales #raising money #physical version #raise funds #digital platforms #raise money #fighting back


How a rough Apartheid-era school spawned an award-winning YA novel

Malla Nunn's "When The Ground is Hard," winner of the 2019 Times Book Prize for young-adult literature, revisits South Africa's toughest years. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-04-17 15:25:14 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #times book #award-winning ya


Print Unit Sales Up 2.9% in Early April

Strong gains in the juvenile categories offset weakness in the adult categories in the week ended Apr. 11, 2020, resulting in a 2.9% increase in print unit sales over the comparable week in 2019 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #9% increase #strong gains #early april


UNC Press, Duke Reach Cooperation Agreement with National Emergency Library

While press officials did not endorse the the "unilateral" action and "blurred legal arguments" behind the initiative, they largely support its goals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #unc press


Print Unit Sales Had Double-Digit Gain Last Week

Print unit sales rose 13.7% in the week ended April 11 over the week ended April 4 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Sales benefited from the release of 'Magnolia Table, Volume 2' by Joanna Gaines, which sold more than 130,000 copies last week. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #joanna gaines #magnolia table #double-digit gain


Orion makes child's play of next acquisition for parents home-schooling

Orion has acquired the first book from Early Years specialist and playHOORAY! founder Claire Russell, to publish in e-book next week. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-15 07:21:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #e-book


For fans of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ a debut novel with a dark setting and an unforgettable heroine

Set in alternate Tudor England, “Sin Eater” by Megan Campisi is a riveting tale of female empowerment. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-04-15 06:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #debut novel


Alex Trebek set to publish a memoir while fighting pancreatic cancer

On Tuesday, Simon & Schuster announced it will publish Alex Trebek's memoir, "The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life," on July 21. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-04-14 19:35:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir


Bluemoose's Duffy calls for industry fund to support indie presses

Bluemoose Books founder Kevin Duffy has called on the publishing industry to rally behind its smaller presses at this time of crisis and to establish a fund to help independent publishers survive what Duffy said had been a 90% reduction in revenue as a result of the lockdown. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-14 17:49:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #publishing industry #smaller presses


Sheikh Zayed Book Award Sets Winners’ Digital Ceremony for Thursday

The 14th Sheikh Zayed Book Award will stream a live digital event from Abu Dhabi on April 16 in honor of its 2020 winners. The post Sheikh Zayed Book Award Sets Winners’ Digital Ceremony for Thursday appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-04-14 11:12:29 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #zayed book #abu dhabi


15 New and Forthcoming Indie Press Gems

You may be stuck at home, but you can still expand your your horizons. It's a golden age for small, independent presses working to cultivate great writers and to push our literary boundaries. PW rounds up some of the best new and forthcoming books published by a range of standout small presses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Oliver Jeffers answers readers pressing questions

Oliver Jeffers, children's author and illustrator answered readers questions, submitted via Twitter.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-09 05:52:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #children's author #oliver jeffers


Print Units Rose 6.9% Last Week

Unit sales of print books rose 6.9% last week over the week ended March 28 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. An early arrival of Easter and Passover helped soften the sales blow caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #covid-19 pandemic


The Print Futures Awards open for entries

The Printing Charity's Print Futures Awards 2020 is open for entries, offering people aged 18 to 30 working in UK print-related organisations the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £1,500. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-08 22:09:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #printing charity


Andersen Press to publish YA novel about Ada Lovelace

Andersen Press has acquired I, Ada, a new YA novel based on the early life of Victorian computer programmer Ada Lovelace, written by Julia Gray. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-07 13:54:37 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #ya novel #early life #andersen press