Introduction

The African Studies Companion seeks to bring together a wide range of sources of information in the African studies field covering both print and electronic resources. It is published in a print edition and is also available as an electronic version at http://www.africanstudiescompanion.com.  Access to the regularly updated electronic edition is bundled with the print edition.

Scope and definitions
The majority of listings identify primarily general, multidisciplinary sources of information, for the most part those in English and relating to sub-Saharan Africa. Purpose, scope, limitations and exclusions are further identified in the introduction to individual sections. 

Subject- or country-specific resources are not covered, with the exception of a small number of fairly broad-based online databases that are good first-step sources for research. For more specialist reference works, for example those in the field of African art and African literature, or those in agriculture, economics, environment, politics, sociology, women's studies, etc., readers will need to consult sources that support more focused research, and elsewhere in this volume we draw attention to a number of guides to more specialist bibliographies and reference tools.

As in previous editions, sources for African American and Black studies (also frequently termed Africana studies) are not covered here, although we do now include entries of African American studies programmes in North America in the new section on African studies teaching and research worldwide, in as far as all of them include courses relating to the study of Africa and its people and cultures.

While this new edition includes an even more substantial number of online resources, many Africana reference works of enduring value are still not available - and are unlikely to become available - in electronic formats. The electronic databases that are now accessible have greatly facilitated African studies research, but the online resources that are available at this time still do not fill the gaps, and for many print reference tools there are no electronic equivalents as yet. Therefore, and for the foreseeable future at least, the point of departure for many Africa-related questions, or research on specific topics, will continue to have to include print and archival resources. 

The African Studies Companion contains details of many Africa-specific databases, but more general databases, or the indexing and abstracting services that are likely to be consulted as part of most research topics in African studies, are not included. Among these are Anthropological Index Online, Anthropology Plus, Arts and Humanities Citation Index, British Humanities Index, Columbia International Affairs Online, Devline, Dissertation Abstracts Online, Historical Abstracts, Humanities Abstracts; FRANCIS, ELDIS, JSTOR (558), Lexis-Nexis, the MLA Bibliography, Pro-Cite, Social Sciences Citation Index, Sociological Abstracts; various ISI databases and indexing services in the sciences, and UnCoverWeb/CARL UnCover, the major database of current periodical articles from some 25,000 publications, which is now available through the Web at Ingenta. Sometimes major biographical reference works, for example the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB), can also be a rich source for Africa related material.

Entries, annotations, reviews, and honours
Most of the entries are extensively annotated, both for print and online resources. Attention is drawn to particularly outstanding online resources, and the very best starting points on the Web, by flagging them with a symbol (more about this in the introductory notes preceding Section 1).

Many of the annotations for databases and other online resources also include guidance how to make the most effective use of each source, with tips about navigation, use of search facilities, and how to find and access documents. 

For Section 2, as well as some other sections, there are references to reviews from Choice/Choice Online and African Research & Documentation (748), and, where available, there are also links to online reviews if freely accessible (others can be accessed through subscription-based databases of book reviews). Additionally, for print resources, titles that were awarded Choice "Outstanding Academic Title" honours are identified with details of the year when awarded; and the winners, or joint winners, of the Africana Librarians Council's (1885) biennial Conover Porter Award (2828) are similarly identified.

All of the online resources, and most of the titles in print format, have been personally examined by the compiler; for new print resources primarily based on the supply of review or examination copies provided by publishers, or via demo access to databases. Sources that have not been examined are indicated accordingly, and for such entries annotations are based on listings in publishers' catalogues and/or reviews. 

Prices/Subscription rates
In Sections 2 to 8 prices are indicated for print resources, and journal subscription rates are given in Section 9. Prices are current as at mid-2005 and are based on information provided in publishers' catalogues and on Web sites. However, all prices are of course subject to change. Older print titles that do not show a price are likely to be out-of-print, but most will be found on the shelves of the major African studies library collections. 

Data gathering and verification
All information has been verified and fully updated, primarily from the Web. However, where necessary and appropriate, information has been verified individually, for example for some African studies journals, libraries, publishers, and organizations, and when information pulled from Web sites was either not adequate, incomplete, or apparently dated. For online resources, as well as Web sites listed in all other sections, every site was re-visited and updated as appropriate, or deleted (see also Preface). Material for new entries, and the two entirely new sections, was collected during the course of 2004 and the first half of 2005, but with all Web sites thereafter re-visited and verified during the period July to October 2005. The date last accessed/verified is indicated for each entry, in square brackets.

Web sites and email addresses/Online updates 
The African Studies Companion contains a massive number of email addresses and links to Web sites and Internet documents. While every effort has been made to verify information as far as is possible, email addresses and Web sites do tend to change frequently, and we would be grateful if any changes, inaccurate information, or dead links could be brought to our attention. Please email these to hanszell@hanszell.co.uk.  Changes and updates will then be made in the online version.

Alphabetization style
Alphabetization, including listings in the various directory-type sections, is letter-by-letter style, with the exception of North American entries in Section 14, where African and African American/Black studies programmes are listed in alphabetical order by name of main institution. For purposes of alphabetization, the definite article in titles, 'The' (including book titles, journals, newspapers, etc.), or indefinite articles 'A' or 'An', are ignored.

Cross-references
The print edition of the book is extensively cross-referenced, as is the electronic version. A cross-reference symbol followed by an entry number indicates that further (or related) information on the particular organization, institution, publication, or source, etc. can be found as a separate entry in other sections of the African Studies Companion. In the electronic version the cross-references lead directly to the entry as a hyperlink. 

Abbreviations/Telephone and fax numbers
Where applicable, keys to abbreviations used are indicated at the beginning of some sections; "n/a" indicates information is either not available or could not be verified. 

Telephone and fax numbers are given in a standardized format, and are listed with their full international dialling codes. However, the '0' figure following the country code and preceding the area code has been omitted, except for UK telephone and fax numbers. In many countries international network access is obtained by dialling '00' (or '011' in the US), followed by the country code, the area code and the number, although some countries, including several in Africa, require no area code.

Index/Search facilities
An index is included in the print edition, and the online version is fully searchable using a search facility and database.

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