Behind the Book with Sylvia Arthur, Founder of the the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora

On episode 52 we’re going Behind the Book with Sylvia Arthur, the founder of the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora in Accra, Ghana.

Remember, for Season Five of the podcast, we’re going behind the book to talk to people whose livelihood and careers depend on the free flowing circulation of books in society.

Sylvia Arthur is the Founder of the Library Of Africa and The African Diaspora (LOATAD), a library, archive, writing residency, and research institute in Accra, Ghana, dedicated to the work of African and Diaspora writers from the late 19th century to the present day. 

Sylvia started LOATAD using 1,300 of her own books in 2017 and she has since curated six libraries in Ghana, including school, community, and corporate libraries. She is an advocate for the restitution of African literary archives to the continent,  and she is a 2024 Ford Global Fellow.

On this episode, Sylvia shares:

• How and why she started the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora.
• What are the unique challenges of running a library in Ghana.
• Why she wanted to launch a residency for Diasporic writers.
• Why she thinks books are transformational in the lives of marginalized people.
• What keeps her motivated as a one-woman show to make sure LOATAD continues to thrive.
• Besides reading, what kinds of activities happen in the library.

I hope you enjoy this inspiring episode and you consider visiting or supporting The Library of Africa and the African Diaspora.

Follow LOATAD on Instagram to see what kind of events and offerings they have.

Sylvia’s last favorite read was The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Sylvia’s suggestion for a book by a Ghanaian author everyone should read, Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo, one of Ghana’s most famous female authors.

Check out Lori’s video about her experience as a resident at LOATAD on her YouTube channel, Literary Lori.

Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

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Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori