Academics have noted the lack of culturally relevant reading materials in African libraries. Book collections are primarily composed of donated materials from western countries intended for a western, rather than African audience. This research project aimed to gain insight onto children’s reading preferences in the rural Burkina Faso and to learn about the popularity of local photo books that were added in 2009. Quantitative methods examined library book checkout records in three categories of African, French, and local photo books. Additionally the library subscription records were used in order to gain information about the children including age, gender, and ethnicity. Qualitative methods consisted of focus groups with the parents of library users to learn more about reading preferences, and what books and other library resources are considered most useful. Data gathered demonstrated that children’s books with African authors received the most checkouts and that local photo books are becoming increasingly popular. Parents also noted the popularity of African literature and considered them to be useful reading material.
","abstract_html":"<p>Academics have noted the lack of culturally relevant reading materials in African libraries. Book collections are primarily composed of donated materials from western countries intended for a western, rather than African audience. This research project aimed to gain insight onto children’s reading preferences in the rural Burkina Faso and to learn about the popularity of local photo books that were added in 2009. Quantitative methods examined library book checkout records in three categories of African, French, and local photo books. Additionally the library subscription records were used in order to gain information about the children including age, gender, and ethnicity. Qualitative methods consisted of focus groups with the parents of library users to learn more about reading preferences, and what books and other library resources are considered most useful. Data gathered demonstrated that children’s books with African authors received the most checkouts and that local photo books are becoming increasingly popular. Parents also noted the popularity of African literature and considered them to be useful reading material. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ernst, Erica"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts in International Studies","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Michael Kevane"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-12-14T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-12-14T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:42:43Z","subjects":["Burkina Faso","Literacy","Libraries","Children's Literature","African Studies","International and Area Studies","Other Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://repository.usfca.edu/thes/49","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Michael Kevane"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ernst, Erica"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-01-29T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts in International Studies"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Burkina Faso","Literacy","Libraries","Children's Literature","African Studies","International and Area Studies","Other Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://repository.usfca.edu/thes/49"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Academics have noted the lack of culturally relevant reading materials in African libraries. Book collections are primarily composed of donated materials from western countries intended for a western, rather than African audience. This research project aimed to gain insight onto children’s reading preferences in the rural Burkina Faso and to learn about the popularity of local photo books that were added in 2009. Quantitative methods examined library book checkout records in three categories of African, French, and local photo books. Additionally the library subscription records were used in order to gain information about the children including age, gender, and ethnicity. Qualitative methods consisted of focus groups with the parents of library users to learn more about reading preferences, and what books and other library resources are considered most useful. Data gathered demonstrated that children’s books with African authors received the most checkouts and that local photo books are becoming increasingly popular. Parents also noted the popularity of African literature and considered them to be useful reading material.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Do Culturally Engaging Reading Materials Matter? An Analysis of Rural Libraries in Burkina Faso"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Michael Kevane"],"dc:creator":["Ernst, Erica"],"dc:date.available":["2013-01-29T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Academics have noted the lack of culturally relevant reading materials in African libraries. Book collections are primarily composed of donated materials from western countries intended for a western, rather than African audience. This research project aimed to gain insight onto children’s reading preferences in the rural Burkina Faso and to learn about the popularity of local photo books that were added in 2009. Quantitative methods examined library book checkout records in three categories of African, French, and local photo books. Additionally the library subscription records were used in order to gain information about the children including age, gender, and ethnicity. Qualitative methods consisted of focus groups with the parents of library users to learn more about reading preferences, and what books and other library resources are considered most useful. Data gathered demonstrated that children’s books with African authors received the most checkouts and that local photo books are becoming increasingly popular. Parents also noted the popularity of African literature and considered them to be useful reading material.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://repository.usfca.edu/thes/49"],"dc:subject":["Burkina Faso","Literacy","Libraries","Children's Literature","African Studies","International and Area Studies","Other Education"],"dc:title":["Do Culturally Engaging Reading Materials Matter? An Analysis of Rural Libraries in Burkina Faso"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts in International Studies"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:42:43Z"}