Gumel Divisional Library

15/06/2025

Library

12/06/2025

We mourn the passing of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, world-renowned Kenyan novelist, scholar and playwright on May 28.
We also celebrate his many accomplishments. Noted as a perennial favorite to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Ngũgĩ’s writings spanned over 50 years and were translated into 32 languages. His first novel, Weep Not, Child, published in 1964, was about the effects of the Mau Mau uprising on the lives of the ordinary people of Kenya.

Ngũgĩ was a guest at the Library in 2019, where he presented his newly released 34th publication "Minutes of glory and other stories.” The event, “An Evening with Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o”, can be viewed at https://www.loc.gov/item/2024696493.
The Library’s holdings also include a long list of works by and about Ngũgĩ.

12/06/2025

June is Pride Month, but it’s also Rainbow Book Month – a nationwide celebration of the authors and writings that reflect the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community. And as these stories are being disproportionately targeted for censorship and library workers across the U.S. are facing threats and harassment for serving these communities, Rainbow Book Month has never been more important.

You can find lists of award-winning LGBTQIA+ books, tools for library workers, and graphics to help celebrate and spread the word on our website: https://bit.ly/4kKOkOg.

If your library is experiencing challenges to materials and programs serving the LGBTQIA+ community, ALA has resources to help. You can report censorship to ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and receive free, confidential support. And the Unite Against Book Bans campaign can help you activate your community to push back against censorship: uniteagainstbookbans.org.

Read with pride, in all of its colors. 🌈

30/05/2025

Some notable books written by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

Novels

Weep Not, Child (1964) – His first novel, and the first in English by an East African.

The River Between (1965) – Explores the clash between traditional African culture and Christianity.

A Grain of Wheat (1967) – Set during the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya.

Petals of Blood (1977) – A critique of neocolonialism and corruption in post-independence Kenya.

Devil on the Cross (1980) – Written in Gikuyu while Ngũgĩ was in prison, later translated to English.

Matigari (1987) – A political allegory originally written in Gikuyu.

Memoirs

Detained: A Writer's Prison Diary (1981) – Account of his imprisonment without trial.

Dreams in a Time of War: A Childhood Memoir (2010)

In the House of the Interpreter (2012)

Birth of a Dream Weaver (2016)

Plays

The Black Hermit (1963)

Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want) (co-written with Ngugi wa Mirii, 1977)

Essays and Non-Fiction

Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature (1986) – His influential work on language and literature.

Writers in Politics (1981)

Moving the Centre: The Struggle for Cultural Freedoms (1993)

Something Torn and New: An African Renaissance (2009)

Ngũgĩ wrote in both English and Gikuyu, often translating his own works to promote African languages and decolonize literature

29/05/2025

: RENOWNED KENYAN AUTHOR NGŨGĨ WA THIONG’O DIES AT 87
Renowned Kenyan author and academic Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o has passed away at the age of 87, his family confirmed on Wednesday evening. Ngũgĩ, celebrated for his impactful novels, essays, plays and social criticism, died after battling health issues, including kidney problems and limited mobility.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, his daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngugi, shared the news, saying: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dad, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. He lived a full life, fought a good fight. As was his last wish, let’s celebrate his life and his work. Rîa ratha na rîa thŭa. Tŭrî aira!" a Gikuyu phrase meaning, "With joy and sorrow. We are proud."

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o's work, including his famous short story "The Upright Revolution," has been translated into over 100 languages, setting a footprint for his legacy as a key figure in East African literature. Plans for memorial services and tributes will be announced soon by his family.

03/04/2025

NEW: Libraries in several states have received letters which claim to cancel federal IMLS grants required by law. Congress MUST act to restore this funding.

Tell Congress to protect and restore library funding: bit.ly/CallCongressForLibraries

Read our full statement: https://www.ala.org/news/2025/04/ala-responds-termination-imls-grants-several-states

03/04/2025

Last week, library advocates from the American Library Association and allied groups rallied on Capitol Hill to support E-Rate, a federal program that provides discounts on internet access and telecommunication services to K-12 schools and public libraries. The Supreme Court is considering two combined cases—both brought by conservative group Consumers' Research—that argue the program is unconstitutional.

ALA is defending the program and the billions of dollars it provides each year for access to high-speed internet in small and rural communities. A decision on the cases is expected in June.

Read more: https://bit.ly/42agKJT.

12/03/2025

Take a trip to your local library and you can practically guarantee it offers public high-speed internet access. For many libraries, particularly those in small, rural communities, that access is made possible through a program known as E-Rate—a federal initiative administered through the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund (USF) that helps eligible K-12 schools and public libraries obtain affordable broadband. E-Rate has been a quiet powerhouse providing broadband connectivity to libraries and schools across the U.S. for nearly three decades.

Now, that access may be in jeopardy as the Supreme Court hears a challenge to the program this spring from conservative group Consumers’ Research. The group alleges the USF is unconstitutional.

The American Library Association has filed an amicus brief with the court affirming USF’s constitutionality. ALA is part of a coalition of public interest groups defending USF in court. Oral arguments are set to begin on March 26.

Read the full story: https://bit.ly/3QOUHU6

27/05/2024

https://www.facebook.com/100064523329136/posts/848092894018147/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

Today, we celebrate the library’s earliest users.
Libraries continue to play an instrumental role in supporting foundational learning for children!

Happy Children’s Day!