Monday, September 28, 2009

Kenya Publishers Association website ... needs an uplift

As an avowed book enthusiast, any news on that revered product always catches my eye; so it was that I came across this news item in today's Daily Nation, 'Book on female cut wins annual prize.'
It said Blossoms of the Savannah by Henry Ole Kulet and published by Longhorn Publishers had won the Jomo Kenyatta Literary Prize in the English category. It added that Dr K. W. Wamitila's Unaitwa Nani? published by Vide Mua won in the Kiswahili category. Winners got Ksh150,000 each.
Just like that.
I wanted more: who had won in what category, what the judges said, what the winners said, how the books are doing in the market name it. Where else to look for this than the Kenya Publishers Association website, www.kenyapublishers.org?.
I didn't have it offhead so I googled, got it, clicked and voila, I was in.
Simple enough, not complicated and not self-praising.

About us. Objectives. Partners. members. Photo Gallery.
Upcoming events. View members.

Then the usual: 'To advertise your book here call this number or that number.'
Each of these sections is detailed kiasi cha haja, as they say in our numerous Swahili Bulletins. For instance, KPA has 17 objectives, the second of which is 'to promote and protect by all lawful means the interests of the publishing industry in Kenya.' Very nice.
Its partners are listed as the African Publishers Network, The International Publishers Association, the Kenya Booksellers and Stationers Association, Kenya Institute of Education, KOPIKEN, The Ministry of Education and the National Book Development Council of Kenya. Again, good and encouraging - so they are not in some cocoon of a kind?
Anyway, what left a bitter taste in the mouth was the absence of information on the 2009 Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature Literature. All I got was:

Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature Award (JKPLA)
The Judging of the JKPLA is on going and winners will be
announced during the closing ceremony of the 12th Nairobi International Bookfair
on Saturday, 26th September 2009. The total titles received for the the prize
were 65, 34 English and 31 in Kiswahili covering Adult, Youth and Children
categories.

Period. Nothing more, not even the full list of the nominees!
I thought, well, being publishers - and not lawyers - they felt no need for full disclosure. Those who need to know, know; the rest, well, they can jump into the nearest pond. I need to know. I need the details - just for the heck of it especially considering my fascination with the industry and its products.
Anyway, let's forgive KPA for that omission, let's even overlook the fact that in the Jomo Kenyatta notice on their website they wrote 'received' as 'recieved.' Never mind that it is only at a KPA member's office that you will find a collection, nay, concentration of copyeditors and proof readers.
What I can't forgive them for are the typos that litter the captions in the photo gallery; to say nothing of the poor quality of the pictures.
Here:
Mananging Director (Managing Director)
Mrs. Nacy Karimi (Nancy Karimi)
Flaging off (Flagging off)
Macmillain (Macmillan)
Mrs. Mary Mumbuthia (Mbuthia)

I was just wondering: Do KPA members ever visit their site? When they do, do they smile at the kind of typos, poor pictures, dearth of info and outright 'just there like a debe' feeling of the site?

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