Miami-Dade Public Library System

Building on the success of the Jamaica Library-to-Library Exchange, the Miami-Dade Public Library established a partnership with the Ghana Library Board in Accra. Ghana was essential in the search to establish the origin and authenticity of stories told in the “New World.” West Africa, specifically the Ashanti region of Ghana, is considered to be the actual birthplace of the Anansi stories, so popular here in America. The library’s decision to partner with Ghana came from the desire to acknowledge and appreciate the significant impact of West African traditions on the cultures of the United States, the countries of the Caribbean and much of eastern Latin America. Miami-Dade librarians traveled to different villages in Ghana and presented workshops, shared ideas about community outreach, partnerships and the positive effect of public awareness on the future of library funding.

Two popular storytellers from Ghana came to Miami-Dade in early May 2003. They performed at several branches and staff, who were thrilled with this extraordinary opportunity to learn how culture is passed down through music and dance, as well as words. The visit concluded with participation in the international storytelling festival, which also featured performances by local storytellers, and storytellers from Haiti, Cuba, Columbia and Iran.