After 3 full weeks here I feel some things have been accomplished at the library. I’ve given 3 workshops to librarians, and the ones on databases seem to be particularly interesting to them. Their familiarity with the 22 databases is an area that they are interested in strengthening. I am fine-tuning a student library survey, and have been surprised and pleased with the enthusiastic input from my colleagues here. They are outspoken about issues they want to see covered in the survey. Professor Lotfi, the Director, is also directly involved in this survey. I continue to work on a bibliography of Portuguese Studies works, seeking input from colleagues in Portugal (who I know personally). I am also investigating library catalogues of universities known to have good Portuguese study programs.
Over the past weekend I had the pleasure of contacting 2 former GSLIS Moroccan students! They were both amazingly cordial, warm, and welcoming to me. Samira (Mme Samira KHALLOUK) arranged for me to be taken around the city of Rabat one evening. She was extremely helpful and was truly a friend to me in Rabat. I travelled the next day to Casablanca, to a Book Fair (Salon de Livre) and there met and had lunch with Fatima TAIBANE who is a charming Moroccan woman. Because her brother had recently married, I had lunch with her extended family. We sat around a large plate of couscous, and the aged and ancient Berber grandmother dressed colorfully in her Berber costume was the highlight. I feel extremely lucky to be here, and to have met so many wonderful people. My weekend continued at the home of a new friend (met on the plane over) — a Moroccan woman, with whom I spent 2 days walking around Rabat.