Our Rebranding Journey
In 2019, the NCF greenlit the Literary Export Programme, which was designed to seek out export opportunities for local authors and their work. To support this effort, a catalogue of local work was created and it was called "Bibliophisle" - an amalgamation of the words "bibliophile" meaning book lover and "isle" for the small piece of paradise on which we reside. Readers were invited to "explore a land of new stories"; but Google had other plans and would autocorrect our clever moniker to the closest dictionary variant: Bibliophile, so people could not find us. (Lesson learned: always consult Marketing first!)
Ever adaptable, we sought a new name and thus Bajan Bookshelf was born. Easily searchable, understandable and culturally relevant. Quick Note: barbadosbookshelf.bb redirects here too!
...And so much more!
Initially, Bajan Bookshelf served as a catalogue for works by Barbadian authors and as a directory of said authors. However, we began to see the true potential of the site. It could serve as a hub for Bajan authors to find and share resources, build a community and above all else, do what they do best: write! So we added a Forum for discussion and feedback, an events tab to corral a list of writing related events and this blog to share our thoughts with you. We will also be including a glossary of writing terms, "How to" guides and tips and resources for teachers, students.
Get Involved!
Join the forum, submit your work to the catalogue, send us a message telling us what you'd like to see or what you would suggest we do differently. We want to connect with you and provide you with the very best support and encouragement for your writing, no matter your level.
Welcome to Bajan Bookshelf and to your new writing community.