Film Screening - How to Build a Library with Dr. Greg Carr
Thu, Apr 16
|Sankofa Video Books & Café
Join us for a special screening of a film that follows two Kenyan women working to restore/reimagine a historic public library in Nairobi while grappling with questions of colonial legacy, access to knowledge, and the future of public institutions. Followed by a conversation with Dr. Greg Carr
Time & Location
Apr 16, 2026, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Sankofa Video Books & Café, 2714 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA
Guests
About The Event
About the film
In 2018, Shiro (writer) and Wachuka (publisher) quit their jobs to restore a derelict colonial library in bustling downtown Nairobi. Horrified at the condition of the historical, state-owned building, they successfully lobbied city officials to take-over management of the junk-filled library. With zero experience in building, the pair find themselves with a mammoth task ahead. But with an undying passion for books, and a unique flair for glamour, instagram, and finding funds where least expected, they activate an army of homegrown artists, intellectuals, tech developers, architects and writers, all energised to transform the space into a technological hub of creativity and learning for future generations. They call it Book Bunk. While the cleanup & architectural overhaul of the neo-classical building requires a huge team and financial investment, it is the psychological rebuilding of these spaces that requires the most energy. The building serves as a vehicle to…
Tickets
General Admission
$21.20
+$0.53 ticket service fee
Total
$0.00