Strengthening Professional Associations

The revitalisation and renewal of university libraries is essential if the quality of higher education in Africa is to improve. Regional professional library associations play a crucial role. Started in 1999, with funding from Danida, this project aims to strengthen the capacities of two regional library associations in Sub-Saharan Africa: SCANUL-ECS and SCAULWA.

It supports activities that lead to the collection of research data, publication of reports and newsletters, implementation of action plans, policy determination and exchange of experiences and information. The support takes the form of professional expert guidance and financial assistance. The programme objectives are for the the associations to develop the confidence, experience and skills to continue such work without outside support.

As part of the Carnegie-funded programme for Public Library Revitalisation in Africa, we also supported the attendance of public librarians at the SCECSAL (Standing Conference of East, Central and Southern African Librarians) and WALA (West African Library Association) and organised programme activities.

SCAULWA

The Standing Conference of African University Librarians Western Area (SCAULWA) was successfully resuscitated after a ten year period of dormancy, in November 1999. We commissioned the Committee of University Librarians and their Deputies in Ghana to organise the meeting. Participants attended from six countries.

The second conference took place in September 2001 in Ghana, with the theme of resource sharing. There were 60 participants including university librarians from 11 West African countries. The Executive Committee in Ghana was re-elected.

The third conference took place in Accra, Ghana from 3 to 5 November 2003. The theme was donor support and sustainability. There were 59 participants, including university librarians from seven West African countries, together with representation from Uganda and South Africa.

The fourth conference took place in Dakar, Senegal from 7 to 11 November 2005 on the theme of library consortia. There were 75 registered delegates and around 100 participants attended, including librarians from 12 West African countries. We presented an afternoon workshop on "Vendor Relations: negotiating with publishers".

University librarians in Cameroon currently form the Executive and the 2007 conference is to be held in Yaoundé.

SCAULWA publishes a newsletter (in English and French) twice a year. The proceedings of the first, second and third conferences have also been published. A Directory of Libraries in West Africa and a directory of The State of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in University Libraries in the West African Sub-Region were completed in 2002.

In 2002, SCAULWA commissioned two feasibility studies on the establishment of university library consortia. The results of these studies - one for Senegal and the other for Nigeria - were presented and discussed at the 2003 conference.

SCAULWA has also jointly published with INASP: The Ghana Interlibrary Lending and Document Delivery Network (GILLDDNET). This is distributed by and can be purchased through INASP.

SCANUL-ECS

The sixth conference of SCANUL-ECS (Standing Conference of African National and University Libraries in Eastern Central and Southern Africa) took place in Kampala, Uganda in July 2004. The theme was User Information Literacy: a continuing challenge for National and University Libraries.

University librarians in Tanzania now form the Executive and the seventh conference was held in Dar es Salaam in July 2006. The theme was "The emerging Challenges and Opportunities in the Management of Information and Communication Technology".

A SCANUL-ECS newsletter is published twice a year. Following the recommendations made at the 2002 conference, a report on Library Consortia in the SCANUL-ECS Region has been published. (Download the full report:   SCANUL-consortia report 344kb)

We have also jointly published case studies from university libraries in the region with SCANUL-ECS. The following are available and can be purchased from INASP:

• Income Generation: experiences from eight university libraries in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa
• Into the Information Age: computerization of the Copperbelt University Library
• Library Funding: adequate financial support for African university libraries
• An Investigation into the Funding of University Libraries in Zambia
• User Information Literacy: case studies from university libraries programmes in the SCANUL-ECS Region

SCECSAL

SCECSAL 2006 took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in July, with the theme of Librarianship as a bridge to an information and knowledge society in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.

At SCECSAL 2004, held in Kampala, Uganda, we presented a paper on "ICT Training" during the IFLA/UNESCO Internet Manifesto Workshop.

At SCECSAL 2002, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, we supported the attendance of public librarians from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. A half-day workshop on Reader Development and Reading Promotion was organised with the assistance of Gauteng Library and Information Services. Four of South Africa's reader development programmes were presented: Want to Read, Born to Read, Project Literacy and READ. The workshop attracted well over 160 participants. A book containing the papers presented at this workshop, together with chapters on reader development projects currently taking place in six other African countries has been published.

WALA

WALA (West African Library Association) was re-launched in Ghana in September 2001. The theme of the meeting was Development of Libraries in West Africa in the Millennium: the role of national library associations. There were 70 participants from all countries in West Africa. We supported the attendance of representatives from The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. The Nigerian Library Association agreed to take on the task of continuing WALA.

The second conference was held in Accra, Ghana from 6 to 7 November 2003, with around 70 participants. The theme was Management of National Library Associations. We organised a half-day workshop on Reader Development and Reading Promotion, similar to that held at SCECSAL in 2002. There were four presentations, two from Ghana, one from Nigeria and one from Senegal. We supported the attendance of ten public librarians from Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone plus three paper presenters.

LISNET-ECS

During SCECSAL 2004, staff from library schools in East, Central and Southern Africa met and established a network, called LISNET-ECSA. An Interim Committee was elected to develop guidelines, harmonise what had been discussed at the meeting, undertake publicity and advocacy, mobilise resources, draft a constitution, mobilise members, and set up a website and listserv.

A number of papers on the state of LIS education and training in the region were presented at the meeting and have been published with assistance from INASP.

For more information about our support for librarians, see our Librarian page, or contact Sara Gwynn, sgwynn@inasp.info

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