An overview of recent library and information developments in East Africa
| Pages | 12-14 |
| Date | 01 February 1998 |
| Published date | 01 February 1998 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435129810198530 |
| Author | Cephas Odini |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
One major silent constraint that has retarded
development in East Africa is the lack of
relevant, accurate, and timely information.
Although the East African countries of Kenya,
Uganda and Tanzania have a reasonably good
information infrastructure which forms a
solid base on which information services can
develop, there is a need for improved access to
information, and for the availability of infor-
mation at the right time, and in an appropri-
ate form.
It is regrettable that although East African
governments have consistently paid lip-ser-
vice to library development, their proclaimed
policies have not been matched with a release
of funds to implement library plans. Lack of
adequate financial support to carry out the
plans developed is an obvious limitation in all
the East African countries at the moment.
Moreover, since libraries and information
services in general have a low priority, when
money is scarce and priorities are realigned,
the library and information systems always
find their schemes left out, or at best delayed.
Throughout East Africa libraries appear to
be in a state of crisis and it is true to say that
library resources in the region are actually in
decline. According to Rosenberg, libraries in
Africa in general are at the moment not sus-
tainable and the decline of African libraries
has been most acute over the last decade
(Rosenberg, 1994). She observes that rural
people and schoolchildren are two user com-
munities that have never had their needs fully
met by the existing library systems. The push
towards rural information provision has been
funded by the IDRC, the Commonwealth
Secretariat, and more recently within the
Advancement of Libraries in the Third World.
With regard to industrial libraries research
carried out by this writer, it has revealed that
the existing information services in Kenya’s
industries in particular, are generally margin-
alised (Odini, 1993). The services are gener-
ally inefficient and ineffective in serving user
communities, and whenever economic pres-
sures become intense in any of the industries,
special libraries and other related information
services are normally among the first types of
services to be abolished. Information services
in many organisations are marginalised mainly
because the existing information systems have
been designed without much regard to the
information needs of the industrial user com-
munity, their information seeking behaviour
and is also due to the shortage of qualified
12
Library Management
Volume 19 · Number 1 · 1998 · pp. 12–14
© MCB University Press · ISSN 0143-5124
An overview of recent
library and information
developments in East
Africa
Cephas Odini
The author
Cephas Odini is Dean and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of
Information Sciences at Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
Abstract
The article gives an overview of recent library and informa-
tion developments in East Africa. Discusses the prevailing
local conditions and decries the declining state of libraries
in East Africa. Highlights the initiatives taken by the
Eastern African governments and international organiza-
tions such as UNESCO and IFLA to try and stop the rot of
libraries and information systems. Recognizes the positive
role played by professional associations in supporting
library development. Offers the East African governments
a challenge to appreciate the importance of literacy and
provision of adequate funding to establish and maintain
the infrastructure of service and acquisition of resources.
To continue reading
Request your trial