Digital libraries and development in Sub‐Saharan Africa. A review of challenges and strategies
| Date | 12 June 2007 |
| Pages | 299-315 |
| Published date | 12 June 2007 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470710754814 |
| Author | Joseph M. Kavulya |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Digital libraries and development
in Sub-Saharan Africa
A review of challenges and strategies
Joseph M. Kavulya
Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
Abstract
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to review some of the critical information needs in Sub-Saharan
Africa and the challenges that face libraries in the region in establishing digital libraries as a way of
overcoming the great information shortfall in the region.
Design/methodology/approach – A selective survey of relevant literature is carried out in the
study with focus on the role of libraries and information in social development, sectoral information
needs and the issues involved in the establishment of digital libraries.
Findings – The paper argues that lack of social development in Africa is exacerbated by lack of
adequate information. The paper concludes that, through better information gathering, processing and
especially by taking advantage of today’s digital transfer of knowledge, countries in the Sub-Saharan
region can experience rapid economic, social and political development.
Originality/value – The paper concludes that digital libraries in the Sub-Saharan region can be
strategic gateways to the global information and a boost to development in the region. The goal of
establishing digital libraries in the region can be achieved through measures such as adoption of
modern information communication technologies, amassing relevant digital content, investing in
digital skills for library staff and users, strategic partnerships between local institutions, and funding
agencies and above all government-backed strategy on digital libraries.
Keywords Digital libraries,Sub Saharan Africa, Informationservices, Communication technologies,
Education
Paper type General review
Introduction
Information and knowledge are recognised as the world’s most critical resource and the
driving force for social development and the modern economic system (Unesco, 1999;
Bilton et al., 2002; Huang and Russell, 2006). Many writers have concluded that
information and knowledge are key to advancement of education, environmental
conservation, professional development, research and innovation (Stiglitz, 1999;
Unesco, 2000). The 1998/1999 World Bank’s World Development Report specifically
underlined the fact that “economies are built not merely through accumulation of fiscal
capital and human skills but on foundation of knowledge, learning and adoption”
(World Bank, 1999).
The 2000 G8 Summit declared that information and knowledge are tools that
individuals, firms and communities can apply to address economic and social
challenges with greater success than ever before (Government of Japan, 2000). This
implies that any effort to improve people’s lives through development activities will
greatly benefit if the project planners and the beneficiaries generate, acquire and use
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
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Digital libraries
and development
299
Received 8 August 2006
Revised 2 September 2006
Accepted 2 September 2006
The Electronic Library
Vol. 25 No. 3, 2007
pp. 299-315
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/02640470710754814
accurate information to assess needs, define objectives, set targets and guide the
implementation and evaluation process.
The twenty-first century has been referred to as the “knowledge era” or the
“information economy” era, characterised by systematic acquisition, development,
storage, use and sharing of knowledge (Yi, 1999). Consequently many world
governments especially in the developed countries have consciously taken steps to
create an “information society”, through the establishment of efficient method s of
production, organisation, transfer, and retrieval of digital information and its use to
create new knowledge, values, products and services (OECD, 1996).
One effort to enhance information flow and knowledge sharing in Western countries
has been to mount digital library development programmes such as the Digital Library
Initiative in the USA (Chen, 2004) and The European Library (TEL) (Collier, 2004). The
main areas of focus of such initiatives are: research into digital libraries: advancing the
capacity of libraries to collect, store, organise and deliver information in digital form;
and providing communities with the capacity to retrieve and apply digital information.
The view in this paper is that libraries in the Sub-Sahara can contribute to
development and that their ability to do so can be greatly enhanced through
investments in their transformation into digital libraries.
There is no universally agreed definition of the term “development” but it is used
widely to refer to “an economic, social and political process which results in a
cumulative rise in the perceived standard of living for an increasing proportion of a
population” (Hodder, 2000, p. 3). This definition implies that development is about
sustained, positive change in the all dimensions of life for all categories of a society
regardless of class, age gender, ethnicity and geographical considerations. The Human
Development Index (HDI) uses three criteria to measure development: longevity in
terms of life expectancy at birth; knowledge measured in terms of adult literacy and
mean years of schooling; and finally standard of living measured in terms of per capita
income (Watkins, 2005).
Todaro (1992) has given the key characteristic of lack of development as low levels
of living. This is reflected by indicators such as: low levels incomes; high inequalities;
low levels of productivity; high rates of population growth and dependency; high and
rising levels of unemployment and underemployment; over dependency on agricultural
production and primary export products; prevalence of imperfect markets and limited
information; dependence and vulnerability in international relations (Todaro, 1993). He
proposes therefore that the key objectives of development should be to ensure
sustenance, raise people’s level of living through material well-being and self esteem
and finally to expand people’s ability to make economic, social and political ch oices
(Todaro, 2000).
Recent assessments indicate that Sub-Saharan Africa continues to experience low
levels of development unlike other world regions due to factors such as to economic
stagnation, slow progress of education, spread of HIV, and high child mortality rate
(World Bank, 2005a). The region has witnessed low income for the majority of people,
inadequate housing, poor health, limited or lack of education, low life expectancy, low
literacy levels and high mortality rate (Todaro, 2000). Apart form low standards of
living, Sub-Saharan countries are characterised by low levels of labour productivity
brought about by widespread lack of skilled power, lack of capital, infrastructure as
well as poor institutional arrangement.
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