Search

Africa, in colonial times regarded as the "Dark Continent," faces many challenges, whether infrastructural, cultural, or political. Despite these challenges, countries on the continent cannot afford to be complacent. The digital divide between Africa and the Western world, with its new technological innovations, has been widening. Librarianship as a discipline is invariably affected by this divide. Since having embraced a Western model of librarianship, the question is whether there can be talk of African librarianship, or a librarianship for Africa. This conceptual dilemma is further explored by a discussion of development, the role of the library, training in library and information science (LIS), the relationship between librarianship and information science, and imperatives for the future. While it is acknowledged that new information technologies are important for development, this should not be embraced at the expense of traditional values of librarianship. It is argued that precolonial Africa has had a rich heritage of library scholarship; perhaps a rethink of this is needed, as well as a critical theory in LIS, for an understanding of an African-centered approach to librarianship instead of adopting the Western model, as has been the case for decades. It is therefore imperative to prevent LIS isolationism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this paper is on library development in contemporary African society. A discussion of library development in the context of countries now enjoying rapid economic development is attempted here. Focusing on countries undergoing rapid economic development brings an alternative perspective to an analysis of library development in Africa and helps us to understand not only what is lacking but also what is going well as a basis for future development. The paper is divided into three parts: one that considers the contemporary landscape of librarianship in Africa; one that describes the characteristics of African society; and one that concerns the major role that information and communication technologies (ICTs) have played in the renaissance of libraries in Africa. Several drivers of change in African library development stand out--most notably: 1) the achievement of stronger economic circumstances; 2) the increased prevalence of ICTs and access to the internet; 3) expanded public awareness of the value of libraries in society; and 4) partnership between the new generation of government leaders and partner agencies that are more focused on social impact than maintaining influence and dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library development in Africa has involved large-scale processes of innovation and policy transfer, also referred to as policy borrowing or policy learning. A good deal of theory has been developed in various disciplines to study these processes. This has not been applied in library and information services (LIS) to any significant extent, but it can help us to gain a better understanding of why attempts to transfer new ideas fail, how to select the ideas we want to transfer, and how to improve the chances of successful innovation and policy transfer. This paper places policy transfer within the broader framework of the diffusion of innovations before considering what we can learn from the theory of policy transfer and related processes, with emphasis on theory developed in comparative education. An attempt is made to apply these insights to library development in Africa and draw some lessons for African library decision makers. Some of the examples are drawn from the author's experience in the South African library profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the important developments in school librarianship in South Africa since 2007, during which time the drive to address huge backlogs in school library provision has gained momentum--largely, it argues, from the intersections of two phenomena: the Library and Information Services (LIS) Transformation Charter, and Equal Education, a civic-action NGO campaigning on behalf of school libraries. South African youth face daunting challenges, and their schooling is perhaps where the heritage of apartheid is most visible. The lack of libraries, it is argued, has undermined the attempts at curricular reform since the late 1990s. The daunting backlogs in school library provision mean that innovative models of service will be needed that cut across existing divisions. Given the impact of the lack of school libraries on all sectors of LIS, the paper examines the recommendations in the LIS Transformation Charter that South African US should turn to the concept of ecosystem to provide the framework for concerted action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African librarians need to embrace enormous changes in technology and in social and economic circumstances during the course of their careers, but the methods that the profession should use to renew itself are not clear. At present the emphasis is on the possession of diplomas and degrees, but there is no special reason to believe that adding a second (master's) degree to a bachelor's in LIS appreciably increases the professional expertise of an individual library worker. Furthermore, the PhD (now increasingly sought) is a research degree and of debatable relevance for most kinds of higher library posts. It is argued in this paper that continuing professional development (CPD) is more capable of delivering the necessary new skills and professional orientation. The profession, through its library associations, needs to discuss the problems of career development with policymakers; persuade employers to modify their qualification-based appointment and promotion requirements; and encourage and support professional associations in providing more CPD opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African librarianship has its roots in the colonial era, with colonial powers developing excellent library infrastructure with commensurate services in anticipation of their protracted stay in Africa. However, libraries were alien to African communities, which had a very strong oral tradition and used such a tradition to share information and knowledge. The "un-African" library infrastructure was challenged by some leading African scholars, who argued that there has to be a system of librarianship that delivers on African realities and imperatives. This paper interrogates the need to transform the concept of African librarianship in search of a path that addresses African imperatives; it also examines the need to separate the relic in pursuit of reconceptualization. There is little doubt that there is a need for, at the least, a hybrid--that is, incorporating the best from the colonial era with that which is African, such as the oral tradition--that would result in the transposition of concepts to create a new, relevant, effective, and efficient form of librarianship--namely, librarianship in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]