African Ministerial Conference on Information Access held in Accra

The 3rd Ministerial Roundtable meeting for African Ministers with oversight responsibilities for Libraries was held from 28-30 October 2019, at Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana under the auspices of the Ministry of Education. The two-day conference was under the theme, “Libraries on the African Development Agenda: Progress made” purposefully fell within the framework of the AU 2063 Agenda, the Charter for  African Renaissance and the related outcomes of the AU Commission meeting held in Algeria in October 2018. The conference was aimed at providing leadership and guidance on how African governments can integrate libraries in their national development plans and ensure allocation of resources towards the achievement of the development goals. 

Ghana’s Minister of Education Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh
announcing the Accra Declaration

In his address to the delegates, the Host Minister, Ghana’s Minister of Education Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh echoed the core of libraries and information access. The Hon Minister acknowledged that information has become very crucial to every enterprise in life, hence its acquisition, storage, dissemination, evaluation and use needs to be properly positioned. 

Libraries play a role in the organization of the deluge of information available today as a consequence of technological advancement,” he said. The Minister further detailed that the government of Ghana under the leadership of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo recognizes the importance of libraries in development and has rolled out interventions that have seen a rejuvenated public library service in the country. He concluded by disclosing that reforms have been taking place at public libraries in Ghana including increase in staff strength at Ghana Library Authority, opening up of new libraries, renovating existing libraries, increasing the number of books and adoption of technology in various forms of operations and service delivery.

In his address, AfLIA President Mr Mandla Ntombela highlighted the intention of the continental library body as to equip public libraries, even in remote rural areas of the continent, with 21st Century skills in LIS Sector that includes support of internet-connected libraries. This would have a far-reaching impact in promoting access to online information in a safe environment, with qualified library staff to guide patrons in the best use of the internet as an educational resource. On the future of community libraries, Mr Mandla noted that AfLIA visualizes an expanded community library network playing a vital role in nurturing cohesion because the libraries can provide a safe environment for social interaction, the exchange of information and ideas and development of skills. 

As AfLIA, we exist to empower the library and information community, so that they can positively contribute towards the achievement of the African Development Agenda (AU Agenda 2063) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through dynamic services that transform the livelihoods of Africans. AfLIA family of information leaders, fully embrace the strategic value of Access to Information  as a fundamental Human Right- Mandla emphasized.

Mr. Mandla Ntombela AfLIA President addressing participants 

The AfLIA supremo also noted that African libraries and information services face huge challenges in the documentation and communication of indigenous knowledge. These include the lack of financial resources, human capacity, technology shortages and the lack of legal frameworks at national and international level to support the library efforts to document and communicate indigenous knowledge. The fast-developing information and communication technologies continue to pose challenges on how best libraries can document and disseminate this oral and community-based knowledge to a globally accepted knowledge base.

Thirty-two (32) African countries were represented at the conference consisting of ministers, Directors of libraries and high-level emerging library leaders on the continent. At the end of the conference, African governments were expected to make commitments to strategies mapped out towards the development of libraries on the African continent. 

                                                 Courtesy of Dr. Sarah Kaddu. 

Zambia participates in 3rd African Public Library Summit in Durban, South Africa

The Library and Information Association of Zambia (LIAZ) took part in the 3rd Public Library Summit organized by the Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA) in Durban, South Africa, from 3rd to 4th July, 2018 at the prestigious Durban International Convention Centre, on the theme “Driving Development: African Public Libraries Delivering on the Development Agenda”.

LIAZ was represented at the Summit by a six-member team comprising Velenasi Mwale Munsanje, Aggie Kaite Mwanza Mumbi, Raymond Sikanyika, Famous Simpelwe, Debra Mwango Banda and Constantine Mupinde.

The Minister of Arts and Culture in South Africa, Honorable Nathi Mthethwa, officially opened the Summit which was hosted by National Department of Arts and Culture through the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) and Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA). Honorable Mthethwa explained that the theme for the Summit was a call to action and a commitment to improve the socio-economic development of African countries and the continent, and emphasized that more coordinated support to libraries would ensure better investment in public library infrastructures.

The two-day Summit saw about ten papers and seven ignite talks being conducted. Zambia made two

Allan Hagwelele sharing his ignite talk as the sign language interpreter follows

presentations; by Ms. Munsanje who presented a paper entitled “Public Library Services in Zambia and the Development Agenda ; and by Mr. Allan Hagwelele  who did an ignite talk entitled “Going beyond the books” in which he shared with the delegates how his experience through the Young African Library Innovators (IYALI) programme had positively impacted on his work at Choma Provincial Library in the Southern Province of Zambia.

Mr. Hagwelele was a beneficiary of the IFLA partnership with the Electronic Information for Libraries Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) and AfLIA to support 15 participants in the second Young African Library Innovators initiative (IYALI) programme. IYALI is a peer learning and international networking experience for African public librarians.

Other key persons that attended the summit included Glòria Pérez-Salmerón , President the International Federation of Library Association and Institutions (IFLA) as well as the IFLA Secretary General, Gerald Leitner. AfLIA’s President John Tsebe as well as the Vice President Mandla Ntombela who is also LIASA President were also in attendance.

The Zambian delegation team also attended the Gala dinner that was hosted to celebrate 200 years of National Library of South Africa and which was also graced by Honorable Minister Mthethwa.

LIAZ Secretary General Aggie Kaite Mumbi represented Zambia during the IFLA Global Vision Meeting for the African region which took place at Onomo Hotel in Durban from 7 – 8th July.

Zambia benefits from AfLIA’s INELI programme

By Raymond Sikanyika

Ms. Kalaba Mweni, Zambia’s INELI Innovator.
[Photo: Brian Chileshe] 

Zambia is one of the 32 countries benefitting from the International Network of Emerging Library Innovators (INELI) programme. INELI is an initiative of the Global Libraries (GL) programme, managed by the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA), that was established to support the transformation of public libraries into engines of development. It does this by supporting upcoming public librarians to develop innovative services for the benefit of their communities. AfLIA is the professional trusted voice for libraries and librarians in Africa.

Zambia is represented by Luapula Provincial Librarian, Ms. Kalaba Mweni Kolandi, a dedicated and committed public librarian who has been practicing librarianship for 14 years. Since the inception of the INELI programme in April, 2016, Zambia has benefited tremendously through this programme.

Being a network of library leaders around the world, INELI has proved to be a useful network where public librarians are learning from other librarians and working together online to acquire skills and share experiences in developing and implementing innovative services for communities.

Through this programme, the Zambian INELI Innovator, Kalaba, has grown her knowledge in providing better and innovative library services in her library. In Luapula Province, where her public library is located, Kalaba has been working with school librarians to better library service delivery through innovation. With her exposure, the Zambian INELI innovator, is able to facilitate workshops based on other workshops she has attended. In July 2016, during the Library and Information Association of Zambia (LIAZ) Annual General Conference, She made a presentation to the delegates on the INELI programme, explaining what the programme is about, its objectives and how she intended to impart the knowledge she was learning with other librarians in the country. At this conference, Kalaba attended a session on Customer Care and Customer Service in libraries which she later shared with school librarians in her province through a workshop she facilitated. She has done presentations to senior provincial government officials on the role of libraries in helping achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). In the Provincial Library, Ms. Kalaba has created a Water Corner, promoting SDG number 6 which looks at ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The Corner has materials promoting water conservation and good sanitation. The library also provides computer lessons to Grade 6 pupils.

The Mansa town community continues to benefit from the partnership which the provincial library has with Chakopo Primary School to teach reading and writing to adults who have dropped out of school. There is also a homework clinic for learners whose parents do not have skills to enable them help the children or are busy and unable to help. The provincial library staff have also developed outreach programmes to Mansa General Hospital and Senama Clinic children’s wards where the library takes books and toys for children among other things. The library staff read stories with the children and play with them.

On a national level, Kalaba joined other experts in facilitating at a public librarians workshop on

Ms. Kalaba Mweni facilitating at the 2017 LIAZ Annual General Conference
[Photo: Brian Chileshe] 

innovation in libraries in March, 2017. The workshop was organized by LIAZ in partnership with Lubuto Library Partners in the Southern Province of Zambia. A total of 26 public librarians benefitted from this training workshop. In addition, Kalaba also made a presentation to 115 delegates during the 2017 LIAZ Annual General Conference that was held in Siavonga. She presented on Community partnerships and enlightened delegates including association leaders of what makes up good partnerships and how partnerships can help us improve service delivery in libraries.

The INELI innovator has also done various publications on the INELI programme in the LIAZ Newsletters.

The Programme is having a lot of positive impact on librarians as the knowledge being gained is being shared with other librarians in the country. There has been a lot of emphasis on innovation in libraries in Zambia. The country is grateful to this programme and look forward to more of such initiatives by AfLIA.

Zimbabwe finest LIS professionals elected to AfLIA Sections positions

By Kenneth Mangemba

Zimbabwe’s celebrated library and Information science educationist, Mr. Collence Takainganhamo Chisita was elected to the position of Secretary of the Library and Information Science (LIS) Education and Training Institutions Section (LIT) of African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA) for the 2017 – 2019 term at the second AfLIA Conference held in Yaoundé, Cameroon in May.

Mr. Chisita with other LIS professional at the AfLIA Conference.

Mr. Chisita joins Mr. Jasper Maenzanise who was elected to Chair the Library Consortia Section for the 2017 – 2019 term. Mr. Maenzanise is the University Librarian at the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) and is also the deputy board member for the Zimbabwe International Book Fair Association (ZIBFA).

Chisita is a Principal Lecturer and Researcher at the Harare Polytechnic School of Library and Information Science. 

According to the AfLIA website, “AfLIA is an independent international not-for-profit organization which pursues the interests of library and information associations, library and information services, librarians and information workers and the communities they serve in Africa. It was established in 2013 and registered as an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) under the laws of Ghana in October 2014.” It is committed to connecting Africa’s library and information communities.

Chisita will be working directly with the Chair of the LIS Education and Training Institutions Section, Dr. Bernard Dione of Senegal.

The election of Mr. Chisita and Mr. Maenzanise into AfLIA sections is a great opportunity for Zimbabwe to contribute towards supporting Africa to achieve quality education in LIS sector.

The second AfLIA Conference was held under the theme “Libraries in the Development Agenda: Repositioning African Libraries to deliver on the Future We Want” and was attended by many information professionals from Zimbabwe.

Library Associations should embrace IFLA/AfLIA programmes

By Kenneth Mangemba

Library associations should embrace and adopt International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) and African Library and Information Association and Institution (AfLIA) initiated programmes to enable them to increase visibility, stakeholder engagement, and to lobby and advocate for the recognition of libraries in advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This was said by Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) president and AfLIA vice president, Mr. Mandla Ntombela at the just ended Zimbabwe Library Association (ZimLA) conference held in Gweru.

LIASA president and AfLIA vice president, Mr. Mandla Ntombela at the just ended ZimLA conference held in Gweru

Addressing delegates at the conference, Mr. Ntombela spoke extensively of the IFLA Global Vision as a credible and rare opportunity that facilitates capacity building for the development and sustainability of the library communities.

The role of library associations is vital towards achieving the IFLA Global Vision and concerted efforts by associations’ leadership should prioritize embracing and implementing the initiatives that has long lasting benefit.  The LIASA president said that such initiatives are essential to advance advocacy and lobbying efforts for the library communities for recognition and improving influence in solving community challenges.

AfLIA partnered with the Global Libraries (GL) Programme of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to roll out the International Network of Emerging Library Innovators (INELI) programme established to support the transformation of public libraries into engines of development and does this by supporting upcoming public librarians to develop innovative services for the benefit of their communities. Participants in the INELI initiative are expected to share the learning experience with other local librarians with the view of promoting learning and equip others with life changing skills to transform the public library network to step-up to the changing operating environment. Mrs. A. Madziwa from the Bulawayo Municipality Library system is a participant to the INELI initiative from Zimbabwe.

Participants who attended the 51th ZimLA Conference in Gweru.

The Library and Information Association of Zambia president, Mrs. Velenasi Mwale Munsanje also spoke greatly of the INELI programme as an enabler that facilitate growth for the public library system through strengthening skills of local public librarians to better serve their communities under strenuous conditions characterized by limited funding and sound infrastructure.

Mr. Ntombela said that partnership with IFLA and AfLIA reposition the library association to achieve the “Africa we want”. The major thrust emphasized by Mr. Ntombela is that IFLA’s professional programmes provide sustainable platforms for initating advocacy for libraries in society, improve services for library users, provide equitable access to information and develop the library and information profession.

In light of attaining SDGs, Mr. Ntombela said that libraries are vital institutions that should actively promote the National development plans through dynamic services that transform livelihood. He therefore gave an interesting story of Jaka Joe Informal Settlement in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa that is involved in the recycling project and challenged other library communities to formulate strategies with SDGs attainment in mind.

“Library associations have a significant role to play in strengthening partnerships with IFLA and AfLIA through developing an effective action plan for strategic positioning on government agenda”, said the AfLIA vice president. He encouraged the library associations to increase lobbying and advocacy initiatives for the development of library and information services infrastructure to achieve a positive influence from government policy regarding LIS. “Library associations should represent libraries and librarianship to the larger society and continual stakeholder engagement should be a top priority that leads to the identifying of sources of local funding for projects”, he said.

The LIASA president implored with library association leaders to be proactive in increasing influence. He said, “Library associations and institutions should enlarge their territory or mission by protecting the future of LIS workers and library users of Africa and throughout the world by developing strategies that will make the sector looks smart and cool.”

The conference keynote address by AfLIA vice president and LIASA president clearly pronounced the role of library associations in developing strong and strategic partnerships that promote influence of the library communities. Several library associations were represented at the conference with representation from Botswana, South Africa and Zambia.

The conference ended on a high note with a report from ZimLA president, Mr. Lantern Fusire highlighting on key achievements accomplished and laying out the various initiatives that the association has planned for the coming year before an elective conference in 2018.