SCECSAL 23rd ends as Namibians steal the show on final day

The 23rd SCECSAL Conference came to a close on Friday 27th April, 2018 at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel, Entebbe.

The five day event that started on 23rd April was the third time the Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA) was hosting the regional event, having hosted the event in 1990 and 2004.

Speaking at  the closing ceremony, SCECSAL President Dr. John Paul Anbu, conveyed his sincere appreciation to the hosts ULIA and the National Organizing Committee (NOC), the delegates and all sponsors who made the 23rd Conference a success. Dr Anbu was speaking for the last time as SCECSAL President before handing over the office to Dr Sarah Kaddu of Uganda.

The last day started off with three expert panel discussions which were well attended by delegates. More than 200 delegates from fifteen Library associations in Africa and beyond attended the Conference. 

Dr Sarah Kaddu and Dr John Paul Anbu
during the SCECSAL General Assembly

In her closing remarks, ULIA President Dr Sarah Kaddu thanked everyone for making the 23rd SCECSAL conference a great success. She noted that the process of managing the SCECSAL conference  had been long and challenging not mentioning demanding physical, material, financial, spiritual and emotional support.

The conference theme: “Positioning library and information services to achieve sustainable development: innovations and partnerships” was thoroughly addressed through pre-conference  workshops, paper presentations, session discussions, poster sessions and expert panel discussions. Fifteen sub-themes  were cross examined through fifty papers, workshop sessions and three Expert panel discussion sessions.

Between conference sessions, the SCECSAL General Council  meetings were held in which key decisions ware made including adopting the guidelines for establishing a permanent SCECSAL Secretariat and the and agreeing on the revised SCECSAL constitution to be adopted in the next coming months.  

Team Namibian delgetation chanting to victory

Worth noting is that issues of library and information services contribution to the attainment of sustainable development were debated in and out.  It is hoped that through the deliberations and resolutions made, the world in general and the SCECSAL region in particular should be a better place for all to live in without any one being left behind said Dr Kaddu who is also the new SCECSAL President.

Dr Chiku Mnubi Mchombu was the winner of the best SCECSAL 2018 paper award with her paper entitled "Access to information and Services by students with disabilities: A case study of the University of Namibia’’.  In a related development, Dr. Mchombu led her Namibian counterparts to confirm Namibia's readiness to host the 2020 SCECSAL conference in Namibia.

Clad in Namibian colors and waving national flags, the Namibian delegation matched through Ziba Conference Hall chanting a famous Namibian song of victory.

Dr John Paul also declared that the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) would hots the 2002 SCECSAL Conference in South Africa.

On behalf of ULIA and SCECSAL 2018 National Organizing Committee, we want to thank everyone who supported us and made this conference a success.

See you again in Namibia in 2020 at the XXIVth SCECSAL Conference! 

ULIA ready to receive delegates to the XXIII SCECSAL conference

As registration for the five-day event begins

Aloysius Mwanje (L) and Faith Akiteng (R)
at the conference registration desk

The Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA) has put in place the necessary arrangements to receive and register the delegates to the XXIIIrd SCECSAL conference which kicks off on Monday, 23 April.

Registration for the five-day conference opened on Sunday, 22 April at 14:00 local time

The biennial conference is taking place at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel and has attracted participants from countries within the SCECSAL region and outside the region including the Ghana, Italy, Nigeria and the United States of America.

This is the third time SCECSAL conference is taking place in Uganda having been hosted by ULIA in 1990 and 2004.

Representatives of the SCECSAL member national Library and Information Associations from Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and the host country, Uganda, are already in Entebbe to participate in the conference and the SCECSAL General Council meeting.

Delegates from Malawi consulting
in the registration hall

Representatives of national Library and Information Associations from Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also expected in Entebbe while Botswana and Tanzania have not confirmed their participation in the General Council meeting.

Expectations are high among the conference delegates as the SCECSAL General Council is set to discuss further the setting up of a permanent Secretariat, adopt the proposed amended constitution which will put in place a new governance structure for SCECSAL, confirm Namibia has the host for the biennial event in 2020 and announced the host for the event in 2022.

SCECSAL 2018 conference kicks off on Monday, 23 April

Look out for stories from Entebbe

The XXIII SCECSAL conference kicks off on Monday, 23 April to 27 April, in Entebbe, Uganda and the SCECSAL Forum reporting team will be on the ground to cover the event.

Stories and photos from the conference venue, the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel located on the shores of Lake Victoria,  will be posted on this Forum from Sunday, 22 April.

Look out for reports on the pre-conference events, conference opening session, SCECSAL Awards ceremony, key decisions from the SCECSAL General Council Business meeting, SCECSAL Cultural Evening event, host country for SCECSAL 2022 conference, and the conference resolutions, among others.

You can participate in the event by:

• following @SCECSAL and re-tweet content;
• tweeting content related to the Entebbe conference and other stories from the SCECSAL Forum blog;
• using #SCECSAL2018 hash tag.

Final SCECSAL conference and tours' programmes released

The final programme for the XXIII SCECSAL conference has been released and more than 50 library and information experts are expected to present papers or participate in the expert panel discussions at the conference.

The XXIII SCECSAL conference, to be held in Entebbe, Uganda, from 23 to 27 April, is expected to attract participants from within and outside the SCECSAL region.

The Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA), host for the conference, has also released the programme for the conference tours planned for Wednesday, 25 April 2018.

The tours, classified into two categories, will include visits to the Namugongo Martrys' Shrines, Uganda Museum and Buganda Kingdom Kasubi tombs, all under Category I; and to the Source of the Nile and Sezibwa Falls and the Crocodile Village – Buwam, under Category II.

The cost per person, to be paid to ULIA, is US$20 for Category I tours and US$40 for Category II.

Conference delegates planning to go on any of the tours should indicate their preference to secretariat@ulia.org.ug not later than 20 April 2018.

Preliminary programme for XXIII SCECSAL conference is out

The Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA), host for the forthcoming XXIII SCECSAL conference, has published the preliminary programme for the conference.

The 2018 conference, to be held from 23 to 27 April, in Entebbe, Uganda, will be a mixture of paper presentations in plenary and parallel sessions, workshops, expert panel discussions and excursions.

ULIA has scheduled keynote addresses and they include an address by Mr. Augustine Omare-Okurut on Positioning LIS to Achieve SDGs; Dr. Shana Ponelis who will speak on Broadening Innovations in LIS Education; and Dr. Cornelius Gulere on Whose access? Whose tools? Whose information? Creative LIS Partnerships to achieve SDGs.

Several sessions on different themes are also planned during the five-day event including on SDGs and Libraries and Information Services in the SCECSAL Region; Open Science, Open Data and LIS and SDGs; ICTs and Library and Information Services; Effective Records Management to Fight Corruption, and Library and Information Services to Improve Health Care, among others.

Three Expert Panel discussions are included on the programme and will focus on the following topics:

• Is there a gap between LIS education and practice in the SCECSAL region? 
• Contributions to SDGs in the SCECSAL region: are LIS institutions and professionals on the right track? 
• Marakesh Treaty and its impact on access to information by persons with disabilities

Departing away from the normal practice of holding SCECSAL Council Business Meetings on the last day of the conference, the 2018 Council meeting will be a pre-conference event on 22 April, an arrangement that will ensure that the Council has enough time to discuss all the agenda items.

Wednesday, 25 April is reserved for excursions during the day and a Cultural Event in evening at which the SCECSAL Author of the Year and SCECSAL Excellence Awards be given.

Online registration opens for XXIII SCECSAL conference planned for 23-27 April 2018

Early bird registration closes on 31 January

The Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA) has opened online registration for the XXIII SCECSAL conference, to be held 23-27 April 2018 in Entebbe, Uganda at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel.

Early bird registration for the conference closes on 31 January 2018.

Below are the applicable fees for the distinct categories of registration:

• Early Bird Registration (deadline 31st January 2018) – US$ 360
• Late Registration (by 31st March 2018) – US$ 400
• Onsite Registration (from 24th April 2018) – US$ 430
• Rental fees for Exhibition stalls (2 x 2 metres) – US$ 200

Click here to register for the XXIII SCECSAL Conference.

Click here for more information about the conference, including accommodation, entry visa information, etc.

Inquiries regarding online registration should be sent to: sarahkago@yahoo.com and sarkaddu2@gmail.com.

Mark your 2018 calendar for the XXIIIrd SCECSAL conference in Entebbe

The Twenty-Third Standing Conference of Eastern, Central Southern African Library and Information Associations (SCECSAL) is four months away and if you have not yet made the decision to attend the event, it is now time to do so.

The biennial SCECSAL conference is the largest regional gathering of library and information professionals in Africa and the 2018 event, from 23 to 28 April, will be no different as more than 300 participants and exhibitors from within and outside the continent are expected to descend on the City of Entebbe located on the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake.

The host, Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA), is in addition to the normal professional programme featuring keynote speakers and paper presenters, preparing a programme that will also include social events such visits to some tourist sites in Uganda and a cultural evening at which conference participants from each country will be required to form a group and participate in a dancing competition.

The SCECSAL General Council, the highest decision-making body of the organization, will also meet during the conference and is expected to adopt the amended SCECSAL constitution, the guidelines for selecting a member Association that will host the SCECSAL permanent Secretariat, get an updated from the Namibian Information Workers Association (NIWA), host for the 2020 conference, and decide on the member Association to host the conference in 2022.

The decision to amend the constitution and establish a permanent Secretariat was made by the General Council at the XXII SCECSAL conference in Ezulwini, Swaziland in 2016 following discussions and resolutions on how to improve SCECSAL operations.

The Entebbe conference will also see the re-introduction of the SCECSAL Author of the Year awards after a 16-year absence having last been awarded at SCECSAL 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa hosted by the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA).

The call for nominations for the 2018 SCECSAL Author Awards closed on 31 December 2017.

Entebbe Mayor extends invitation to library and information professionals to XXIII SCECSAL conference

Entebbe Mayor Vincent De Paul Kayanja

Mayor of the Municipality of Entebbe Vincent De Paul Kayanja has extended an invitation to library
and information professionals to travel to Entebbe to take part in the memorable XXIII SCECSAL conference and enjoy all that the city has to offer.

Mr Kayanja extended the invitation in a letter made available to the Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA) on Monday.

“Entebbe will have a great opportunity to host SCECSAL for the third time in Uganda when it is forty (40) years”, Mr, Kayanja wrote.

“From 23rd -28th April 2018, Entebbe will proudly exhibit her hospitality, cultural richness, beautiful beaches, Botanical gardens and wildlife”, Mr Kayanja added.

ULIA will host the SCECSAL Conference for the third time in the history of SCECSAL having previously hosted the regional event in 1990 and 2004.

The conference in 2018 is expected to attract library and information professionals from 11 active SCECSAL countries - Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the host country, Uganda, - in addition to participants coming from outside the SCECSAL region.

Preparations on track for an exciting XXIII SCECSAL conference 2018

Participants urged to take advantage of early bird registration fee

Preparations for the XXIII SCECSAL Conference to be hosted by the Uganda Library and

L-R: Prof. Kikongo-Bukenya, Ms. Sarah Kagoda-Batuwa,
Mr. Haumba Eric Nelson, Mr. Robert Buwule, Mr. Justin Chisenga
and Ms. Sarah Kagoda-Batuwa [Photo: Charles Batambuze] 

Information Association (ULIA) in Entebbe from 23 to 28 April 2018 are on track.
This was made known to Mr. Justin Chisenga when he held informal consultations with some members of the SCECSAL Local Organizing Committee (LOC) last Friday in Kampala at the Makerere University.

Dr Sarah Kaddu, ULIA President, informed Mr. Chisenga that her Association had confirmed the reservation for conference facilities at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel, conference papers were undergoing peer-reviewed process, and library and information professionals in Uganda were ready to welcome their colleagues from the SCECSAL countries and beyond.

Dr Kaddu also urged library and information professionals from around the world planning to attend the SCECSAL conference in 2018 to take advantage of the reduced early registration fee of US$360 and register by 31 January 2018, after which the fees would be US$400 for registrations between(1 February – 30 March 2018 (late registration) and US$430 for  registrations from 1 to 24 April 2018 (onsite registration).

On his part, Mr. Chisenga expressed delight at the progress made so far and urged the members of the LOC to quickly publish the preliminary conference programme to enable potential participants to plan their visit to Uganda.

“For many, decisions as when to arrive and depart from the conference city are based on the activities planned for the event, and therefore timely knowledge of what the programme would be is very important”, Mr. Chisenga told LOC members.

Also present at the meeting were Prof. Kikongo-Bukenya, a SCECSAL veteran; Ms. Sarah Kagoda-Batuwa, ULIA Treasurer; Mr. Charles Batambuze, ULIA Secretary General; Mr. Haumba Eric Nelson, LOC Member; and Mr. Robert Buwule, member of the LOC.

Nomination for 2018 SCECSAL Author Awards opens

The SCECSAL Secretariat and the Uganda Library and Information Associations (ULIA) are pleased to announce the opening of submissions for the 2018 SCECSAL Author Awards to be presented to winners at the XXIII SCECSAL Conference in April 2018 in Entebbe, Uganda.

SCECSAL Author Awards, in form of cash and a certificate, honours and recognizes individual works by library, information and knowledge professionals in the SCECSAL region in two categories - Best Author (Journal Articles and Chapters in Books) and Best Author (Books).

Only works published from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2017 and focusing on any area or theme in the library, information and knowledge field/work in the SCECSAL region are eligible for the 2018 awards.

Library and Information Associations in the SCECSAL region should review the guidelines for the Awards available on the SCECSAL website and submit their nominations by 31 December 2017.

Individual authors are also encouraged to nominate themselves through their national Library and Information Associations.

Send the nominations along with the copies of the works using any reputable courier services to:

John Paul Anbu K.
President
Swaziland Library and Information Association
University of Swaziland Library, Kwaluseni Campus
Kwaluseni, Matsapha M201
SWAZILAND
Tel: +268 2517 0153
Mobile: +268 26239865
Email: anbuj@uniswa.sz

After sending the nominations by courier service please send the tracking number to  anbuj@uniswa.sz with a copy to sarkaddu@yahoo.com.

ULIA President sends greetings and advance welcome message to SCECSAL XXIII participants

Sarah Kaddu, PhD
President, ULIA

The President of the Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA), Dr. Sarah Kaddu, has sent warm greetings and extended an advance warm and big welcome to library and information professionals in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa and beyond, to the SCECSAL XXIII conference to be held from the 23rd – 28th April 2018 at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel, Entebbe, Uganda.

Dr Kaddu, in her welcome note posted on the SCECSAL website, said: “There will be colourful opening and closing ceremonies, plenary and professional sessions, exhibitions, the memorable Cultural Evening and tours to different places such as the historical Uganda Martyrs shrines in Namugongo, the Source of the Nile, the Equator, Kasubi Tombs, Uganda National Archives and other crowd pulling places of interest. The weather during the conference will be friendly. Security is assured”.

"I extend to all of you a big and warm welcome to SCECSAL XXIII, Entebbe, Uganda, 23rd – 28th April, 2018", Dr. Kaddu said.

ULIA has made significant progress in preparing for the SCECSAL XXIII conference and thus far the National Organizing Committee (NOC), headed by Prof. Okello-Obura Constant, has:

• Selected sixty abstracts, through a blind review process, from among 131 that were submitted for consideration. 
• Contacted authors whose abstracts were not accepted for paper presentation and highly advised them to consider presenting posters so that the region does not completely miss out on their good ideas.
• Worked on arrangements to hold a conference composed of plenary sessions, parallel workshops, special and poster sessions as well as exhibitions of different library materials, products and equipment from different stakeholders in the library and information fields and beyond. 

Approximately 400 participants (librarians, information scientists, documentation officers, archivists, records managers, publishers, books sellers, academics, ICT innovators, literacy experts, policy makers, etc.) are expected to attend the SCECSAL XXIII conference.

Registration for the conference is now open and the registration form (in PDF) is available here.  The following are the applicable registration fees:

• Early Bird Registration (deadline 31st January 2018) = USD 360.00 
• Late Registration (by 31st March 2018) = USD 400.00 
• Onsite Registration (from 24th April 2018) = USD 430.00 

Rental fees for exhibition stalls (2 x 2 square metres) are fixed at USD 200.00.

Delegates and exhibitors are strongly advised to leverage the early bird registration dates to confirm their attendance.

The organizes have identified many hotels along the Entebbe-Kampala highway that are closer to the conference venue. Among others, they include:

• Country Lake Resort, Garuga
• Best Western Garden Hotel Entebbe
• Precious Hotel, Entebbe
• Entebbe Traveler’s Inn Hotel

For detailed information about the hotels and other suitable accommodation facilities available in Entebbe town, visit Booking.com and search for Entebbe.

The NOC is advising potential delegates to the conference to visit the website of the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for entry visa and related information including the list of countries exempt from paying visa fees, visa fees, etc. Application for e-Visas is also available on the same website.

Further information on the conference is available on the ULIA SCECSAL XXIII conference website.

Inquiries should be sent to scecsal2018@ulia.or.ug.

ULIA goes to the polls: Elects first female president.

The Uganda Library and Information Association today Wednesday 3rd August went to the polls to elect her new leadership. Dr Sarah Kaddu was elected the new president of the National LIS body taking over from Professor Contant Okello Obura of Makerere Univerity. In what seemed to be a tight race between Mr Mukiibi Edward, a Librarian at Kyambogo Univerity,  

Dr. Sarah Kaddu second left with her new team.

and Dr. Sarah Kaddu who is a renowned LIS trainer  from Makerere University, the latter trounced her opponent with an overwhelming majority of 97 to 38 votes, making history as ULIA's first elected female head of library fraternity and pledging a "fundamental breakthrough  " within the country, regional, continental and global library associations and stages. “We know that your vote was a vote for transformation, a vote for a better and rebranded ULIA ... and we have heard you loudly," Sarah told the cheerful librarians in her inaugural speech. 

Known for her compassion and resolve, Sarah brings a wealth of experience to the association as many have a lot of hopes in her leadership, having served as the association secretary general from 2008-2012 and currently engaged in a number of continental and global LIS responsibilities. 

President elect Dr. Sarah Kaddu makes her acceptance Speech

Dr Kaddu will be deputized by Mr Nabongo Godfrey for the next three years. Mr Nabongo has been the ULIA vice President since 2012 to date. Other members of the executive include Mr. Charles Batambuze, to serve as Secretary General. Charles is the Executive Director of National Book Trust of Uganda (NABOTU) and he springs back to the ULIA administration since serving in the same capacity in 2004.   The association Treasury will be controlled by Mr. Timu Godfrey from Parliament of Uganda while the hardworking, determined and robust Winny-Akullo Nekesa benefited from her devotion by retaining her seat as publicity secretary un-opposed. Worth noting is, all the members of the new executive are highly respected figures in the country, region and some internationally.  Dr Kaddu, Mr. Nabongo, Mr. Timu Gedfrry and Ms Winny-Akullo were all stand-out and instrumental figures during SCECSAL 2016 in Swaziland in a bid to bring the event to Kampala in 2018.   In attendance were SCECSAL stalwarts Professor I.M.N Kigongo Bukenya and Professor Maria Musoke. 

Professor Kigongo Bukenya (standing) making a speech after elections

The huge task awaiting the new executive is to unite the seemingly divided library fraternity in Uganda, increase on member subscriptions, making ULIA more visible and most importantly staging a successful and memorable SCECSAL event come 2018. On behalf of the SCECSAL region, join me in thanking the outgoing executive led by Professor Constant Okello-Obura for the good work and congratulate Dr Sarah Kaddu and her new team. 

We wish you the best during the next three years in office. 

SCECSAL 2018 heads to Uganda

The SCECSAL General Assembly on Friday, 29 April, in eZulwini, Swaziland, endorsed the Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA)'s bid to host the XXIIIrd Standing Conference of Eastern Central and Southern African Library and Information Associations in April 2018.

The Nambian Library and Information Workers Association (NIWA) will be on standby to ULIA and thus the favourite to host SCECSAL in 2020.

ULIA will be hosting the conference for the third time, having done so in 1990 and 2004.