Harnessing libraries for development

“HIV and AIDS have had a devastating impact on Africa”

Lazarus Sauti

To attain the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), access to information must be a priority for all development initiatives.

Access to information is critical because in the 21^st century, information and knowledge are powerful development tools that support communities in a variety of ways.

Thus, development initiatives must give attention to communities’ information needs. In this regard, ICTs play a critical role in providing information access.

Despite the growing presence of ICTs in developing countries, modern technologies alone cannot solve the issue of information access. ICT penetration is not universal either because many people simply cannot afford the accompanying gadgets to exploit the infrastructure.

Therefore, libraries and librarians should be trusted as community-based sources for addressing people’s information needs.

Public and community libraries are sustainable local institutions that can stimulate grassroots development.

Consequently, public libraries of the 21st century should no longer be just about books or solely a place for kids studying for exams, but should be powerful partners that can help deliver services that enable communities to achieve the MDGs at the local level.

Public libraries and related institutions should consistently serve as information hubs, supporting local communities in effectively addressing their needs.

To completely remove extreme poverty and hunger (MDG 1), public libraries and related organisations should partner with communities to help meet their basic needs.

Knowledge centers should work with young people, farmers and agriculture extension workers to provide vital information.

MDG 2 seeks to achieve universal primary education.

Schools are only part of the picture when we consider this goal. Communities need publicly accessible, common resource where children and parents benefit from access to information.

Therefore, libraries in Africa should play a key role in the achievement of universal primary education.

Research by Kitengesa Community Library in Uganda shows that strong public libraries lead to higher student achievements.

“A strong library program that is adequately staffed, resourced and funded can lead to higher student achievement regardless of the socio-economic or educational levels of the adults in the community.

“Through carefully selected collections of materials, high quality educational and cultural programs and strong community outreach, public libraries offer a safe, nurturing space for children who have few other options.”

Public libraries should genuinely become ‘public’. This means those who cannot afford membership/subscription fees should not be charged that. Anyone should be able to walk into a library and read. Of course, borrowing books – ie, taking them home – would require a subscription, but merely reading should be made easy for anyone.  

MDG 3 seeks “to promote gender equality and empower women.”

Gender equality is premised on eradicating ignorance and prejudice, and books go a long way in achieving this.

MDGs 4 and 5 are on reducing child mortality and improving maternal health, respectively.

According to the Health Information for All 2015 campaign, tens of thousands of children, women and men - die every day for want of simple, low-cost interventions, interventions that are often already locally available.

The campaign says: “Often, a mother, family caregiver or health worker does not have access to the information and knowledge needed to make simple diagnoses or pursue proven treatment plans.

When libraries are part of this strategy, they can help save lives.”

Consequently, public libraries in the continent can help prevent deaths during pregnancy or at births and reduce the incidence of unsafe abortions.

Our libraries can do this by providing healthcare providers with information and knowledge on how to correctly apply simple and inexpensive interventions.

Furthermore, librarians should train health workers, students, farmers etc on how to find the information they need.

MDG 6 focuses on dealing with HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases that are claiming millions of lives annually.

Information is vital to combating disease and preventing its outbreak.

Effective prevention and treatment awareness campaigns demand a trusted community source of information and a place where the most current information is consistently available – whether in print, online, or available by communicating with distant specialists.

Alarming levels of tuberculosis in Africa reflects a lack of current and dependable information on simple effective prevention methods.

Ultimately, library and information practitioners in Africa should contribute to national, regional, continental and universal efforts to combat spread of the illness.

HIV/AIDS have had a devastating impact on Africa. Therefore, public libraries in Africa should play an active role in reducing the impact HIV/AIDS by providing the information people need on prevention and treatment.

Libraries can partner with health officials to educate communities on HIV and AIDS, and related issues such as teen pregnancies.

Goal number 7 focuses on environmental sustainability. Again this cannot be achieved without information sharing within communities.

MDG 8 aims to develop a global partnership for development.

Dynamic partnerships between libraries, government and the private sector should help to shift the perception of libraries from traditional depository of books to places that offer the benefits of new technologies for personal development and economic improvement.

Libraries, as neutral, safe, respected places that are accessible to all, can be vital community centers that have the flexibility to offer programs that respond to community needs.

Libraries should be flexible institutions that respond quickly to community information needs. For all this to happen, African governments must start investing more in libraries and information sharing.