Mortenson Center Blog

Developing an Automated and Dynamic Library Environment: A Planning, Training, and Implementation Program for Carnegie Grantee University Libraries

Dates: January 1, 2005 – March 31, 2008

Objectives: Assist librarians from seven Carnegie grantee institutions in East and West Africa to move into a fully developed, automated online catalog environment and a computer-based library management system that will better serve the research and learning needs of their users.

Outcome: All seven institutions will make measurable progress toward the implementation of a fully automated online library catalog and library management system.

Award: $500,000 from the Carnegie Corporation

Developing Automated Libraries – Phase II: A Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program for Carnegie Libraries in East and West Africa

Dates: January 1, 2009 – December 31, 2011
Information and knowledge are the building blocks of a society which seeks to offer the best to its citizens.  Access to information and knowledge in developing countries is at times difficult and expensive, even on university campuses. University libraries can and should play a key role in their countries by providing users with access to information in an effective and timely manner.

University libraries have a growing and evolving role as portals to knowledge and information, and therefore require additional resources and more technological expertise. Users want to be able to access information quickly, from a broad range of sources, and from a variety of locations. Librarians are critical in developing the strategies and systems to meet user needs.

In 2005 the Mortenson Center started working with Carnegie grantee university libraries in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. The librarians were well aware of what needed to be done to meet the needs of their users.  In most cases they were stymied by a lack of institutional support, paper catalogs and circulation records, stock that was outdated, poor physical plants, no power back-up, little interest from international library vendors, and limited access to training on how to automate a library. Many of the libraries functioned as study halls since the library was one of few places on campus where the students could sit to work.

The Carnegie University Library are: Makerere University in Uganda; Dar es Salaam University in Tanzania; University of Ghana, Legon; University of Education, Winneba, Ghana; University of Jos, Nigeria; and Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.

The path to becoming a strong and robust research library starts with implementing an automated library management system. This type of system, which allows users to use computers to find materials owned by the library, is the foundation of any modern university library.  With this foundation librarians can turn their attention to digitizing unique collections, offering access to the library’s catalog and electronic resources from the same site, developing electronic course reserves, capturing the intellectual work of faculty on campus, and other vital library projects.

Design and Activities

The Carnegie grantee libraries are at different stages in terms of automation and automation related projects.  The university libraries in East Africa have almost completed the implementation of a library management system and are ready to move on to other projects.  The university libraries in West Africa are still focused on becoming automated.

There are two goals for the project, they are:
Goal 1: Carnegie grantee librarians in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda will fully implement an automated library management system, which will better serve the research and learning needs of the users.
Goal 2: All institutions will develop a team of librarians trained and able to manage automation and automation-related projects in their libraries.

Award:  $380,000 from the Carnegie Corporation of New York

Needs Assessment: Review of the Carnegie Library Grantees’ Needs in Africa

Dates: January 1, 2004 – April 1, 2004

Objectives: Assess capabilities of the libraries of seven Carnegie university grantees in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda relating to technology, facilities, library services to users, and staff training needs.

Outcomes: Mortenson Center staff visited seven grantees and prepared a report (Opportunities and Challenges for the Academic Libraries of Carnegie Grantees in East and West Africa) for the Carnegie Corporation on challenges and opportunities for the libraries and professional development needs and recommendations for librarians to create excellent libraries.

Award: $42,600 from the Carnegie Corporation