Section on Regional Activities: Africa

Medium Term Programme 1998-2001

Scope statement

Goals, 1998-2001 - Action Plans, 1998-1999

Goal 1

Through programmes of attachments, lay out the foundation for library cooperation and human resources development.

Action:

1.1 Invite institutions to submit names of candidate seeking attachments to the identified host institutions.

Goal 2

Promote the adoption of principles on the right to information and sensitization on the library and information science principles as embodied in the 1996 Unesco Manifesto.

Actions:

2.1 Mould a project proposal for seminar on the right to information of the disadvantaged members of society such as the visually impaired.

2.2 Continue to support the project of twinning of libraries.

2.3 Hold seminar on the building of a model school library.

Goal 3

Raise awareness on and encourage establishment of national and sub-regional programmes for preservation and conservation and supported through the Joint IFLA/ICA Committee on Preservation of Library and Archive Materials in Africa (JICPA).

Actions:

3.1 Hold a training workshop on preservation and conservation

3.2 Arrange seminars (2) on preservation and conservation in anglophone and francophone countries. (Lusophone countries to choose which one to attend)

Goal 4

Facilitate strengthening of national library associations, encourage exchange of information, mutual support and continuing education through sub-regional library associations and forge closer links with IFLA Africa Regional Standing Committee.

Actions:

4.1 Hold seminars on the management of Library Associations in the Grouping areas e.g. SCECSAL or SADC.

4.2 Collect model constitutions of well established Library Associations and circulate them to newly formed associations.

Goal 5

Encourage the development and/or adaptation of national information policies to the technological influences and their implementation.

Actions:

5.1 Carry out a survey on the state of Library Associations in North Africa, Central Africa, Lusophone Africa by December 1998.

5.2 Hold a seminar on networking in West Africa sub-region for executives of libraries and library associations by july 1998.

5.3 Circulate any available National Information Policy document as a model.

Goal 6

Provide opportunities for middle management level personnel to train and develop in skills in information technology in all working programmes such as acquisition, cataloguing and circulation.

Actions:

6.1 Arrange and conduct workshops on skills in information technology for middle management level personnel on working programmes such as acquisition periodicals databases, cataloguing and circulation using softwares such as CDS-ISIS.

Goal 7

Encourage development of national policies for school libraries and implementing library programmes with the curricula.