Archive - Historical Material

The author revisits the history of interlending and document supply services in East Africa, and more particularly Kenya. The colonial and post-colonial library services in the Eastern African region is briefly examined to establish the path taken by pioneer managers of interlending and document supply. It is believed that only special libraries and information centres founded by the agricultural and veterinary research institutions, which initiated the first interlibrary loan services between themselves, did actually benefit from the subsequent developments in the services.

Many changes have occurred in handling and supplying documents for interlending; these changes are examined and assessed to determine their specific value in the process of sustaining availability of information in information or documentation centres and libraries. The role of new technologies such as document imaging, which was developed in the first world but is increasingly being applied in the developing world, will also be examined. Information technology has not been applied in East Africa as fast as in other regions. Even in cases where the rate of application has been faster, the use and exploitation of information technology in document supply has not made any major impact. Information seekers are aware of these information sources that could be useful to them. However, they are unable to access these sources due to logistical problems such as communication technology, packaging and financial resources.

Only 30% of all research institutions and universities in Kenya are able to exploit information technology to their advantage. Budgetary costing and facilitation of materials for delivery are clearly a hindrance to the growth of document handling and supply in East Africa. Acquiring information through the Internet and the World Wide Web has been complicated by the copyright, patent and "secure pages" concepts whereby nearly 80% of all sources of information reserve the right to access and use their contents.