African Library and Information Associations and Institutions -AfLIA
 | |
| Abbreviation | AfLIA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 5 July 2013 |
| Type | International non-governmental organization, Non-profit |
| Purpose | To empower the library and information community to actively promote the African development agenda through dynamic services that transform livelihoods. |
| Headquarters | Accra, Ghana |
Region | Africa |
Official language | English, French, Portuguese |
President | Mr. Mandla Ntombela |
Executive Director | Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan |
| Website | web |
The African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA) commonly referred to as AfLIA, is an international not-for-profit organization headquartered in Accra, Ghana.[1][2] The Association is registered under the laws of Ghana as an NGO. It is managed under the general guidelines of its Constitution and by-laws.[3]
History[edit]
It is a fact that continuous educational, economic and socio-political disruptions hamper the delivery of library and information services in Africa[4][5] whereas the role and impact of the African Library and Information Science (LIS) sector and its position in a developmental agenda is underestimated.[6] The disposition of governments and major stakeholders have consequently resulted in a seeming neglect of the library sector birthing many challenges including; budget cuts and inadequate funding for libraries.[7] Given that national and global development imperatives are often advocated through the United Nations Agenda 2030, AU Agenda 2063 and National Developmental Agendas, there was the need for a continental Library Association to undertake high level strategic advocacy on behalf of the African LIS sector.[8]
Continental library associations serve as growth and high-level advocacy bodies for the library and information profession. They represent important platforms to discuss issues and further the cause of the library and information sector, at the continental level.[9] In Africa, the idea of having such an Association had been nursed and widely discussed by many prominent African library and information professionals for many years but it was not until 2013 that one was finally created.[10]
In May 2011, a continental library conference for Africa was held in Muldersdrift, South Africa with the theme; The Future of African Librarianship. This was the first African Library Summit and it brought under the same roof prominent African library and information professionals.[11][12] Following a presentation by Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan at the Summit, a discussion ensued towards the need to form a continent-wide African Library Association which will provide a platform to discuss issues and further the cause of the library and information sector in Africa.
Upon consensus, the IFLA Africa Section was tasked to set up an Exploratory Committee whose mandate was to conduct a feasibility study, extensively consult key LIS stakeholders on the continent and to report findings back to the IFLA Africa Section. The Exploratory Committee, as mandated, submitted their report to the IFLA African Section during the Mid-Term Meeting of the IFLA Africa Section in February, 2013 in Abuja, Nigeria. Results of the work done by the Exploratory Committee included but not limited to; a draft of AfLIA's constitution, proposal of the name of the Association, Vision, Mission, Governance Structure, Membership and membership criteria, proposed committees and working groups as well as funding sources for the sustenance of the Association.[13]
Among other things, the committee's recommendation to form the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA), was accepted. Subsequently, an Interim Committee was selected at the Mid Term Meeting of the IFLA Africa Section to manage the affairs of the Association for two years (2013-2015). Members of the Interim Committee are considered as the founding Governing Council of the organization. Later that year (5 July 2013), AfLIA was officially launched as the library association of Africa during the 2nd African Library Summit hosted by the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria, South Africa.[14] In 2014, the founding Governing Council initiated processes in preparation towards the first election of officers and representatives for the Association, which took place in 2015.[11][15]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan |
| Secretary | Valentina Bannerman |
| Regional Representatives | |
| Central Africa | Alim Garga |
| Eastern Africa | Jacinta Were |
| Northern Africa | Shawky Salem |
| Southern Africa | Dr. John Tsebe |
| Western Africa | Marietou Diop |
During the 3rd African Library Summit and 1st AfLIA Conference organized in July, 2015 in Accra, Ghana, AfLIA held its first general meeting of members. At the 2015 General Meeting, the constitution of the Association was amended to have a vice president and executive cirector. This was approved and the first elected Governing Council, which included, chairpersons of various sections was inaugurated. Even though the Association was established in July 2013, it was registered as an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) under the laws of Ghana in October 2014 with its operational seat in Accra, Ghana.[2][13]
Membership[edit]
AfLIA is an Association largely characterized by institutional membership.[1] Membership is open to any organization, in Africa and the diaspora, with interest in the African library and information sector. Presently, members include; National Library Associations, National Libraries, Academic Libraries, Public Libraries, Community Libraries, Special Libraries, School Libraries, National Library Consortia, Information and Documentation Centres, Library and Information Education/Training Institutions, Library and Information-related Businesses, Friends of AfLIA/Libraries, Libraries and library Institutions in the Diaspora as well as Institutions/Organisations related to libraries and information services.[16][17] Presently, the Association has 205 registered member institutions[18] spanning across all the five regions of Africa[19] and covering 32 out of the 54 African countries.[20] There is also evidence of diaspora and international member institutions however, that category of members constitutes less than 2% of total membership.[17]
On the other hand, AfLIA is also a member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), another international body representing the interests of people who rely on libraries and information professionals.
Governance[edit]
AfLIA is managed under the general guidelines of the Constitution and the Bye-Laws.[3] The Association is governed and managed by an elected Governing Council, consisting of a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Immediate Past-President, regional representatives and chairpersons of existing Sections, and a Secretariat headed by an Executive Director. The Annual General Meeting is the highest governance and decision making level of the Association.[1] The current president of the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions is Mr. Mandla Ntombela.[21] Mr. Mandla took over from Dr. John Tsebe as President of AfLIA in July, 2019. Dr. Tsebe served as the first elected President of the Association, from 2015 to 2019 and is presently a member of the Governing Council as the immediate Past President of the Association.[22][3] Since July 2015, Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan has been the Executive Director of AfLIA.[23][24][25]
| Position | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| President | Mr. Mandla Ntombela | South Africa |
| Vice President | Mr. Alim Garga | Cameroon |
| Executive Director | Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan | Ghana |
| Immediate Past President | Dr. John Tsebe | South Africa |
| Central Africa Representative | Prof. Rosemary Shafack | Cameroon |
| East Africa Representative | Dr. Sarah Kaddu | Uganda |
| North Africa Representative | Ms. Rania Shaarawy | Egypt |
| Southern Africa Representative | Ms. Elizabeth Matheus | Namibia |
| West Africa Representative | Dr. Chinwe Anunobi | Nigeria |
| French speaking West Africa | Mr. Mandiaye Ndiaye | Senegal |
| Portuguese speaking Africa | Mr. Iaguba Djalo | Guinea Bissau |
| Chair, National Libraries Section | Ms. Sarah Negumbo | Namibia |
| Chair, Academic Libraries Section | Ms. Nyarai Chibanda | Zimbabwe |
| Chair, Public and Community Libraries Section | Ms. Neemat Abdulrahim | Nigeria |
| Chair, Library Consortia | Ms. Cecile Coulibaly | Côte d'Ivoire |
| Chair, National Library Associations Section | Ms. Comfort Asare | Ghana |
| Chair, Library Education & Training | Dr. Ayodele Alonge | Nigeria |
| Chair, Parliamentary Libraries Section | Ms. Chama Mfula | Zambia |
| Chair, IFLA Africa Section (co-opted) | Ms. Nthabiseng Kotsokoane | South Africa |
| Africans in Diaspora | Prof. Ismail Abdullahi | South Africa |
| Secretary to the Council | Ms. Doreen Appiah | Ghana |
| Name | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Dr. John Tsebe | 2015-2019 |
| Mr. Mandla Ntombela | 2019 to present |
Library Type Sections[edit]
Currently there are seven sections in AfLIA. Executives of the Sections are elected by the sectional members every two years. Chairpersons of Sections become automatic members of the Governing Council.
Strategic programs and activities[edit]
The official purpose, according to the organization is “to empower the library and information community to actively promote the African development agenda through dynamic services that transform livelihoods".[26] The organization's programs and activities are administered by the Secretariat in collaboration with various (internal) sections and committees as well as strategic partners.
Conferences and Roundtable Meetings[edit]
AfLIA Conferences and African Library Summits[edit]
AfLIA holds this library conference every two years. The conferences are usually dubbed; the nth AfLIA Conference and the nth African Library Summit and often held between May – July in member countries in an alternating fashion. The most recent conference was the 3rd AfLIA Conference and 5th African Library Summit, which was held in held from 21–24 May 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya.[27] It is expected that the next conference, 4th AfLIA Conference and 6th African Library Summit, will be held in 2019 in Accra, Ghana, according to the organization. The conferences are typically held in June or July and involves activities such pre-conference workshops and seminars, paper, poster and ignite talk presentations, exhibitions, awards and honours sessions, cultural nights and other breakout sessions for Sections of the organization to meet.[28][29] The Deputy President of Kenya, Mr. William Samoei Ruto, was the special guest of honour at the Cultural Night of the 2019 conference.[29] The Association also holds its General Meeting and Governing Council Meetings during these conferences. AfLIA’s conferences are notable for being one of the largest professional conferences organized on the continent, typically drawing library and information professionals, including exhibitors mainly from Africa, and other parts of the world.
African Public Library Summits[edit]
African Public Library Summits is continent-wide convening of public library leaders and policymakers in Africa. Unlike the AfLIA Conference and African Library Summits which targets all categories of LIS professionals, the African Public Library Summits are organized with focus on librarians and managers from the public library space across Africa.[20] The conferences were held with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the Global Libraries Program, to serve as a platform to discuss the opportunities for creating successful, 21st century libraries that contribute to the development priorities of African communities, countries and continent.[30] The first African Public Library Summit took place in Johannesburg in 2012, hosted by the University of South Africa [31][32] Evidence show that the maiden Summit was not organized under the auspices of AfLIA, as the Association had not been established as at then but the second and third African Public Library Summits which took place in Ezulwini, Swaziland (Eswatini) in 2016 and Durban, South Africa in 2018 respectively, were organized by AfLIA.[33][34][35] It is presently unknown when and where the next African Public Library Summit will be held.
Partners[edit]
AfLIA is in partnership with several organisations some of which are listed below.
- African Union[36]
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina of The Arab Republic of Egypt[37]
- Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)[38]
- European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA)[21]
- International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
- OER Africa
- Public Library Association (PLA) of the American Library Association[39]
- The Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA), University of Washington[40]
- Wikipedia Library
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)[41]
Publications[edit]
- AfLIA Statements Declarations and Communiques - Includes Statements about International Literacy for Development; Freedom of Information; Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, Cape Town Declaration, Durban Communique and Accra Declaration.
- AfLIA Professional Reports - Includes publication like How African Libraries contribute to the African Union Agenda 2063 Agenda.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 World Intellectual Property Organizations (29 September 2016). "Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO - Fifty-Sixth Series of Meetings" (PDF). WIPO. Retrieved 17 May 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ngulube, Patrick (2019). Handbook of Research on Advocacy, Promotion, and Public Programming for Memory Institutions. South Africa: IGI Global. p. 223. ISBN 978-1-5225-7429-3. Search this book on
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Governance Structure – African Library & Information Associations & Institutions". Retrieved 2020-05-15.
- ↑ Byrne, Alex (2003). "The Politics of Promoting Freedom of Information and Expression in International Librarianship". doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.2642.1525.
- ↑ Frimpong, Kwarteng (2015-06-19). "Where Can I Find a Library? Examining Access to Library Services in Asante Akyem North Municipality". SAGE Open. 5 (2): 215824401558138. doi:10.1177/2158244015581381. ISSN 2158-2440.
- ↑ Harris, Roma; Wilkinson, Margaret Ann (2001). "(Re)Positioning Librarians: How Young People View the Information Sector". Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. 42 (4): 289–307. doi:10.2307/40323997. ISSN 0748-5786. JSTOR 40323997.
- ↑ Asamoah-Hassan, Helena R (27 Jun 2012). "Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and library development in Africa". KNUSTSpace: 13.
- ↑ Dowling, Dowling (2017). "Global Library Associations". In Abdullahi, Ismail. Global Library and Information Science (2nd ed.). Munich: De Gruyter Saur. p. 692. ISBN 978-3-11-041312-0. Search this book on
- ↑ Walker, Clare M. (2006-01-01). "Library associations in South Africa, 1930‐2005". Library Management. 27 (1/2): 26–37. doi:10.1108/01435120610647929. ISSN 0143-5124.
- ↑ "AfLIA: paving the way for open access to a wealth of information". Research Features. 2017-11-30. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 University of South Africa Library (13 May 2011). "African Library Summit 2011 Report" (PDF). UNISA Press @ Sunday Times Books LIVE. Retrieved 2020-05-26. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Mbambo-Thata, Buhle; Raubenheimer, J; Van der Linde, G (11 May 2011). "The New African Librarian: Perspectives from the Continent: Selected Papers from the African Library Summit, Muldersdrift". UNISA Press, University of South Africa.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Asamoah-Hassan, H. R. "African Library and Information Associations and Institutions" (PDF). International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Retrieved 20 May 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Dick, Archie L (2014-10-30). "What's wrong with Africanization!". Information Development. 30 (4): 382–383. doi:10.1177/0266666914552961. ISSN 0266-6669.
- ↑ "The future of African public libraries". Book Aid International. 2016-05-20. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ↑ AfLIA. "African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA)" (PDF). IFLA Publications. Retrieved 17 May 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Membership – African Library & Information Associations & Institutions". Retrieved 2020-05-17.
- ↑ AfLIA (20 May 2020). "Membership Database". African Library and Information Associations and Institutions. Retrieved 25 May 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "The Regions of Africa". WorldAtlas. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 AfLIA (21 June 2019). "2018 Annual Report" (PDF). African Library and Information Associations and Institutions. Retrieved 20 May 2019. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 21.0 21.1 "AfLIA & EBLIDA - Memorandum of agreement - European Bureau of Library Information and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA)". www.eblida.org. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ↑ "4th International Summit of the Book Conference". www.bibalex.org. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ↑ Research Features (1 November 2017). "AfLIA: paving the way for open access to a wealth of information" (PDF). Research Features Magazine. Retrieved 25 May 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Book Summit". www.bibalex.org. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ↑ "AfLIA urges researchers to take advantage of open access articles – MyJoyOnline.com". Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ↑ "About AfLIA – African Library & Information Associations & Institutions". Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ↑ Jowaisas, Chris (20 May 2019). "TASCHA Researchers head to AfLIA Conference". Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA). Retrieved 25 May 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ EIFL (1 May 2019). "3rd AfLIA Conference & 5th African Library Summit". Electronic Information for Libraries. Retrieved 22 May 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 29.0 29.1 AfLIA (10 June 2019). "3rd AfLIA Conference and 5th African Library Summit – AfLIACon 2019 Recap". African Library and Information Associations and Institutions. Retrieved 26 May 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "IFLA -- African Public Libraries Summit 2012". www.ifla.org. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ Weah, T. Michael (2012-01-01). "The African Public Library Summit, Johannesburg, South Africa, September 19‐21, 2012". Library Hi Tech News. 29 (9): 1–4. doi:10.1108/07419051211294428. ISSN 0741-9058.
- ↑ "IFLA -- African Public Libraries Summit 2012". www.ifla.org. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ "African Library & Information Associations & Institutions Archives". Book Aid International. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ "2nd African Public Libraries Summit | EIFL". www.eifl.net. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ "3rd African Public Libraries Summit | EIFL". www.eifl.net. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ "Encouraging a reading culture in Africa; AUC and AfLIA sign MOU | African Union". au.int. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ↑ "BA Signs Memorandum of Cooperation with AfLIA". Bibalex.org. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ↑ Wagg, Sharon. "Bilateral agreement between CILIP and the African Library and Information Association (AfLIA) – Information Literacy Website". Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ↑ "PLA collaborates on leadership training in Africa". American Libraries Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ↑ "TASCHA Researchers Head to AfLIA Conference | Technology & Social Change Group". tascha.uw.edu. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ "Accredited Observers". www.wipo.int. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
External links[edit]
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