Perceptions of Public Libraries in Tanzania
Transcript of Perceptions of Public Libraries in Tanzania
Knowledge without
boundaries
Who we are
EIFL is an international not-for-profit organisation dedicated to enabling access to knowledge through libraries in more than 60 developing and transition countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe.
EIFL Mission
EIFL promotes sustainable access and exchange of knowledge through global leadership of libraries to improve the
development of society and the economy in developing and transition countries
Core Initiatives
• Access to Knowledge for Education, Learning and Research – ensuring well-resourced libraries, modern ICT
infrastructure and skilled staff to provide essential support to students and scholars.
• Access to Knowledge for Sustainable Community Development– transforming lives through innovative services in
public libraries
EIFL Programmes
• EIFL-Licensing
• EIFL-OA: open access
• EIFL-IP: copyright and libraries
• EIFL-FOSS: free and open source software
• EIFL-PLIP: Public Library Innovation Programme
EIFL-Licensingin action…
• Negotiate affordable and fair licensing agreements for e-journals, databases and e-books
• Build local capacity in licensing and management of e-resources
• Work to promote awareness of e-resources, and to encourage subscriptions and usage
EIFL-OAin action…
• Build capacity to launch and support OA institutional repositories
• Offer training, support knowledge sharing, and provide expertise
• Empower library professionals, scholars, educators and students to be OA advocates
• Advocate nationally and internationally for the adoption of OA policies and mandates
EIFL-Copyrightin action…
• Play a leadership role in promoting national and international copyright law reform
• Build local capacity through training in advocacy and copyright issues
• Provide valuable resources and expertise
EIFL-FOSSin action…
• Encourage knowledge sharing through best-practice case studies
• Build a network of FOSS champions in EIFL partner countries
• Provide training and guidance
• Raise awareness and understanding of FOSS use in libraries
Improving lives and livelihood through innovative public library services
EIFL-PLIP: Public Library Innovation Programme
EIFL-PLIPcontext
• Technology offers public libraries new opportunities to increase access to knowledge, helping to improve standards of living and transform lives
• Yet, in most countries where the need is greatest, public libraries are under-resourced
• EIFL supports public libraries to use technology creatively to develop innovative services to meet the needs of their communities
EIFL-PLIPin action…
• Sparking ideas for the use of ICT to improve lives
• Providing financial and human resources to support innovative projects
• Promoting services that made an impact
• Sharing learning and knowledge in the PLIP network
PLIP’s approach
1. Grant support
2. Capacity building (impact assessment, communications & advocacy skills)
3. Sharing learning so other libraries are inspired by innovation and can replicate successful services
CALLS FOR PROPOSALS
• 1ST round 2010 - 2011: 12 new projects
• 2nd round 2011 - 2012: 14 projects replicating successful projects of the first round
26 projects in public libraries in 22 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America
Focus on 5 development areas
• Vulnerable children and youth at risk
• Agriculture
• Health
• Employment and entrepreneurship
• Open government
AchievementsNew public library services using ICT to address community needs in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
Support for children and youth at risk
Ghana, Tamale – ICT and leadership training for 190 unemployed and vulnerable youth.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zavidovići - ICT and media skills for school kids hanging around in the bus station.
Support for children and youth at risk
Lithuania, Utena - 1,130 school drop-outs play a computer learning game in 25 public libraries, earning points towards their school results.
Zambia, Lubuto – literacy through 100 computer based reading lessons in each of Zambia’s seven languages.
Support for farming and farmers
Chile, Panguipulli – mobile ICT lab trains 200 farmers in online social networking skills, and connects them to an online market.
Serbia, Jagodina - The AgroLib information service improves farming methods, increases sales of farm products and links farmers to government support services.
.
Provision of health information
Kenya, Kisumu and El Doret – health corners with Internet access to e-health resources. 1.600 health workers, students and members of the public trained.
Improving people’s employment prospects
Mongolia – Ulanbaatar City Library and Nat. Fed. of the Blind make digital talking books available in 21 rural libraries – such as how to learn to be a masseur.
Nepal, Saula - 43 people trained in traditional and fine art and computer skills in a digital design centre with the first public Internet access.
ICT of new services• PC’s and a range of software including
special s/w (eg for the blind)
• Laptops and mobile devices
• Access to the Internet
• Digital cameras, recording equipment
• Mobile (smart) phones
• Radio, video, solar panels, multimedia..
PLIP IN AFRICA• Research Study on the Perceptions of Public
Libraries in 6 African Countries (2011)
• Call for proposals in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda (starting 1 April 2012)
• African Advocacy Groups in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda (starting 1 April 2012)
• (3 projects in the first call – Ghana, Kenya, Zambia; 2 projects in the replication call – South Africa, Uganda)
Perception studyResearch background
• Geographies: Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe
• Objective: to understand the awareness, perceptions, attitudes and actions towards public libraries of different target groups: central and local government officials, users, non users and librarians
• Time: 2011 January-June• Carried out by TNS International
Samples of respondents
Category Total Kenya Uganda Tanzania Ghana Zimbabwe Ethiopia
Library users 1990 499 498 499 494
Non users of libraries 1201 300 300 301 300
Librarians 283 63 50 48 67 35 20
Local level officials (operating libraries) 202 30 31 38 14 40 49
Local level officials (not operating libraries) 76 21 19 26 10
National Level officials 99 19 20 20 20 20
In Tanzania libraries are important to individuals and communities
Opinion of users
Opinion of local government officials
Public libraries are quite actively used
Total Kenya Uganda Tanzania Ghana
Base (=total sample) 1990 499 498 499 494
% % % % %
Daily 27 33 18 27 29
Weekly 54 54 59 62 40
Monthly 12 10 16 7 14
Every other month 4 2 4 3 10
Once or twice a year 3 1 1 1 6
Don't know 1 - 2 0 1
Primary use of public libraries is educational
Purpose of libraries by (users) Total Kenya Uganda Tanzania Ghana
Base (=total sample) 1990 499 498 499 494
% % % % %
Educational purposes (for homework or to take a class) 91 94 90 86 95
National news or information 34 37 36 32 30
Local news or information 28 33 34 28 15
Entertainment 26 16 19 29 38
Information on health issue 20 18 22 17 22
International news or information 15 14 9 22 12
To conduct a job search or write a CV 12 14 14 14 5
Loan books 11 12 2 2 28
To look for information on starting or running a business 10 15 14 6 6
But the benefits derived go beyond education
Total Kenya Uganda Tanzania Ghana
Base (=total sample) 1990 499 498 499 494% % % % %
Developed new skills or learned something new 89 90 93 92 84
Obtained new ideas, new interests 78 81 78 80 73
Got helpful information for school/ learning 73 67 71 80 72
Experienced the library as safe and quiet place for study and reading 67 63 64 67 73
Save time 55 52 44 71 55
Enjoyed the visits - have you felt comfortable in the library 52 52 58 51 48
Got helpful information for health and well being 36 31 41 47 26
Made contacts with other people 36 27 35 47 36
Got helpful information for business and commerce 31 38 32 43 10
Got helpful information about your community 31 26 30 59 9
Be better in your job 21 24 31 23 5
And the needs of inhabitants go beyond educationPerceived purpose of libraries (non users) Total Kenya Uganda Tanzania Ghana
Base (=total sample) 1201 300 300 301 300
% % % % %
Educational purposes (for homework or to take a class) 97 98 94 97 98
Local news or information 56 46 65 71 41
Information on health issue 55 49 59 65 48
National news or information 55 47 57 69 48
To help children do homework 51 39 51 50 64
Information on agriculture 49 45 49 60 42
Entertainment 43 23 49 66 34
It is safe place for my child to spend time 41 26 37 52 49
To look for information on starting or running a business 38 30 35 55 30
What people like and what they don’t like
There is a need for technology
• 42% of users dissatisfied with library services say that they lack computers
• 54% of librarians say that they lack technology related skills
• With more funding, 44% of librarians would get more computers, second to books in terms of their priority
Intentions of non users to start using libraries
Libraries need to tap into this opportunity by reaching out to non users and addressing the barriers, key among them being relevance of materials, activities and ICT
Priorities of local governments regarding libraries
Satisfaction levels among local official with libraries
Local level officials view of the purposes served by libraries
Library potential• Both local and national government officials
recognize libraries’ potential to support policy strands outside what are perceived to be their core competences of education, literacy and culture.
• The officials readily accept the notion that libraries could contribute in the areas of economic development, employment, health, agriculture and the digital divide
PLIP in AFRICA • Call for proposals in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, closed on the 31st
of January
• Eligible public and community libraries
• 167 proposals received
– Ghana 28, Kenya 47, Uganda 92
– Children + youth / farming / health / employment / entrepreneurship
• Evaluation is in the final stages
• Projects to start 1st of April
PLIP in AFRICA • African Advocacy Groups in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda –
groups of advocacy ‘champions’
• Building on the results of the perceptions’ research
• Aims to – Change negative and reinforce positive perceptions
– Create awareness about the need to innovate amongst librarians
• Target groups decision makers (national, local), media, librarians
• 1 year projects with a variety of activities
Innovation Awards• New initiative to start 1st April
• Rolling call in ‘our’ themes for stories about innovation in public libraries
– Economic well being
– Community health
– Social inclusion
– Open government
• Chance to win $1500, trip to conference
• Winners will be given wide publicity
Related initiatives
• Beyond Access Campaign– Targeting the ICT community (funders and
practitioners) to convince them of the potential of public libraries for development
• Internet Governance Forum Dynamic Coalition for Public Access in Libraries– Multi stakeholder forum of government,
business, civil society, funders