This paper briefly defines the nature of economic development, describes the various conferences and seminars which have been held to discuss library problems pertaining to Africa, discusses the types of programs and activities that African libraries must engage in if they are to contribute effectively to economic development, reviews the role of…

This paper outlines the rationale for, and functions of, national library policies within African countries; discusses some of the issues raised concerning national library policies at the 1970 meeting at Kampala of the Experts on the National Planning of Documentation and Library Services in Africa and at other similar conferences; reviews the…

Using the UNESCO Public Library Manifesto as a basis for discussion, this paper examines the role of the public library within developing countries and reviews the major developments in public library services in Africa subsequent to the two UNESCO seminars on Public Library Development held in Nigeria in 1962. A number of key statements from the…

This paper discusses the development of library cooperation and the centralization of library services in East Africa (i.e., Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda). Included are descriptions of interlibrary lending arrangements, the role of library associations, the education of professional librarians and the training of library paraprofessionals,…