Information Development

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Institutional Change in the Ugandan Library Sector: the establishment of the National Library of Uganda Joacim Hansson and Jane Kawalya Information Development 2007; 23; 278 DOI: 10.1177/0266666907084763

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Downloaded from http://idv.sagepub.com at Vaxjo Universitet on August 27, 2008 © 2007 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN THE UGANDAN LIBRARY SECTOR Institutional Change in the Ugandan Library Sector: the establishment of the National Library of Uganda

The establishment of the National Library of countries where this development is evident today are Uganda has had a major effect on the library sector Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. in Uganda, but much remains to be done. Different aspects of what a national library should be and should do came under consideration in Joacim Hansson and Jane Kawalya Uganda already in the 1960s. The development of the new National Library was long awaited, but swiftly inaugurated in 2003. Uganda had never before had a INTRODUCTION national library in any proper sense; instead, the tasks of When describing the development of national libraries, such an institution were distributed through different Goodrum (1980, p. 392) distinguishes three phases, or parts of the library sector, primarily the Makerere “generations”. The fi rst of these developed in the 15th University Library, which in the 1990s grew to become century, primarily in Europe. Most national libraries one of the most central library institutions in the whole grew out of existing collections, for instance university of Eastern Africa (Sicherman, 2005, p. 312) libraries and royal libraries. During the 16th and 17th The aim of this article is to describe and discuss the centuries they were established as the central library developments in the Ugandan library sector which institution in their respective countries. Collections have led to the establishment of the National Library grew primarily through the legal requirement to deposit of Uganda (NLU). The focus will be on the actual all publications, for instance in Sweden from 1667, historical development from the mid-1960s until the which was established through agreements between passing by Parliament of the National Library of the libraries and printing houses. Other ways of ac- Uganda Act in 2003. Further, the article discusses the quiring valuable documents and collections included consequences for institutional relations within the war booty. Ugandan library sector which are due to the establish- The second generation of national libraries dates ment of NLU. from 1800-post Napoleonic to the World War II period. With a departure point in the fi rst generation HISTORY OF THE UGANDA LIBRARY SECTOR model, they limited themselves to accumulating the history and accomplishments of the nation in printed The history of libraries in East Africa, like that of forms; Canada and Australia are examples of this gen- Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, is comparatively short. eration. Still today much effort is put into defi ning the Unlike the European experience, the centrality of national and local identities of countries through their libraries to African development has not been fully national libraries, for instance through digitization of exploited. This may be due to the fact that Africa had a local cultural heritage collections (Dalbello, 2004). late start in the development of its economic potential, The third generation of national libraries has mainly and its limited resources are largely invested in the arisen in Africa and Latin America. They have renewed industrial and agricultural sectors in order to quickly the concept of the national library by not focussing on produce material goods (Ilomo, 1985, p. 98). vast collection building alone, but are to be seen mainly Few libraries were established in East Africa before as ‘headquarters’ for networks of libraries and other the World War II. Those which existed were small, information-intense institutions. They are an expression with no professional librarians and catered mostly of emergent nationalism in the wake of a series of for European civil servants, their families and Asians. types of national institution such as national archives, Public libraries like those in the United States, the national theatres, or national museums. Examples of United Kingdom or the Scandinavian countries were

Downloaded from http://idv.sagepub.com at Vaxjo Universitet on August 27, 2008 © 2007 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN THE UGANDAN LIBRARY SECTOR non-existent. There were libraries fi nanced, maintained The government requested the Board to prepare and operated by non-Africans – by 1923 the Uganda estimates and sketch plans for the proposed library Society Library provided services for the expatriates in development. Plans were made for building, equipping Entebbe, who at that time were almost the only people furnishing and stocking the Uganda National Library literate in English. (Kigongo-Bukenya, 1990, p. 131; and headquarters in Kampala, four regional libraries Ikoja-Odongo, 2004 p. 170). and sixteen branch libraries in the major towns in the Uganda’s Ten-Year Development Plan, 1946–56, country. Kampala Public Library was to be improved emphasized social services including lending libraries, and extended and the implementation plan was to be but the project was abandoned because of poor initial in phases. Unfortunately, there were no funds to imple- planning and under-funding (Kigongo-Bukenya, 1990, ment the plan. However, the Board went further and p.131). Library services in Uganda started in 1948, when opened fi ve more branch libraries, extended book box the East African Literature Bureau (EALB) was set up services to some hospitals and major prison services, with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, and branches and started operating mobile library services to eastern in Kampala, Uganda, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. and western Uganda with government funds. Its responsibilities included publishing books in the The plan for library development was again included vernacular languages and providing a public library in the Third Five-Year Development Plan, 1971/72– lending service. Library services comprised branches 1975/76 (Government of Uganda, 1973 p. 373). Funds in gazetted towns, circulating book-boxes loaned were again not provided for its implementation, so the to subscribing institutions and postal loan services to Board encouraged local initiative to raise funds through subscribing individuals. fundraising campaigns. The construction of the Teso In 1960, S.W. Hockey was entrusted with the duty Library building was started during the period under of working with library committees in each East local initiative and the government came in to support African country to appraise the library services offered the project with funding. Similarly, Tororo Public and initiate further development (Hockey, 1960). He Library building was extended and by 1976, 21 branch recommended that: libraries were opened. The Government included the plan in the Action Program 1977/78–1979/80 and li- Central or national library services should be set braries were restocked. up, which from its headquarters in the capital city should be for the establishment, maintenance and development of library services. They were to The Public Libraries Board Commissions be under the control of statutory Library Boards of Inquiries which were to be given wider powers (Hockey, Efforts to build up the national library headquarters 1971, p.165). failed, since the project was inadequately staffed. The libraries of the EALB were to be absorbed into Another failure was the omission of a generous training the new national libraries. Uganda adopted the Public scheme for personnel administering the library services. Libraries Board Act in 1964 and the Public Libraries One can state that Uganda made a ‘faulty start’; the fi rst Board (PLB) was established under the Ministry of chief librarian was inexperienced and had no political Culture and Community Development in 1965. The base, something which counteracted his professional PLB was in charge of eleven branch libraries, book-box activities and subsequently led to his dismissal. With mobiles and postal services. the only qualifi ed librarian dismissed, a non-professional was appointed and there was no proper planning and running of services. Instead of starting by consolidat- Development Plans ing the central library (headquarters) to enable technical Development of library services in Uganda was one of processing, administration of service and staff training, the projects under the Second Five-Year Development more branches were opened and a mobile service was Plan, 1966/67–1970/1971 (Government of Uganda, put in place to provide library services to as many people 1969, p.146). Under this plan, government allocated as possible. This was a far greater responsibility than UGX 1.5 million for capital development for libraries. the fi nancial and personnel resources could maintain. The immediate aim was to have a library service in The result was the mushrooming of branches all over the each district supplemented by mobile library services. country, inconsistency, poor library accommodation,

furniture, equipment and books. The many problems in order to reduce costs and minimize delays from posed to government in the organization of public central administration. Finally, liaisons between the library services were confi rmed by the number of Board and school libraries and the appointment of a commissions and committees of inquiry set up to School Libraries Inspector to cooperate with the Board examine them. and the East African School of Librarianship at Makerere University in the elementary training of teacher librarians should be made (Nabeta, 1968; The Nabeta Committee Report 1968 Kigongo-Bukenya, 1971). A commission of inquiry was appointed in 1967 under The Board embarked on a policy of reducing the chairmanship of T.T.T. Nabeta, whose terms of service units by closing branches which were reference were: poorly stocked, badly accommodated and ineffi - to make a survey of the existing state of the ciently managed. The failure of the commission library services and to assess information about proved what was already known: that the solutions local plans for library development from local of Board’s problems did not lie in conducting committees and report to the Board with the inquiries, the solution would have been the ap- recommendations for the future development. pointment of a director after the enactment of the (Matogo, 1975, p. 309). Public Libraries Board Act 1964. There was no hope for a take-off until a director was appointed In their report the committee observed that there was (Matogo, 1975 p. 310). very little demand for reading for pleasure both in rural and urban areas, which was attributed to the obvious scarcity of reading materials suitable to the library The Nekyon Committee, 1969 users. Most of the readers in rural areas were school As the Nabeta report did not provide solutions to the children, teachers and a few others engaged in private PLB problems, a one-man committee was appointed study. This also applied to the urban centres with the in October 1969 “to inquire into the administration exception that readership was better, more educated and fi nancial affairs of the Public Library service”, and sophisticated; there was confusion in most local and to establish whether the Board was discharging its authorities concerning the responsibility for providing duties as laid out by the Public Libraries Board Act, the library services in their respective areas. Most of 1964. Nekyon recommended: the appointment of a them were ignorant of the Public Libraries Act, 1964 director with administrative ability and experience; and they maintained that they had little or nothing to to merge the post of Chairman of the Board with do with the service that was the sole responsibility of that of the Director; increase library personnel in the the Public Libraries Board (Nabeta, 1968). branches; purchase more books and put up functional The committee recommended the establishment library buildings; local authorities to be more actively of well organized, well stocked and properly manned involved in the provision of library services in their public library services to cope adequately with the respective areas; retention and increase of mobile rapidly increasing reading needs resulting from the fast library services in the four regions; improvement of expanding educational facilities. It also emphasized the postal library services and extension of book-box consolidation of existing services, as this would keep services to all community centres; an annual book alive actual demands, avoid disruption of readers’ grant; and the Board to endeavour to raise funds programmes while encouraging gradual, orderly through loans, donations and establishing bookshops development and enhancing public confi dence in the in all the towns; the Board membership to include one Board. Further, the recommendation encouraged representative from the four regions. (Nekyon, 1969). more active participation from the local authorities Just like the Nabeta report, no action was taken by the by providing initial library accommodation, erecting government. library buildings, and employing suitable library assistants for future training by the Board. Finally, The Kent Report, 1970 the committee suggested provision of literature for school children and teachers and, gradually, for other A UNESCO expert meeting on national planning of reading interests and development of regional libraries documentation and library services in Africa was held

Downloaded from http://idv.sagepub.com at Vaxjo Universitet on August 27, 2008 © 2007 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN THE UGANDAN LIBRARY SECTOR in Kampala 7–15 July 1970 and among the participants Information Agency and UNESCO, ceased due to was C.D. Kent, a Unesco consultant from Canada, who the hostile political situation. Many qualified and had been requested by the Uganda government to: experienced staff and expatriates fl ed the country. Kawesa summarized the situation as follows: make a study of the present state of the library and documentation services of the country and In 1973, a dark period began for libraries. There evaluate the future needs, draw up a plan for was an exodus of traditional users of existing the development of national documentation and libraries of all sorts – Asians, academicians, library services with short, medium and long range research fellows and associates. A shortage of objectives, including statistical data and cost esti- foreign exchange and a lack of general appreci- mates for the target period; submit a brief fi nal ation of the role of libraries in the priorities of report upon completion of mission including the funding authorities moreover meant that a consid- fi ndings motioned above along with concrete erable number of periodical subscriptions could recommendations for rapid implementation not be renewed. For example, Makerere University (Kent, 1970). Library had more than 2,000 exchange partners and regular donors mainly in the USA and the His report was more theoretical than practical, al- UK, but exchange agreements were cancelled as though it contained valuable information; however, libraries in Uganda failed to reciprocate. Library it lacked sufficient data to be accepted as a basic budgets dwindled and developments almost came development model. He had suggested the separate to a stand-still (1993, p. 824). creation of national, parliamentary, public, school and special libraries. The meeting agreed on a unitary In 1979, during the liberation war between Uganda or simple integrated form of library development. and Tanzania, the Arua, Masaka and Mbarara branch A working group was formed to prepare guidelines, libraries were destroyed and in other public libraries which included; re-examination of the 1964 legislation books were looted or destroyed. to facilitate the creation of a national system of librar- From the 1960s the various governments in Uganda ies; the need to expand staff training at the East have paid lip-service to library development; their pol- African School of Librarianship, Makerere Univer- icies were not matched with the release of funds to sity; to try and solve the difficulties in respect of implement library plans. This may be due to the absence library development, namely: lack of planning and of political leaders like Nkwame Nkrumah of Ghana coordination, fragmentation of existing resources, and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, who got personally shortage of qualifi ed personnel, absence of a national involved in library development (Kigongo-Bukenya, ‘information pool’ to facilitate the internal and external 1990, p. 137). Most of the funding for libraries is from dissemination of information, the slow development of external donors, which has drawbacks because of publishing and the shortage of literature in vernacular political uncertainties. Efforts were made to rehabilitate languages.(Matogo, 1975, p. 313). these libraries during the rule of the Uganda Liberation General frustration was expressed in one study: Front (UNLF) government and this was continued during the early period of the National Resistance all said, there is a Board and an administration Movement (NRM) government. Mbarara and Masaka both enthusiastic and forward looking: the public libraries were reopened. Kabarole and Jinja thinking and planning has been made but all public library buildings were rehabilitated; and more have reached a dead end because of unconcerned stock was acquired from development partners for all library authorities who do not fight library libraries. development plans, and as a result funding is inadequate (Kigongo-Bukenya, 1985 p. 79). LEGAL DEPOSIT LAWS One of the most important features of a national library Decline of Library Services is its ability to collect materials printed and distributed The already bad situation worsened when Idi Amin in the country as well as material about the country took over power by a coup in 1971. Funds for books, printed abroad and even in foreign languages. In mainly from the British Council, the United States Uganda this depository practice was fi rst formulated

as a task for the largest library in the country, the obliged to deposit the documents, and this tends to Makerere University Library, by an Act of Parliament, exclude printers and authors. The penalty for non- the Makerere University College (Deposit Library) compliance is a meagre fi ne and is therefore largely Act, 1964 (Government of Uganda, 1965). ignored by the publishers. On top of this, the Act does Makerere University College was founded in 1922 as not provide a proper framework for an infrastructural a technical college. In 1949 it became a college of higher solution for the systematic collection of documents education affi liated to the University of London. With (Kawalya, 1995: p.111). The Uganda National Biblio- the establishment of East Africa in 1963, the period graphy was irregular, and not comprehensive because of the special relation with the University of London of the weak legal deposit Act and the failure of the came to an end and the independent University of East publishers to deposit their books. Most of the documents Africa was instituted. The constituents of the Univer- listed in the bibliography are Makerere University sity of East Africa were University College, Makerere, publications and mainly theses and dissertations. There University College, Nairobi and University College, was also lack of space, lack of transport to collect the Dar es Salaam. Makerere University is the oldest and documents, limited storage, staff and funds to publish largest institution of higher learning in East Africa; the bibliography; only a few copies were produced it was established as a separate university in 1970. and these were distributed mostly outside Uganda and (Lwanga, 1971, p. 131) Under the Makerere University only the East African School of Librarianship received College (Deposit Library) Act of 1964, the library copies. In general the Uganda National Bibliography built over the years a large and unique East African was inaccessible for most people. It eventually ceased collection. Thus by the very nature of its content and publication in 1998 (Kawalya, 1995, p. 114). organization, and in the absence of a well developed The Deposit Library and Documentation Centre public library service or national library, the Makerere Act of 1969 is administered by the Institute of Public Library was obliged to take on the responsibilities of Administration (now known as the Uganda Manage- a national reference library. This involved collecting ment Institute) and its main objective is to support materials published within the country and materials documentation and information dissemination in the about the country published elsewhere. country. It is empowered to collect public documents The main objective of the Makerere University from government departments and local authorities; College (Deposit Library) Act, 1964 is to collect and however it also collects publications from publishers preserve the literature on Uganda. The Act required (Government of Uganda, 1970). It produces the every publisher of every book published in Uganda Library Bulletin and Accessions List (a type of national to deposit a copy of his work at his own expense with bibliography); this is regular (annual), although not the librarian of Makerere University; this act also ap- comprehensive enough because of the weak legal plied to authors in Uganda who have published their deposit act (Kawalya, 1995, p. 117). It is distributed to books about Uganda outside of Uganda (Government government departments and publishers. of Uganda, 1965, p. 2561). At that time, there was no institution in Uganda, THE NATIONAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (NATIS) let alone in East Africa, which produced a comprehensive national bibliography. A ‘Uganda Bibliography’ The Intergovernmental Conference on the Planning section appeared for the fi rst time in the Makerere of National Documentation, Library and Archives University College Library Bulletin and Accessions Infrastructures, held in Paris from 23–27 September 1974 List, no.65, January–February 1965. The bibliography (UNESCO, 1975) was the result of the authorization included government publications, books about given to the Director General by the 17th Session of Uganda and those on Uganda but published outside UNESCO General conference, 1972 to “... promote the country. the planning of documentation, library and archives In 1987, the Makerere University Library, Africana/ services as an integral part of the national commu- Special Collections Section started to produce the nication infrastructure in support of development” Uganda National Bibliography. The Act can today be (UNESCO, 1975, p. 4). Concerned with the planning regarded as somewhat outdated as it does not cover, for of overall national documentation, library and archives instance, non-book materials such as audio materials, services, it was asked to generalize the fi ndings of visual materials or photographs. Only publishers are UNESCO regional expert meetings on planning and

Downloaded from http://idv.sagepub.com at Vaxjo Universitet on August 27, 2008 © 2007 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN THE UGANDAN LIBRARY SECTOR of other meetings of experts, and to set out general country was approved and a consultant visited Uganda guidelines for planning policy and methodology as well in 1987. A national seminar was held with the aim of as to formulate recommendations for the preparation discussing the methodology of establishing NATIS. of national plans (Kaungamno, 1985 p. 264). In this The seminar drafted a proposal policy guideline on connection, it approved objectives related to the setting information systems and services; made a structure up of NATIS in all countries and in particular on: a for the national information policy and coordinating national information policy, establishing a legislative agency and recommended an appropriate institutional framework, planning the organizational structure, framework for NATIS to be set up in the offi ce of the Universal Bibliographic Control, and personnel. Prime Minister. (UNESCO, 1976). In her outline of the structure of the NATIS, Nakkazi Uganda, like other countries in Africa, tried to (1990) proposed the following; An Interministerial formulate an information policy as it had realized the Council consisting of representatives for the relevant importance of organized information in the economic ministers which would formulate policy guidelines and development of the country, and tried at various set standards and norms of operation; an Executive stages to implement UNESCO’s recommendations to Directorate, which would carry out coordination and establish a national information system. other functions; and an Advisory Group of technical In March 1990, the East African School of Librarian- information experts from different disciplines, whose ship (EASL) with the sponsorship of the German main function would be to advise the Interministerial Foundation for International Development (DSE) Council on technical matters relating to information organized a seminar on the ‘Development of a National plans, strategies and programs in the entire country. Information and Documentation Network for Uganda’, She suggested that the Agency coordinated NATIS whose aim was to give participants an opportunity to activities; established policy guidelines in information hold detailed discussions and give views on the strat- related matters; set standards and norms to facilitate egies for achieving a workable information policy. information exchange and transfer; and trained and During the seminar, A. Nakkazi (1990) the commis- developed professional practitioners. sioner for UNESCO in Uganda, made an introduction The NATIS proposal was submitted to the cabinet. statement on the NATIS project. In 1974, following It was approved and an interim Director of NATIS the UNESCO Conference on the Planning of Library, was appointed. A bill was presented to the National Documentation and Archives Structures, held in Resistance Council – the Uganda legislative body – to Paris, the National Steering Committee was created give NATIS the legal backing in order to function and charged with the responsibility of assessing the properly, but this did not materialize. possibilities of setting up an integrated national in- For the fi rst time, the future looked promising, and formation system for Uganda. No further action was it was hoped that an organized and integrated infor- taken although the committee presented a cabinet mation system would be established, which would memo seeking cabinet approval for establishing such a implement UNESCO’s recommendations. NATIS structure to aid in development programs, the reason intended to create networks, for example of agriculture being that the government was diverted to the fast raging libraries and health libraries. This would have fi lled in war between Uganda and Tanzania and subsequent the vacuum of a national library and NATIS would civil wars. In 1986, following the UNESCO director’s coordinate, advise, promote and solicit funding to help invitation to member states to consider designating a these library networks. UNESCO funded this project government agency as national focal point, the National through the Ministry of Public Service and Cabinet Resistance Movement (NRM) government appointed Affairs but funds were misappropriated and so the the National Information Agency Advisory Committee project could not take off. (NIAAC) to: advise government on the establishment of an integrated National Information System (NATIS); THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF UGANDA ACT, 2003 draw up a suitable structure for coordination of the activities of NATIS and; prepare proposals to be presented Instead of fulfi lling the intentions of the UNESCO to donor agencies for funding. initiatives, the discussions within the Ugandan library A request to UNESCO by NIAAC for technical sector were directed towards the possibility of fi nding assistance to assess the information system status in the political support for the establishment of a national

library based on experiences from other countries and (k) to carry out advocacy at the local and international following the movement within the sector itself to level in matters relating to libraries establish control over and coordination of the different (l) to acquire and organize for use, a comprehensive kinds of libraries. First and foremost, focus was put collection of library materials published in Uganda, on the coordination of public library activities in all by Ugandans, and on Uganda parts of the country, which after the decentralization (m) to act as a depository for national and foreign in the late 1990s had become a matter of urgency. governments’ publications as well as for the United Political legitimizing of the initiative went smoothly, Nations and other international organizations for and although it had been a long and winding road to purposes of promoting research and scholarship get there, the fi nal process of getting political support and for the preservation of published national from Parliament went through swiftly, due to the great culture and intellectual output care made in presentations by representatives of the (n) to compile and publish a national bibliography library profession. of books published in Uganda as a means of pro- The Act itself stipulates the establishment of the moting the awareness of the availability of these National Library of Uganda, the depositing and pre- books and encouraging the sale of these books in servation of publications, the setting up of an infor- the country and abroad mation referral service and library coordination and (o) in collaboration with publishers in Uganda to to provide for other related matters. The tasks of the carry out the cataloguing of books before they new library that were formulated were many and quite are published so as to ease the processing of these diverse in scope. The Act states them as follows: books by various libraries (p) to establish and maintain a National Union Cata- (a) to develop national policies on public libraries logue of holdings or major libraries in the country (b) to provide to local government standards, advice, and to provide information and referral services, norms, work manuals and guidelines in respect of including specialized information services, at the public library buildings, staffi ng, stock and infor- national and international level mation processing, storage and retrieval (q) to allocate International Standard Book Numbers (c) to inspect and ensure that public libraries conform and International Standard Serial Numbers to to national policies, guidelines and standards publishers in Uganda (d) to provide technical, professional and advisory (r) to act as the agency for national and international services in the fi eld of librarianship to Government lending and exchange of library materials departments, local governments and the public (s) to act as a national agency for national, regional and sector international information systems (e) to carry out research in the fi eld of library and (t) to create electronic databases in areas of national information provision and disseminate results to interest government, local governments and the public (u) to acquire at a fee, from any person or institution, (f) to design and carry out pilot projects in new areas any manuscript or literature that may be considered of library and information provision and dis- to be of interest to the country seminate results to local governments and other (v) to carry out any other functions that may promote organizations the above objectives. (g) to carry out and coordinate staff development programmes for people working in libraries and The Act requires that every publisher of a book or information services document in Uganda shall at his/her cost deposit (h) to support and promote adult literacy and edu- three copies of the book or document or one copy of cation through the identifi cation and stocking of a videogram or fi lm and ten copies in the case of any post-literacy reading materials Government publication with the National Library. (i) to support the setting up of rural community Any person who contravenes this commits an offence libraries and is liable on conviction to a fi ne not exceeding ten (j) to promote the habit and culture of reading through currency points or to imprisonment not exceeding six reading campaigns and book exhibitions months or both (Government of Uganda, 2003, p. 5).

Defi ning Problems Institute. Some publishers deposit only one copy of expensive books. Others are ignorant of the law, an Even though the political process preceding the ignorance which cannot be blamed on the publishers implementation of the National Library Act was alone, but on the fact that there is no real mechanism for relatively swift, it was, like the previous Makerere the National Library to enforce the Act. The National University College (Deposit Library) Act 1964, Library has a shortage of funds, staff and space and and National Library and Documentation Centre it is operating in the environment of better-resourced Act 1969, formulated in what can be described as libraries such as Makerere University Library with little a policy vacuum. Uganda does not have a national hope of exercising the functions listed in the legislation. information policy which could place the various The fact that both the Uganda Management Institute tasks of the national library within a wider frame of and Makerere University Library are significantly political initiatives or intentions. As a consequence bigger and more established, both nationally and inter- the Act can be seen not just as a creative innovation nationally, makes the situation very interesting. of the library infrastructure of Uganda, but to an When the National Library of Uganda NLU was put equal degree as an indirect formulation of the gap in place, Makerere University Library formally ceased between political ambition and the practicalities of to collect and publish the Uganda National Bibliography, implementation created by the current lack of policy a task which was handed over to the National Library. anchorage. Some of the tasks can be seen as more Although still a recipient of legal deposits, Makerere or less random or included in the Act without any is now concentrating on serving its clientele, the stu- coherent thought behind them. An example of this is dents, staff and researchers of the university in order (c) above: “to inspect and ensure that public libraries “… to meet the study, teaching, research and outreach conform to national policy guidelines and standards”. information needs for sustainable national and regional Due to lack of suffi cient political and administrative development” (Makerere University Library, 2007). context, the National Library has no authority to dis- Makerere University library contributed most of the cipline staff or put the guidelines and standards into documents which are submitted as legal deposits to the practice. Due to administrative inconsistency when it National Library, many of which are theses and dis- comes to the patronage of the different libraries of the sertations. This is clearly visible in the National Biblio- country certain tasks are diffi cult to implement. This is graphy of Uganda, Volume One, 2005. especially true for the following tasks: (d) “to provide In addition to the national bibliography, the technical, professional and advisory services in the National Library and Documentation Centre at fi eld of librarianship, government departments, local the Uganda Management Institute is still collecting governments and public sector”; and (g) “to carry out national imprint and publishing the Accessions List. and coordinate staff development programs for people However, some publishers, especially the new ones, working in libraries and information services”. Public are ignorant about the Makerere University College libraries are under the Ministry of Local Government (Legal Deposit) Act 1964 and the National Library while the National Library is under the Ministry of and Documentation Centre Act 1969 which stipulates Gender, Labour and Social Development, so this makes this role for the library (Government of Uganda, 1970). it diffi cult to implement these functions. It has proved They are only aware of the National Library of Uganda, to be very diffi cult for the National Library to provide where they deposit their documents. The National professional and advisory services for public libraries Library and Documentation Centre continues to pub- in the countryside, and at the same time to coordinate lish the Library Accessions List annually, the latest being staff development for established libraries such as for 2005, which is sent online to the publishers and Makerere University Library. The National Library of government departments, but not to the major libraries Uganda is by law obliged to collect non-book materials of the country. such as videograms and fi lms, but this cannot be done The question on how to redirect patterns of power because of lack of storage and preservation facilities. due to experience and size from one part of the library The publishers have to deposit copies of their printed system is not just an issue of practicalities, but one production to three different depository libraries, which should be subjected to research as well. In namely the National Library of Uganda, Makerere addition to the legal deposit issue, another issue, which University Library and the Uganda Management was supposed to be a prime subject of development

through the establishment of the National Library, that although we clearly see the National Library as an was the coordination of public library activities in all example of Goodrum’s “third generation” of national parts of Uganda. This task has proven diffi cult since libraries, there is no organic relation between the two the public library system is catered for by different parts of the Ugandan library sector. Their roles do, in districts. certain aspects, go in separate directions. The mission of the National Library is to “collect, preserve and THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF UGANDA AND THE disseminate Uganda’s documented intellectual and PUBLIC LIBRARIES cultural heritage, provide professional leadership in library and information delivery and promote a read- With the enactment of the Local Government Act ing culture” (National Library of Uganda, 2007). These No. 1 of 1997, the Public Libraries Board was no longer various obligations have very little to do with each responsible for establishing, equipping, managing other. The promotion of a reading culture in a country and maintaining public libraries in Uganda (Government with 56 local languages recognized by the Uganda of Uganda, 1997). The urban (or rural) district author- Constitution (Government of Uganda, 1995) and with ities are now responsible for the public libraries and 32 percent illiteracy is a great challenge (Uganda Bureau the handing over process took place between 1998 of Statistics, 2005, p. 13). Especially in the rural areas, and 2000. the culture is oral, and the work of the libraries there- Most staff working in the public libraries today fore has to be directed towards a fundamental change of are not qualifi ed. They learnt librarianship in a sort culture, which is not necessarily welcomed by citizens of informal apprentice system. Today however, the in the villages out in the countryside. In establishing District Librarian must have a Master’s degree in this new culture the building of an institutional infra- Library and Information Science (or, in some cases, a structure is required, and the National Library has Bachelor of LIS depending on the library’s size and the helped local governments through the procurement nature of its undertakings). Local governments have of reading materials, Internet connectivity and the included the public libraries in the district structure construction of public library buildings. although different districts place their public libraries Examples of projects and initiatives forming the basis under different departments. For example: Masaka of this institutionalization of a ‘new’ public library ser- Public Library is under the Community Development vice provision all over Uganda are numerous, and here Department, Kampala Public Library is under the we would just like to mention a few, to give a picture of Education and Sports Department, while Hoima the character of the different activities. In the fi nancial Public Library is directly under the Town Clerk. Some year 2005/06, NLU procured 21,796 books worth UGX public libraries like Mbale, Teso and Tororo have 657,085,950 (approximately USD 362,000) from Book library committees at the district level. On a national Aid International (BAI) (Ministry of Gender Labour administrative level the National Library of Uganda and Social Development, 2005, p. 77). These books were itself is placed under the Ministry of Gender, Labour distributed to public libraries and community libraries and Social Development while the public libraries, in over 30 towns. In the town of Zigoti (Mubende for which the National Library sets standards, offers district) the National Library offered reading materials technical support and supervision, are placed under the to midwives and traditional birth attendants. It assisted Ministry of Local Government. Soroti Local Government Council in completing an Most local authorities welcomed the responsibil- offi ce block and the children’s wing of the Teso Public ity of running public libraries in 1997 as it provided Library building, which had stood still since 1968 them with a sense of ownership. On the other hand, due to political turmoil. With the assistance of the some local authorities feared that, with limited funds, American Embassy, the National Library provided public libraries would die and that however good the Internet connectivity to libraries in Kabarole, Mbale intentions were, there would be no reasonable chance and Kampala. The National Library and the National for – in many cases – administratively inexperienced Book Trust of Uganda (NABOTU) funded by the and underfi nanced local offi cials to maintain any form Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), of quality in the services provided. organizes National Book Week festivals in 24 public When discussing the relation between the National libraries, primarily in the rural areas. The National Library and the public libraries, it is important to note Library has been leading and participating in reading

Downloaded from http://idv.sagepub.com at Vaxjo Universitet on August 27, 2008 © 2007 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN THE UGANDAN LIBRARY SECTOR promotion campaigns and community reading-tents, can be benefi cial to the present library development in and has donated children’s books to primary schools Uganda. Issues that might be suggested as a basis for in various districts. This last effort has signifi cantly future research, as well as political implementation, improved the quality of primary school education and are the construction of functional library buildings, reading culture (Ministry of Gender Labour and Social the sensitizing of the public about library services, the Development, 2005, p. 76). formulation of a library policy for Uganda, and the sensitizing of publishers about the importance of CONCLUSION depositing their books with the National Library. Further related issues of the utmost importance are, There is no doubt that the establishment of the National among others, to encourage publishers to publish in Library of Uganda has had an effect on the Ugandan local languages, putting into consideration the gov- library sector in a major way. At the same time, it is easy ernment policy which states that in the year 2007 all to establish that the initiatives that form the basis for the children from primary 1 to 4 (Age 6–9) should be able political legitimacy of the National Library Act from to study in their local languages. 2003 have in no way made any substantial efforts to adjust other parts of the library system to conjoin with Note this new institution. Questions of power distribution, along with numerous practical problems that have to 1. This study is part of a research project on the development be solved both in the long run and on a daily basis, still of the National Library of Uganda financed by the stand unanswered. The challenges that were faced by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency library services in Uganda during the early 1960s still (SIDA/sarec). It is carried out in cooperation between the linger on at the beginning of the 21st century. To be Swedish School of Library and Information Science, the University College of Borås and Makerere University concrete, these challenges include: Library with the East African School of Library and • lack of functional library buildings and space Information Science, Makerere University, Kampala. • lack of qualifi ed staff • lack of government commitment and support References • lack of funding • lack of reading culture Dalbello, M. (2004) Institutional shaping of cultural memory: • absence of library policy Digital library as environment for textual transmission. Library Quarterly, 74(3), 265–298. • inadequate and irrelevant library materials. Goodrum, C.A. (1980) National libraries. In: ALA World Despite the above challenges, and despite the fact that Encyclopaedia of Library and Information Services. most districts in the country still lack public libraries, Chicago: American Library Association, 391–402. the government has taken a number of initiatives for the Government of Uganda. (1965) Makerere University College benefi t of the population, of which the establishment (Deposit Library) Act, 1964. Entebbe: Government Printer. of a new national library is only one. Others that can Government of Uganda. (1969) Second Five-Year Develop- be mentioned are the establishment of the Functional ment Plan, 1966/67–1970/71 Supplement of government Adult Literacy Programme to reduce illiteracy and a projects. Entebbe: Government Printer. universal primary education so that every Ugandan Government of Uganda. (1970) Deposit Library and Documen- child gets an opportunity to go to school. tation Centre Act, 1969. Entebbe: Government Printer. The future of library services in Uganda leaves Government of Uganda. (1973) Third Five–Year Development no time for rest. Much can be said of what is needed Plan, 1971/72–1975/76. Entebbe: Government Printer. to be done. There is no doubt that a dramatic re- Government of Uganda. (1995) The Constitution of the institutionalization of the library sector cannot stop Republic of Uganda, 1995. Entebbe: Uganda Publishers at the establishment of a new national library, but it and Printers Corporation. Government of Uganda. (1997) The Local Government has to be developed through a combination of several Act, 1997. Entebbe: Uganda Publishers and Printers steps and initiatives. LIS research can be of help, not Cooperation, 1997. only through what is already known of transitions in Government of Uganda. (2003) The National Library library services in other countries, but also through Act, 2003. Entebbe: Uganda Publishers and Printers its abilities to combine research issues in ways which Cooperation.

Hockey, S.W. (1960) Development of library services in Nakkazi, A. (1990) Introduction statement: the NATIS East Africa. A report submitted to the governments of project. In: Abidi, S.A.H. and Hüttemann, L (eds.) East Africa. Development of National Information and Documentation Hockey, S.W. (1971) The development of library services Network for Uganda. Papers of the seminar held in in East Africa. In: Wallenius, A.B. (Ed.) Libraries in Kampala 1 to 9 March 1990. Bonn: German Foundation East Africa. Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute for African for International Development. Studies, 163–170. National Library of Uganda. (2007) http://www.nlu.ug/ Ikoja-Odongo, J.R. (2004) Public library politics: the g_info.htm#miss (cited on March 3, 2007. Ugandan perspective. Information Development, 20(2), Nabeta, T.T.T. (1968) Commission’s report on library services 169–180). throughout Uganda. Kampala: Uganda Public Libraries Ilomo, C.S. (1985) The history and work of Tanzania Library Board. Services, 1963–1980. In: Wise, C.S. (ed.) Aspects of African Nekyon, A.A. (1969) Report of the Committee of Inquiry librarianship: a collection of writings. London: Mansell, into the Affairs of the Public Libraries. Kampala: Uganda 98–153. Public Libraries Board. Kaungamno, E.E. 1985) Patterns of library and information Sicherman, Carol. (2005) Becoming an African University: services in some Anglophone African countries south of Makerere 1922–2000. Kampala: Fountain Publishers. the Sahara. In: Wise (Ed.) Aspects of African librarianship: Uganda Bureau of Statistics. (2005) The 2002 Uganda a collection of writings. London: Mansell, 264–313. Population and Housing Census – Main Report. Kampala: Kawalya, J.K. (1995) A study and practices at the Uganda Uganda Bureau of Statistics. National Bibliographic Agency in the light of the Inter- UNESCO. (1975) International Conference on the Planning national Bibliographic Standards. Kampala: Makerere of National Documentation, Library and Archives Infra- University. structures. Paris 23–27 Sept. 1974. Final report. Paris: Kawesa, B. (1993) Uganda. World Encyclopaedia of Library UNESCO. and Information Services. 3rd. ed. Chicago: American UNESCO. (1976) NATIS guidelines: National information Library Association, 824–826. policy, design and planning of national information Kent, C.D. (1970) Working document: a draft plan for systems: a paper for government planners. Paris: Uganda. [Prepared for the UNESCO Expert Meeting UNESCO. on National Planning of Documentation and Library Services in Africa, Kampala, Uganda, 7–15 December, 1970.] COM/CONF, 9/4, 1970. UNESCO. Abstract Kigongo-Bukenya, I.M.N. (1990) Combating illiteracy This article is part of a larger research project in Uganda through the public library services. In: focussing on institutional change in the Ugandan Information and Libraries in the Developing World. London: Library Association, 124–133. library sector from the 1960s up until today, with Kigongo-Bukenya, I.M.N. (1985) Provision of library services special focus on the development of the National to children and young adults in Uganda. Loughborough: Library of Uganda. The article is based primarily on Loughborough University of Technology. Thesis. ofﬁ cial publications such as different legislation passed Kigongo-Bukenya, I.M.N. (1971) The Public Libraries by the Ugandan Parliament on library issues and on Board in Uganda. In: Wallenius, A.B. (ed.) Libraries in documentation reporting on various initiatives and East Africa. Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute of African projects aiming at building a functioning library and Studies, 145–162. information infrastructure in Uganda during the Lwanga, T.K. (1971) The Library of Makerere University. last four decades. Findings show that initiatives have In: Wallenius, A. B. Libraries in East Africa. Uppsala: The been regularly neglected at the political levels, both Scandinavian Institute of African Studies, 131–143. Makerere University Library. (2007) http://mulib.mak. nationally and locally. The founding of the National ac.ug/col-link/aboutus.html (cited on March 3, 2007). Library of Uganda has affected the Ugandan library Matogo, B.M.K. (1975) Leading issues in development of system in a major way and the country is now better public libraries in emergent Uganda, 1960–1970. Libri, equipped to face some of the challenges created by 25(4), 298–317. the requirements of the global information society Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. (2005) and by high levels of illiteracy, especially in the rural Social Development Sector: Ministerial policy statement areas. The article pinpoints some of these challenges vote 018, ﬁ nancial year 2005/06 presented to Parliament and suggests further action on both professional and for the debate of the estimates of revenue expenditure on political levels. 30 June 2005.

Keywords: national libraries; public libraries; political Jane Kawalya, MSc (Inf.Sc), is Librarian, Makerere aspects; National Library of Uganda University Library, PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda. Tel. +256 41 531041. E-mail: jane.kawalya@mulib. Joacim Hansson, PhD, is Associate Professor, Swedish mak.ac.ug School of Library and Information Science, University College of Borås, 504 46 Borås, Sweden. Tel: +46 33 435 44 12. E-mail: [email protected]

MORE ON NATIONAL LIBRARIES IN UGANDA The “library, archives and museum” trinity: a professional challenge with particular reference to the knowledge society and to Uganda Magara, Elisam Innovation, no. 31, pp. 76–97, Dec 2005. The trinity of “library, archives and museum” constitutes a part of people’s lives and reﬂ ects the diversity of people’s languages and cultures in the knowledge society. Despite the colonial inﬂ uence, Uganda has preserved its natural and cultural heritage in terms of social tradition and documentary heritage with little emphasis on integrating the functions of libraries, archives and museums. A survey was conducted of selected institutions involved in the collection, storage, preservation and promotion of natural, historical and cultural documentary heritage. The data was obtained through interviews with key persons selected purposively from those institutions; attending the consultative meetings organised by the National Library of Uganda; and reviewing literature about the subject. Findings indicate that there is lack of a strategy in co-ordinating functions. Although various efforts have focused on preservation of natural, historical and cultural heritage, there is no central strategy for integration. It remains a professional challenge to Uganda to address the issues of space, funding, expertise, preservation, co-ordination, government intervention, publicity and accessibility, and to ensure a culture of access to information. That is why a co-ordinated strategy for the recruitment, training, and sensitising of Ugandan professionals is required. (Author abstract) Bridging the digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa: the rural challenge in Uganda Kasusse, Michael. International Information and Library Review; 37 (3) Sep 2005, pp. 147–158. A study was conducted in 2002/2003 to investigate and assess the strategies of bridging the digital divide in Uganda. Data were collected qualitatively using semi-structured interviews. The study focused in depth on a relatively small sample of people concerned with the digital divide. Data was analysed using the grounded theory approach. Three categories of players in the digital divide emerged from the data, namely information workers, business entrepreneurs and policy makers. Finally the concept that emerged from the analysis pointed directly to the information workers, which suggests that the National Library and other information centres are valuable in bridging the digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa. Some implications of the study areas for further research are highlighted. (Original abstract) Uganda Digital Bookmobile hits the road COMLA Bulletin; (3) May 2004, pp. 1, 3. The Digital Bookmobile is a joint project of Anywhere Books, USA, and the National Library of Uganda, which aims to use a mobile library to put 5,000 books into schools, homes and libraries in rural Uganda. The project is funded by the World Bank’s InfoDev group and involves four wheel drive van equipped with a PC, Hewlett Packard laser printer, a paper cutter and a hot melt glue binding machine. The bookmobile is driven to schools in rural villages where the books are printed on an on demand basis. The books come from the public domain collections on the Internet Archive, which contains over 30,000 public domain works. (Selected by the Editor from Library and Information Science Abstracts)