Digital Libraries in the Central African Sub-region: A Case Study of Cameroon

Abstract

Valuable research is being carried out in the developing countries but researchers are hampered by not being able to access, use, and share essential scientific information. Nurturing a capability for creating local information collections is an effective strategy for sustained long-term human development as knowledge fostering cultural and scientific exchange can be assembled, thus increasing international understanding. Digitization offers the promise of increasing access to resources while preserving the original information. Digital libraries provide access to an integrated collection of print, electronic, and multimedia resources delivered seamlessly and transparently to users regardless of their physical location or the location and ownership of the information. This paper looks at the current state and future perspective of digital libraries in Cameroon, which is a reflection of the situation in the Central African sub-region where she is the leading nation. It outlines the advantages and disadvantages of digitization and proposes an urgent overhauling of the information infrastructure to lay down the basis of knowledge acquisition, storage, transfer, and management; else the notion of digital libraries will continue to be a myth. We need to start now to begin our journey on this revolutionary and evolutionary path toward this future learning environment.