Library Education in Africa

Abstract

The concept of library developed when people started reading and writing, but the need of library education was felt in the late 19th century when the concept of library changed from store house to service institution. Globalization of education, complex nature of demands of the users, explosion of knowledge and literature, and innovation of information technology also had a role to play in the establishment of library schools which bring about library education all over the world. As a result, a large number of library and information science (LIS) schools were set up to produce competent professionals who could achieve the objectives of libraries and information centres effectively and efficiently for library sustainability. Librarianship in Africa owes its origin to colonialism. The history of library education was traced in Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa. The chapter concluded that the existing ICT laboratories in all library schools in Africa should be well equipped while the library schools without laboratories should be encouraged to establish one.