The fate of indigenous knowledge: The role played by libraries in Tanzania

Abstract

The study aimed at assessing libraries’ role in sustaining indigenous knowledge (IK) in Tanzania. To do so, an exploratory design that used face to face semi-structured interviews and non-participatory observations were employed to collect data. The study has established that libraries play an insignificant role in collecting IK, especially when it comes to its codification. However, the libraries have also been found to play a good role at preservation of IK and use a number of ways to disseminate and promote IK usage. Unfortunately, these efforts face a number of challenges including insufficiency of funds and lack of interest in IK.