University Library Partnerships And Funding In West Africa

Abstract

A brief background is given of library partnerships. Some known initiatives are discussed and commended. Funding as a basis for effective partnerships is then discussed including the limited funding for West African university libraries. The efforts being made by DANIDA and INASP and also SCAULWA towards the establishment of partnerships in West African university libraries are discussed. The Ghana Interlibrary Lending and Document Delivery Network (GILLDDNET), a thriving partnership is discussed as the only known library partnership project in West Africa. The paper concludes with an appeal to developed libraries to assist in developing partnerships in West African University Libraries since it will enable the store of knowledge in West Africa to reach the rest of the world and for West African libraries to also benefit from the vast amount of knowledge in the rest of the world.