Building the Professional Library Infrastructure in Sierra Leone

Developing countries are characterised in a single way by shrinking economies. Sierra Leone can be a such country that despite government and donor support, education can be a major challenge. The problem remains worsened, because of the fact that libraries are really neglected. Using the African Development Bank (ADB) Sierra Leone Country Office (2011), the entire funds shipped to education using the ADB/ADF finances around 2010, involved US$ 22 million. The task supported regarding 90 Eight (98) primary schools, Fifty Four (54) Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), Eight (8) Vocational Skills Training Centres and Twelve (12) duplex housing blocks for teachers. The task also provided practicing Four 1000 and Fifty (4,050) teachers. Teacher manuals were also provided. However, nothing was available created for library development. This neglect of libraries, ensures that libraries in Sierra Leone with limited sources, need to interact to get at be aware of information requirements of you. One library may be unable to effectively and suitably match the information requirements of their users. Library cooperation thus remains, urgently needed.

Library Scene in Sierra Leone

The nation has the various kinds of libraries they alter from public, academic, special to college libraries. In addition to the people are information and resource or documentation centres that offer library and understanding services. Furthermore, you will find museums, like the National along with the Peace Museums, along with the National Archive which offer information services.

However, the Sierra Leone Library Board (SLLB) that was established by an action of Parliament in 1959 is the domain within the provision of library and understanding services within the united states . states. It genuinely works as both National along with a Public library. So far it possesses a Central library and headquarters situated in Freetown, Regional branches in Provincial headquarter towns, and branches in lots of District towns, totaling 21 years old (21) libraries [One (1) central and headquarter library, three (3) regional libraries, 16 (16) branch libraries, and two (2) sub-branches].

Libraries in Sierra Leone therefore are, institutions for the storage and distribution of understanding work for users they offer users with guides along with other finding lists they offer sufficient convenience documents or records users should consult they’ve subject arrangement and they’re cost-effective.

Library Cooperation

The word cooperation describes the joint action of numerous parties for mutual benefit. Library cooperation means exchanging cataloguing records, building complementary collections, exchanging library materials by inter-library loan and document delivery service, joint getting to cover library materials or automatic voice, offering services to every others’ users. Library cooperation can also be referred to as contract, combination, or volume of libraries created to test a company past the sources connected getting a 1 member.

There are many kinds of cooperative activities and many likely the most used activities are reciprocal borrowing, union catalogues or lists, photocopying services, cooperative reference service, delivery services, cooperative acquisition plans, subject specialisation in collection development, centralised cataloguing and card production, furthermore to central storage of materials.

Burgett, Harr and Phillips (2004) pointed out there are evidence that cooperation among libraries to discuss sources dates back having a extended way, no under for that first half in the 13th century, when monasteries developed everything you would today recognise as union catalogs of manuscripts to help with their scholarly activities. Musana (1991) says information resource discussing has been in existence as extended as libraries and some other type of information services. The presence of a library is itself a kind of cooperation. Many libraries continues to be available since because multiple people getting an average desire and aspiration chosen over place some materials together to be used using the group people. Formerly, the driving pressure behind the evolution of resource discussing concept was the requirement to match the felt needs in the consumer population. Earlier, each library will be a business, serving or attempting to serve the requirements of a distinctive users and achieving materials to satisfy their primary needs.