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TANZANIA COUNTRY REPORT 2000- 2002Dr Alli Mcharazo In our previous report it was stated that the situation regarding public libraries was and gloomy. To date the situation
has improved. This is attributed by the willingness of Tanzania Library Services Board and local authorities to work in
partnership towards running the regional libraries. As a result there is a regional public library in every region of the
mainland Tanzania. The challenge for both organisations is to open more branches to district and village levels. The other
challenge is to well – resource the libraries. This also means more employment for trained library personnel.
Tanzania Library Association (TLA) also notes, with appreciation, the existence of some government policies that make it
mandatory for some public and private institutions and organizations to have libraries/documentation centres/resource centre.
We are witnessing the establishment of libraries in the ever-mushrooming private primary and secondary schools and colleges.
The situation is the same with non- government organisations. While we applaud the move, we are also obliged to advice
schools, colleges and institutions to run their libraries professionally. It is also encouraging to see a significant number
of these libraries embarking on automation schemes. University of Dar es Salaam Library and Economic and Social Research
Foundation Library are just a few good examples of libraries that have been automated.
From 1996 to mid 2000 TLA had not been at its best performance due to, amongst other reasons, lack of involvement amongst
the TLA members and ineffective leadership. I must also say that the first couple of months the Executive Committee was
pre-occupied by the task of tiding up the office. However, despite the afore-mentioned drawbacks, during this period TLA
managed to organised the following:
In late 1999 the new leadership, under the Interim Chairman, Dr. A. Mcharazo, reassessed the situation and came up with an
action plan which had some strategies to revive the association and make it more functional. The strategies involved, amongst
other things, demonstration on how TLA can be useful to its members. Some of the activities involved were revitalisation of
the Executive Committee Members; organisations of seminars/short talks; media coverage; publication of Matukio Newsletter;
personal visits to head of institutions and information professionals, etc. Under these strategies the following were
performed/achieved:
A significant development was achieved in 1998 when the University of Dar es Salaam established a Masters in Library and
Information studies. This is a good and commendable move. SLADS, that offer Certificate and Diploma in Library Archives and
Documentation Studies programmes, is doing well. New SLADS Management has been working closely with TLA, and efforts are
underway to bring back the Association representative to the SLADS governing boards.
The Grace Lema Foundation Scholarship has been renegotiated. The outcome of these negotiations is that the Norwegian
Library Association (NLA) and DANIDA are now providing scholarship to TLA members who are interested in studying for diploma
in librarianship at SLADS.
Tanzania was represented at the 2000 SCECSAL by representatives from the University of Dar es Salaam Library. TLA was also
fully represented at the IFLA Boston Conference in August 2001, and at the Kenya Library Association Annual General
Conference in November 2001. However, TLA observes that Tanzania’s participation, as an association and as individuals, to
the above conferences is not as adequate and effective as it should. Of course, dormantness of TLA in the last few years is
one of the reasons for poor participation. TLA has now embarked on the task to encourage them to attend the above conferences
and present papers. TLA also encourages its members to attend Annual General Meetings of Associations in the Eastern and
Southern Africa region.
Up until 2001 there were very few paid members (individual and institutional). This position, to a large extent, has been
detrimental to the Association performance and finances. More details are provided in the Treasurer's Report. But it is
worth mentioning here that experiences from other parts of the world shows that the success of library associations depends
so much on its membership and their subscriptions for the effective running of their activities.
However, today I am pleased to say that the present position regards membership of the Association is not as bad as it
used to be. There are now good signs that librarians and other information workers are joining the association. The
Executive Committee, as some of you may have noticed, works hard to ensure that this trend continues and that more members
from all sectors of the profession are recruited.
The programme of activities for 2002 is geared towards TLA capacity building and development activities. The specific
activities are as follows:
The Executive Committee of TLA feels strongly that TLA has a lot of potentials and opportunities. The opportunities are
there, but need to be taped in. To do/achieve this TLA needs a strong team of leaders that would effectively translate the
needs of our libraries in order to set forth a clear direction. The development of a strategic plan document clearly
suggests that the leadership has now understood the needs of its members.
On the professionals and members themselves TLA keeps on sending clear warnings: that lack of dynamism and failure to
adopt to new information environmental (e.g. IT) can lead to lack of recognition. We are now living in a very competitive
world, where, if we are not careful enough, other professionals can perform our jobs and tasks. TLA urges librarians,
documentalists, archivists and other information workers to avail themselves to learning the new technology and be able to
use the technology for the betterment of our clients. TLA will play its part by organizing those courses and others in order
to better equip the librarians and other information professionals.
The successful opportunity to revive our Association and consequently holding the Annual General Meeting and elections of
office bearers (see Appendix 1 for results) and a Workshop on Information for Development and Strategic Planning is a result
of tireless Executive Committee Members. They have been working overtime and without pay or allowances to ensure that our
association is revived. May I therefore take this opportunity to congratulate and thanks them all.
May I also take this opportunity to thank and congratulate SCECSAL, LIASA and all donor organisations/institutions that
have extend their moral and material support in order to revive our association and make our presence here a success. And
lastly, but not least, many thanks must go to all participants of this meeting.
Many thanks, I wish you a successful year, and God bless you all.
I submit. Dr Alli Mcharazo - Chairman For comments about the site contact: Justin Chisenga |
