Libraries, literacy and poverty reduction: a key to African development

Mchombu, Kingo and Cadbury, Nicola Libraries, literacy and poverty reduction: a key to African development., 2006 [Report]

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English abstract

The role that libraries in Africa could play in reducing poverty has not been sufficiently recognised and hence the necessary policy developments and investment in the library network have not yet been made. Policy makers and donors, recognising the link between poverty reduction and literacy, have given centre stage to textbooks in policies to increase literacy and student achievement levels. Yet textbooks are the beginning of the solution, not the complete answer. Libraries sustain literacy and do so on a reuse basis providing a costeffective means of support for a whole community of readers who seek information for tackling their own problems. This paper, written by a respected and experienced African educator and librarian, points the way ahead for Africa with affordable and achievable library strategies to enable the poorest communities to participate in their own development. [report archived with permission of both authors]

Item type: Report
Keywords: Africa; libraries; literacy; poverty
Subjects: D. Libraries as physical collections.
B. Information use and sociology of information > BC. Information in society.
C. Users, literacy and reading. > CE. Literacy.
Depositing user: Zapopan Martín Muela-Meza
Date deposited: 08 Aug 2007
Last modified: 02 Oct 2014 12:08
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/10167

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