knowledge without boundaries. public libraries in africa perceptions of stakeholders

Knowledge without

boundaries

Public libraries in Africa

Perceptions of stakeholders

http://www.eifl.net/perception-study

EIFL• EIFL enables access to knowledge through

libraries in developing and transition countries to contribute to sustainable economic and social development

• EIFL currently works with national library consortia in close to 50 developing and transition countries in Africa, Asia and Europe

Research context• EIFL Public Library

Innovation Programme PLIP supports innovative use of technologies for public library services

• PLIP is funded by BMGF

• Gap in knowledge about perceptions of public libraries in African countries

Source: Sesigo project, Source: Sesigo project, Botswana

Why do the study?• To understand the perceptions of

different stakeholders on public libraries in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Uganda about the potential of public libraries so as to understand how these stakeholders could best be positively influenced to create/fund/support or use public libraries.

Other motivations for the work

• To inform a communications’ campaign in one or more of these countries

• To provide a basis for possible local awareness raising and advocacy activities by librarians in these countries

• To provide local library managers with facts to help strengthen evidence based management

Study on the Perceptions of Public Libraries

• General state of public libraries

• Current awareness, perceptions and attitudes towards public libraries

• Role of librarians in local community development

Source: Flickr, Book Aid International

Methodology• A call for expression of interest was sent

to market research firms active in the region

• Technical specifications were developed and sent to those firms that responded suitably to the EoI – TNS and Harris Int.

• Proposals were evaluated and negotiations entered into with the firm that provided the most competitive offer

Perceptions study• Carried out by a local market research

company –TNS RMS with offices in many countries, including African countries.

• Led by TNS Nairobi office. Kick off meeting November 2010. Final report accepted July 2011

• Budget just under $200k. Initial quote by TNS over $400, by Harris over 1 m

Methods• Personally administered questionnaires

and in depth interviews

• Questionnaires provided by EIFL based on existing good practice in public library research

• Instruments were slightly adapted by TNS. Translated as needed and piloted locally. African demographic classification used in all countries [LSM]

Target groups 1

• A survey of users of public libraries [2000]-500 in each of 4 countries

• A survey of non users of public libraries [1200] -300 in each of 4 countries.

• A survey of public librarians and library officials [283 in all].

Target Groups 2• A survey of local stakeholders. The target population was experts [officials or elected members] related to local authorities/municipalities.

• Detailed structured interviews with open ended questions, with the stakeholders from the ministries, national agencies and national media

Planned Samples

Users Non-users Librarians Stakeholders Qualitative

Kenya 500 300 60 50 20

Uganda 500 300 50 50 20

Tanzania 500 300 50 50 20

Ghana 500 300 60 50 20

Ethiopia - - 20 50 20

Zimbabwe - - 35 50 20

Total 2,000 1,200 275 300 120

Actual Samples Users Total number

of libraries sampled

Non-users

Librarians Stakeholders Qualitative

Kenya 500 20 300 63 51 18

Uganda 500 22 300 50 50 20

Tanzania 500 17 301 48 38 14

Ghana 500 15 300 67 40 20

Ethiopia 35 49 20

Zimbabwe 20 50 20

Total 2, 000 1,201 283 278 112

Lessons Learned• It is very important to give the contractor

very clear technical specifications

• Contract negotiations can significantly influence the price and the details such as sampling

• It all takes longer than planned!

• Having local EIFL library coordinators was helpful to the market research firm

Lessons Learned• Although the structure and content of

the final reports must be specified clearly at the start, the client has to get involved in drafting the report to be sure of sensible messages

• Senior stakeholders can be hard for librarians to identify and hard for interviewers to reach

Use of the findings• Broad dissemination to the library

community nationally and internationally

• Articles and presentations (IFLA, Ariadne, African Library Summit, IGF)

• Presentations of findings to media and stakeholders in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda

• Regional workshop on how to use the findings for awareness raising in 3 countries and 1 year activity planning

Evaluating perception change

• There will be a communications’ campaign targeting policy makers at local, regional and national level – those that do and those that could fund libraries

• We plan to do an evaluation of any perception change following the communications’ campaign

Overall findings• Awareness of libraries is high even

among those not using them

• General perception about libraries is positive across all groups surveyed

• Libraries are largely perceived as offering academic related information and therefore seen as an extension of academic study

Overall findings• Librarians are competent in

traditional roles but have limitations in ICT, and in advocacy and fund-raising

• Libraries need to engage with the community at a more tangible level that goes beyond passively providing books information only

• Local stakeholders need to evaluate and build on the findings

Reports are at

http://www.eifl.net/perception-study

Some key findings

Associations• Libraries are associated with books as well

as places for storing and accessing knowledge/information

Source: Survey of library users, non users and local officials, EIFL and TNS Research International, 2011

Importance• Libraries are valued and are seen as

important

• The degree of individual importance of library among non users is slightly lower


Awareness• 53% of library non users

are aware of local library

• 64% of non users claim “being too busy”

• 37% could be motivated with more books, more convenience and more technologies

Source: Flickr, Book Aid International

Purposes• The key reason for using libraries is

educational

• There is a gap between reality and expectations

Source: Survey of library users and non users, EIFL and TNS Research International, 2011

Satisfaction• Users’ satisfaction levels with the library

services are fairly high

• Satisfaction of local officials is slightly lower

Source: Survey of library users and local officials, EIFL and TNS Research International, 2011

Funding• There is almost unanimous agreement that

libraries deserve more funding


Education• Libraries’ potential contribution to

learning, literacy and employment is widely accepted

Source: Survey of local officials, EIFL and TNS Research International, 2011

Economic development• Libraries’ potential contributions to various

aspects of economic development are recognized by the vast majority


Health• Libraries’ potential contributions to various

aspects of health improvement are recognized by the vast majority but there are some doubts about their ability to act as venues for health related events


Communication• It is widely recognized that libraries

provide a forum for meeting and building relationships even online


Culture• Whilst libraries’ contribution to culture is

widely recognized, there is skepticism about their potential to act as a venue for local cultural events


Social Inclusion and Community Development

• Potential to contribute to social inclusion and community development is recognized but there is some skepticism regarding providing event venues and helping the disadvantaged


Citizen Empowerment, Democracy and E-Government

• The idea that libraries could disseminate government information is accepted, but the minority disagreement expressed could be an indication that the some governments don’t have such services


Agriculture• About three quarters of respondents can

see a potential role for libraries in supporting agriculture


knowledge without boundaries. public libraries in africa perceptions of stakeholders

Documents

europe slide

management slide

botswana slide

countries lsm slide

users of public libraries

potential of public

national media slide

communications campaign