The African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA), commonly referred to as AfLIA, is an international not-for-profit organization headquartered in Accra, Ghana. The Association is registered under the laws of Ghana as an NGO. It is managed under the general guidelines of its Constitution and by-laws. The Institution is currently being led by Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan as the Executive Director.
History
It is a fact that continuous educational, economic and socio-political disruptions hamper the delivery of library and information services in Africa whereas the role and impact of the African Library and Information Science (LIS) sector and its position in a developmental agenda is underestimated.
The disposition of governments and major stakeholders have consequently resulted in a seeming neglect of the library sector birthing many challenges including; budget cuts and inadequate funding for libraries. Given that national and global development imperatives are often advocated through the United Nations Agenda 2030, AU Agenda 2063 and National Developmental Agendas, there was the need for a continental Library Association to undertake high level strategic advocacy on behalf of the African LIS sector.
Continental library associations serve as growth and high-level advocacy bodies for the library and information profession. They represent important platforms to discuss issues and further the cause of the library and information sector, at the continental level. In Africa, the idea of having such an Association had been nursed and widely discussed by many prominent African library and information professionals for many years but it was not until 2013 that one was finally created.
In May 2011, a continental library conference for Africa was held in Muldersdrift, South Africa, with the theme; The Future of African Librarianship. This was the first African Library Summit and it brought under the same roof prominent African library and information professionals. Following a presentation by Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan at the Summit, a discussion ensued towards the need to form a continent-wide African Library Association which will provide a platform to discuss issues and further the cause of the library and information sector in Africa.
Upon consensus, the IFLA Africa Section was tasked to set up an Exploratory Committee whose mandate was to conduct a feasibility study, extensively consult key LIS stakeholders on the continent and to report findings back to the IFLA Africa Section. The Exploratory Committee, as mandated, submitted their report to the IFLA African Section during the Mid-Term Meeting of the IFLA Africa Section in February 2013 in Abuja, Nigeria. Results of the work done by the Exploratory Committee included but not limited to; a draft of AfLIA's constitution, proposal of the name of the Association, Vision, Mission, Governance Structure, Membership and membership criteria, proposed committees and working groups as well as funding sources for the sustenance of the Association.
Among other things, the committee's recommendation to form the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA), was accepted. Subsequently, an Interim Committee was selected at the Mid Term Meeting of the IFLA Africa Section to manage the affairs of the Association for two years (2013–2015). Members of the Interim Committee are considered as the founding Governing Council of the organization. Later that year (5 July 2013), AfLIA was officially launched as the library association of Africa during the 2nd African Library Summit hosted by the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria, South Africa. In 2014, the founding Governing Council initiated processes in preparation towards the first election of officers and representatives for the Association, which took place in 2015.
+ Founding Governing Council of AfLIA (2013–2015)Position NamePresidentDr. Helena Asamoah-HassanSecretaryValentina BannermanRegional RepresentativesCentral AfricaAlim GargaEastern AfricaJacinta WereNorthern AfricaShawky SalemSouthern AfricaDr. John TsebeWestern AfricaMarietou Diop During the 3rd African Library Summit and 1st AfLIA Conference organized in July 2015 in Accra, Ghana, AfLIA held its first general meeting of members. At the 2015 General Meeting, the constitution of the Association was amended to have a vice president and executive director. This was approved and the first elected Governing Council, which included, chairpersons of various sections was inaugurated. Even though the Association was established in July 2013, it was registered as an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) under the laws of Ghana in October 2014 with its operational seat in Accra, Ghana.
Membership
AfLIA is an Association largely characterized by institutional membership. Membership is open to any organization, in Africa and the diaspora, with interest in the African library and information sector. Presently, members include; National Library Associations, National Libraries, Academic Libraries, Public Libraries, Community Libraries, Special Libraries, School Libraries, National Library Consortia, Information and Documentation Centres, Library and Information Education/Training Institutions, Library and Information-related Businesses, Friends of AfLIA/Libraries, Libraries and library Institutions in the Diaspora as well as Institutions/Organisations related to libraries and information services.
Presently, the Association has 141 member institutions and associations spanning across all the five regions of Africa and covering 32 out of the 54 African countries. There is also evidence of diaspora and international member institutions however, that category of members constitutes less than 2% of total membership.
On the other hand, AfLIA is also a member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), another international body representing the interests of people who rely on libraries and information professionals.
Governance
AfLIA is managed under the general guidelines of the Constitution and the Bye-Laws. The Association is governed and managed by an elected Governing Council, consisting of a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Immediate Past-President, regional representatives and chairpersons of existing Sections, and a Secretariat headed by an Executive Director. The Annual General Meeting is the highest governance and decision making level of the Association. Members of the Governing Council have a tenure of two years and the outdooring new Governing Council often coincides with the biennial AfLIA Conference and African Library Summits.
The current president of the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions is Sarah Negumbo (2025–2027). She took over from Prof. Rosemary Shafack who was elected into the position after Alim Garga. Mr. Garga took over from Mr. Mandla Ntombela as President of AfLIA in July 2021. Dr. John Tsebe served as the first elected President of the Association from 2015 to 2019 and served as a member of the Governing Council as the immediate Past President of the Association from 2019 to 2021. Since July 2015, Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan has been the Executive Director of AfLIA.
+Governing Council of AfLIA: 2019–2021 PositionNameCountryPresidentMr. Mandla NtombelaSouth AfricaVice President Mr. Alim GargaCameroonExecutive DirectorDr. Helena Asamoah-HassanGhanaImmediate Past PresidentDr. John TsebeSouth AfricaCentral Africa RepresentativeProf. Rosemary ShafackCameroonEast Africa RepresentativeDr. Sarah KadduUgandaNorth Africa RepresentativeMs. Rania ShaarawyEgyptSouthern Africa RepresentativeMs. Elizabeth MatheusNamibiaWest Africa RepresentativeDr. Chinwe AnunobiNigeriaFrench speaking West Africa Mr. Mandiaye NdiayeSenegalPortuguese speaking AfricaMr. Iaguba DjaloGuinea BissauChair, National Libraries SectionMs. Sarah NegumboNamibiaChair, Academic Libraries SectionMs. Nyarai ChibandaZimbabweChair, Public and Community Libraries Section Ms. Neemat AbdulrahimNigeriaChair, Library ConsortiaMs. Cecile Coulibaly Côte d'IvoireChair, National Library Associations SectionMs. Comfort AsareGhanaChair, Library Education & Training Dr. Ayodele AlongeNigeriaChair, Parliamentary Libraries SectionMs. Chama MfulaZambiaChair, IFLA Africa Section (co-opted)Ms. Nthabiseng KotsokoaneSouth AfricaAfricans in DiasporaProf. Ismail AbdullahiUnited States of AmericaSecretary to the CouncilMs. Doreen AppiahGhana
+List of presidents of AfLIANameTenureDr. John Tsebe2015–2019Mr. Mandla Ntombela2019–2021Mr. Alim Garga2021–2023Prof. Rosemary Shafak2023–2025Ms. Sarah Negumbo2025 –
Library type sections Currently there are seven sections in AfLIA. Executives of the Sections are elected by the sectional members every two years. Chairpersons of Sections become automatic members of the Governing Council.
Strategic programmes and activities The official purpose, according to the organization is “to empower the library and information community to actively promote the African development agenda through dynamic services that transform livelihoods". The organization's programs and activities are administered by the Secretariat in collaboration with various (internal) sections and committees as well as strategic partners.
Conferences and Roundtable Meetings
AfLIA Conferences and African Library Summits AfLIA holds this library conference every two years. The conferences are usually dubbed; the nth AfLIA Conference and the nth African Library Summit and often held between May – July in member countries in an alternating fashion. The most recent conference was the 3rd AfLIA Conference and 5th African Library Summit, was held from 21 to 24 May 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. It is expected that the next conference, 4th AfLIA Conference and 6th African Library Summit, will be held in 2019 in Accra, Ghana, according to the organization. The conference typically involves activities such as pre-conference workshops and seminars, paper, poster and ignite talk presentations, exhibitions, awards and honours sessions, cultural nights and other breakout sessions for Sections of the Association to meet. The Deputy President of Kenya, Mr. William Samoei Ruto, was the special guest of honour at the Cultural Night of the 2019 conference. The Association also holds its General Meeting and Governing Council Meetings during these conferences. AfLIA's conferences are notable for being one of the largest professional conferences organized on the continent, typically drawing library and information professionals, including exhibitors mainly from Africa, and other parts of the world.
African Public Library Summits African Public Library Summits is continent-wide convening of public library leaders and policymakers in Africa. Unlike the AfLIA Conference and African Library Summits which targets all categories of LIS professionals, the African Public Library Summits are organized with focus on librarians and managers from the public library space across Africa. The conferences were held with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the Global Libraries Initiative, to serve as a platform to discuss the opportunities for creating successful, 21st century libraries that contribute to the development priorities of African communities, countries and continent.