Serious study inside the library of Uganda, Christian University Mukono.

Ugandan librarians played host to their counterparts from the region and beyond in July 2004 when the 6th Standing Conference of African National and University Librarians in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (6th SCANUL-ECS) and the 16th Standing Conference of Eastern, Central and Southern African Library and Information professionals (SCECSAL XVI) were held in Kampala.

SCANUL-ECS
SCANUL-ECS, which was a pre-conference to SCECSAL brought together national and university librarians, and the theme of the conference was “User information literacy: a continuing challenge for academic and national libraries’. The theme had been chosen out of recognition that a library’s claim to be successfully fulfilling its mandate is through the effective use of its resources by its users. This can only be possible if those users recognise the need for information; can access that information, analyse it and are able to use it effectively. The conference participants agreed to ensure that every member library of SCANUL-ECS sets up an information literacy programme. They further agreed that SCANUL-ECS members should link up with initiatives taking place in their individual countries and in the region such as the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COME-SA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Economic Commission for Central African States (ECCAS).

SCECSAL
SCECSAL, the main conference was a five day event from 5th July to 9th July 2004. Its theme “Towards a Knowledge Society for African development” was chosen because of the realisation that African societies can only achieve development by using information to create a knowledge society. Over twenty papers were presented under the sub-themes: from indigenous to modern knowledge systems; bridging the digital divide; knowledge management; knowledge economy; information, governance and civil society; information for health care; information and the disadvantaged; information and gender and education and training. Several workshops were also held as part of SCECSAL. They were:

• Library and Information Schools Network (LISNET) held on 4th July 2004.
• IFLA/UNESCO Internet Manifesto held on 7th July 2004.
• Information, Governance and Civil Society held on 7th July 2004.
• Emerging issues in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for the African Information Society held on 7th July 2004.
• Decision Makers Training Workshop held on 8th July 2004.
• Global health and the archive: lessons from the past to inform decision making held on 8th July 2004.

During their deliberations, the conference participants resolved to strengthen community outreach services to ensure that the marginalised, such as rural women and children, slum dwellers and people with disabilities, are provided with library services. It was further resolved that re-packaging of information to meet the information needs of everybody especially the marginalised should be given priority. Participants also agreed to more proactively engage them-selves in matters of policy making in order to ensure that library and information provision is put at the top of the various national agendas.

The annual national book week festival was organised to coincide with SCECSAL, by the National Book Trust of Uganda (NABOTU), the umbrella organisation for the book trade in the country. The main event was held at Kampala’s constitutional square and brought together exhibitors from all over the country and from the East African region.