Advocacy for School Library Development

Lessons learnt from the Matenda School Library Project in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The paper focuses on describing the importance and value for development of Rural School Libraries in Africa in order to overcome the increasing gap between the information rich and the information poor that currently threatens educational achievement in remote and inaccessible rural schools. It further discusses that main challenges faced when establishing and developing a rural school library to ensure that the socially excluded rural children have access to reading material. The question is - What are the materials and human resources needed to overcome these challenges. In conclusion, the paper offers recommendations that urge the government to establish School Library Service and to enact legislation to address the needs of rural schools in terms of infrastructure, equipment, material resources, appropriate manpower and the introduction of ICTs in rural schools to foster vital knowledge necessary to address local needs.