African Research Library and Information Network

African Research Library and Information Network
Name	African Research Library and Information Network
Formation	1990s
Type	Consortium
Headquarters	Lagos, Abuja, Nairobi
Region served	Africa
Membership	universities, research institutes, libraries

African Research Library and Information Network is a pan-African consortium connecting academic University of Lagos, University of Nairobi, University of Cape Town, Makerere University, and other scholarly institutions across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. The network facilitates collaboration among libraries such as the British Library, Library of Congress, National Library of South Africa, and research bodies including the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, African Academy of Sciences, and International Council on Archives. It links landmark projects like the Human Genome Project, HINARI, AGORA, and initiatives tied to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Bank.

History

The consortium emerged amid regional integration efforts following summits like the African Union founding and reforms inspired by institutions such as the British Council and Ford Foundation. Early collaborations involved partnerships with the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Rockefeller Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and national agencies including the National Research Foundation (South Africa) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Nigeria). Workshops were convened with stakeholders from University of Ibadan, University of Ghana, University of Dar es Salaam, and international libraries including the Library of Alexandria and Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Over time the network engaged with digital library pioneers like Internet Archive, JSTOR, CrossRef, and projects linked to the Global Digital Library.

Mission and Objectives

The network’s mission aligns with policy frameworks from the United Nations, African Union, Association of African Universities, and standards bodies such as the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and ISO. Objectives include improving access to repositories like African Journals Online, supporting open access through alliances with Directory of Open Access Journals, promoting capacity building similar to programs by UNESCO Institute for Statistics and World Health Organization, and fostering research linked to centers such as the International Livestock Research Institute and African Studies Centre Leiden.

Organizational Structure

Governance mirrors models used by the Commonwealth of Learning, the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications, and intergovernmental bodies like the Economic Community of West African States. A Secretariat headquartered in cities associated with Nairobi, Lagos, and Cape Town coordinates regional nodes affiliated with University of Pretoria, Stellenbosch University, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and Université Cheikh Anta Diop. Advisory boards include representatives from the African Union Commission, Research4Life, International Development Research Centre, and major university consortia such as the Association of American Universities and Russell Group.

Programs and Activities

Core programs reflect collaborations with HINARI, AGORA, Research4Life, and platforms like ORCID, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Activities include digitization projects modeled on Europeana, metadata harmonization with Dublin Core, capacity workshops alongside INASP and EIFL, and preservation efforts informed by the National Archives of Kenya and South African National Archives. The network runs training with partners such as Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, Association of Commonwealth Universities, African Higher Education Centres of Excellence, and publishers like Elsevier, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, and Wiley.

Membership and Partnerships

Membership spans institutions including University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ghana, Makerere University, Addis Ababa University, University of Pretoria, University of the Western Cape, and research institutes like International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. Strategic partners include multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and philanthropic entities like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Funding and Governance

Funding combines grants from foundations such as the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Open Society Foundations, project funding from the European Union and African Development Bank, and membership dues modeled on consortia like the Canadian Research Knowledge Network and South African National Research Network. Oversight mechanisms reflect practices from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and audit standards similar to those of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank safeguard policies, with governance influenced by frameworks from the African Union and regional economic communities like the East African Community.

Impact and Contributions

The network has expanded access to collections linked to African Journals Online, enhanced repositories interoperable with Zenodo, Figshare, and DSpace, and supported research outputs cited in reports by UNICEF, World Health Organization, International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. It has influenced curriculum resources at universities such as University of Cape Town and University of Nairobi, supported doctoral training in collaboration with the African Academy of Sciences and Wellcome Trust, and contributed to digital heritage preservation efforts alongside the Library of Congress and Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Category:Library networks