The EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) builds the capacity of public librarians to use ICT effectively in new services that meet community needs and contribute to local development.

EIFL-PLIP’s capacity building initiative in Africa specifically targets public libraries that have, or are about to receive, computers and the internet and our training programme for librarians covers three broad topics: basic and advanced ICT and digital literacy; new service development and management, and training and facilitation. 

From 2014 - 2020, EIFL-PLIP implemented national capacity building programmes in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and Zambia, building librarians’ capacity to integrate ICT into services, to manage ICT-enabled services and to provide ICT training in their communities. 

In addition, we worked with national library authorities and associations in Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and Zambia to develop and enhance systems for continuous professional development of librarians, to create pools of public library trainers who can be deployed in training programmes in their countries. 

From 2017 - 2023  we fostered leadership and innovation in public libraries through the EIFL Initiative for Young African Library Innovators (IYALI), partnering with national library authorities and associations to identify and select young Africa librarians to travel abroad to participate in international learning, networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities. 

From 2021- 2025 EIFL-PLIP has implemented national projects in Ghana (the Digital Learning @ Ghana Public Libraries project) and Uganda (the Digital Skills @ Your Local Library project) that include libraries that have received computers and the internet for public use. Both projects advanced the digital and mobile literacy of librarians, as well as their training and facilitation skills. This enabled public libraries to implement digital literacy programmes that were aligned with national digital inclusion strategies.

ACTIVITIES

• Developing and customizing training to meet the needs of public librarians in different African countries. Training covers:
• ICT skills (basic and advanced, including designing ICT courses for various community groups and selecting and adapting online educational resources) and digital literacy (internet searching, evaluating online information and resources, internet safety, use of online educational resources for learning and training). 
• New service development and management (design thinking, planning new services, rethinking library spaces, evaluating the impact of library services, communication and advocacy).
• Organizing and conducting training for staff of libraries that already have, or are about to receive, computers and the internet.
• Training and coaching public library trainers and building a public library trainers’ community.
• Evaluating the impact of training. 
• Organizing international learning experiences for young African librarians who have been selected for the Initiative for Young African Library Innovators.
• Developing resources for public library trainers.

TIMELINE

2014 - 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS

The training reached all public libraries in Ghana (2014-2016), Kenya (2014-2020), Namibia (2018-2020), Uganda (2014-2019), and Zambia (2018-2020) that had computers and internet connections, and that were offering public access to this technology.

From 2014 to 2024, over 2,300 librarians from public libraries that had computers and the internet in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and Zambia had undergone EIFL-PLIP training or been trained by public librarians who had completed EIFL-PLIP train-the-trainers programmes.

From 2018 to 2020, 62 trainers completed our train-of-trainers programme in Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and Zambia and were deployed in ongoing staff development strategies for public libraries in their countries. See impact evaluation reports for the training of trainers programmes in Kenya and Namibia.

From 2021 to 2023, the Digital Skills @ Your Local Library - Uganda project, implemented in partnership with the National Library of Uganda, built the capacity of 50 public librarians and library volunteers at 27 public and community libraries to organize and conduct digital and mobile literacy training for women and unemployed youth. See the achievements and impact of the project.  

From 2023 to 2025, the Digital Learning @ Ghana Public Libraries project, implemented in partnership with the Ghana Library Authority, engaged 30 public librarians and ICT coordinators from 15 regional and district public libraries in an ICT and digital literacy training programme for school students aged 12 to 18. See the achievements and impact of the project. 

From 2017 to 2023, 45 young African public librarians from 13 countries travelled to Europe, Southeast Asia and the USA as part of the EIFL Initiative for Young African Library Innovators (IYALI), bringing home new ideas, which they have implemented in their libraries. 

African public librarians who have completed EIFL's capacity building and training-of-trainers programmes regularly join EIFL's virtual 'T-breaks' (knowledge sharing events to connect public library trainers from across the continent).  

EIFL-PLIP has produced a series of 'Small Bites' microlearning videos for public librarians and public library trainers, and presentations that can be adapted for use in training.

FIND OUT MORE

Watch our videos - 

• About the impact of the Digital Learning @ Ghana Public Libraries project (Feb 2025, YouTube) 
• About impact of the Digital Skills @ Your Local Library - Uganda project (March 2023, YouTube)
• About continued professional development in Namibia (Nov 2019, YouTube).
• About our capacity building programme for public librarians in Uganda (Jan 2017, YouTube)

To find out more about EIFL’s capacity building initiative in Africa, contact Ramune Petuchovaite, EIFL-PLIP Manager, ramune@eifl.net