As artificial intelligence transforms how information is produced, accessed and used, African libraries and information professionals have a growing role to play in ensuring that knowledge remains accessible, reliable and relevant to the continent’s development.
This was at the centre of a three-day training on “Empowering African Libraries and Information Professionals for the AI Era,” bringing together participants from universities, libraries and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
Opening the training, ECA’s Director of Strategic Planning, Oversight and Results Division (SPORD), Said Adejumobi, highlighted the importance of strengthening collaboration between African institutions and expertise across the diaspora.
“The collaboration between African institutions and the diaspora should be highly encouraged if Africa is to tap into its knowledge base, compete with the rest of the world, and accelerate its development agenda,” he said.
Led by experts from Solent University and Dublin City University, the training covers metadata and resource discovery, artificial intelligence and data literacy, user-centred library services, practical applications of AI and planning for the future of library and information services.
The programme comes as libraries increasingly navigate both the opportunities and challenges created by artificial intelligence. While AI can improve access to information, resource discovery and knowledge services, its growing use also raises concerns around misinformation, bias, copyright and the reliability of information.
For libraries, this makes strong information management systems, quality metadata and professional oversight increasingly important in ensuring that knowledge can be accurately discovered, interpreted and used.
Getaneh Alemu, a systems and data librarian at Solent University, said the training “underscores ECA’s commitment to building future-ready libraries that leverage emerging technologies, enhance access to knowledge, and support Africa’s sustainable development agenda.”
ECA Senior Librarian Solomon Weldetensay said the training aims to equip African library and information professionals with the skills to harness AI responsibly, improve resource discovery and strengthen library services, while supporting greater knowledge sharing across the continent.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in research, education and professional life, strengthening the capacity of African knowledge institutions will be essential to ensuring that the continent is not only a consumer of emerging technologies, but is equipped to shape how knowledge is organized, accessed and used in the AI era.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).