What this life looks like
You are the guardian of access to knowledge. Librarians manage collections of information resources — books, journals, databases, and digital content — and connect people to the knowledge they need for learning, research, and personal growth. In Africa, where access to books and information is severely unequal, librarians in schools, universities, and public libraries are frontline warriors for intellectual equity.
What she actually does
You manage library collections — acquiring, cataloguing, and organising resources, assist users to find information and develop research skills, manage digital databases and online resources, create reading promotion programmes, teach information literacy, manage library spaces as learning environments, develop outreach programmes for communities, and in school settings specifically, support curriculum delivery through library resources.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| School Libraries | Primary and secondary school libraries across Africa — severely under-staffed and a major growth opportunity |
| University Libraries | Academic libraries at all African universities — growing digital resource management requirements |
| Public Libraries | National and municipal public library services — Johannesburg City Libraries, Kenya National Library Service |
| NGO & Development | Room to Read, Worldreader, African Library Project — organisations building library services across Africa |
Why it matters in Africa
Africa has one of the world's lowest book availability ratios — fewer than one book per child in many countries. School libraries, where they exist at all, are often locked rooms with outdated textbooks. Public libraries are severely underfunded. Yet access to books is one of the strongest predictors of literacy outcomes. Librarians who can build and activate collections — through digital resources, donated books, and mobile libraries — are creating reading cultures that transform communities.
Your pathway in
- Study for a Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) or a degree with a postgraduate Library Science qualification
- Develop skills in library cataloguing systems (Dewey Decimal, Library of Congress) and digital resource management
- Build expertise in information literacy instruction — teaching people to find, evaluate, and use information effectively
- Connect with the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), Kenya Library Association, or Nigerian Library Association
- Develop digital library skills: managing e-collections, database subscriptions, and digital access for communities with limited connectivity
Skills you will need
- Library cataloguing and classification
- Collection development
- Information literacy instruction
- Digital resource management
- Reading promotion
- Community engagement
A woman in this field
Busi Dlamini
South Africa
Busi is a South African librarian and reading promotion specialist who has spent her career building school library services in rural KwaZulu-Natal schools that had no books at all. Working with the National Library of South Africa and Biblionef South Africa, she has built and stocked school libraries, trained teacher-librarians, and developed reading club programmes that have transformed the reading cultures of dozens of schools. She is an advocate for South Africa's school library policy — which mandates libraries in all schools — and its implementation.
Take your first step
- Volunteer at your school library or the nearest public library — practical library experience shows you the realities of the role and demonstrates commitment
- Research the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA) at aflia.net — it is the continental professional body for African librarians and publishes excellent resources
- Study what Room to Read and Worldreader do to expand book access in Africa — they are the two most successful organisations building reading culture across the continent
- Start a reading club in your school or community — promoting reading is one of the most visible and impactful things any librarian does, and you can start today