Library resources, knowledge production, and Africa in the 21st century

SummaryThe paper discusses the impact of colonialism on knowledge production and library resources in post-colonial Africa. The discussion concentrates on university libraries in Africa and on the decline of monograph and serials collections and donor dependency in accessing online academic resources and information technology. The limited circulation of Africa-based journals in the industrialized world and within Africa is another concern. Examples are provided from authors listed in the African Journals Online and searched in the Web of Science database. The paper concludes with a brief discussion on non-dependent libraries in selected African countries.