The National Library representing the Namibia Library and Archives Service (NLAS) - Ministry of Education, in cooperation with EIFL, will organise the first national workshop on Building a Strong Library Consortium in Windhoek, Namibia  28 and 29 April.

The workshop will be led by Dr. Buhle Mbambo-Thata, director of library services of UNISA, South Africa and former EIFL Advisory Board Member, and Katherine Matsika, EIFL Country Coordinator for the Zimbabwe University Libraries Consortium (ZULC), currently serving on the EIFL Advisory Board.

Participants from all the libraries under the Ministry of Education, parastatals and private libraries, will learn about the benefits of working in a consortium. They will discuss in working groups the most appropriate structure, governance, priorities, and membership, that will lead to a strong and successful national library consortium.

“This is going to be an important milestone in our continued efforts to innovate library services and ensure they contribute to social, educational and economic development of our communities," says Veno Kauaria, Director of NLAS.

“I am delighted that Charles Mlambo, Head of the National Library of Namibia, is leading the local organisation of this workshop, working in close cooperation with the EIFL consortium management program. We expect that the discussions will lead to a realistic and time-bound plan of action for the creation of this national library consortium".