Library support programme

KIT works with partners in developing countries to build their capacity in the field of modern library services. In the library support programme, our expertise is used to support institutions in the global South that provide development-related information to researchers, students or practising development professionals. The overall objective of this programme is to build capacity at partner institutions that will allow for sustainable development of information services in the South.

• Introduction
• Approach
• Focus points
• Contact

Introduction
KIT’s department of Information & Library Services (KIT ILS) has a longstanding history of disseminating documentary information on international cooperation and development issues. Nowadays its services have shifted from those of a traditional library to include digital content, online access and electronic services. This makes the department well-placed to assist partners in the developing world in various aspects of modern information and library services. The programme currently focuses on four areas namely:

• Library automation
• End-user training
• Open access digital repositories
• Documentary heritage

In each of these areas we have experts working in international capacity development projects who are also involved with delivering our own products and services. In recent years, the importance of ICT has become more important in information and library services worldwide. That is why we have made ICT a priority area within our library support programme.

Approach
Capacity development in information and library services should not stand by itself. It should be integrated with overall institutional development objectives. Therefore, our interventions will always be based on a general needs assessment that broadly assesses the needs of the institution. Central questions are: how does our intervention fit within the institution’s policy and how are the institution’s development goals going to benefit from our intervention? The projects under this programme will typically support institutions going through an organizational transition that involves changes in information management. Our interventions will be fully integrated within this transitional process, as defined by the institution itself.

Focus points
We focus on knowledge exchange through training, advice and evaluation. Under this programme no funding or investment money is made available. Nor will we provide staff to be engaged in the production process. However, joint fundraising for project activities may be included.

For whom?
The library support programme has different kinds of projects, with varying degrees of co-financing by KIT. We work on short-term assignments and respond to calls for tenders on a cost-recovery basis. Together with partners we develop and submit funding proposals, for which KIT can make limited co-financing available. All interested parties from the global South are invited to contact us to explore these options. We strive to establish durable partnerships with selected partners.

Contact information
For further information, please contact:

Harry Heemskerk
KIT Information & Library Services                   T          +31 (0)20 568 8320
P.O. Box 95001                                            M         +31 (0)6 2537 5057
1090 HA Amsterdam                                      E          h.heemskerk@kit.nl
The Netherlands                                           F          +31 (0)20 665 4423

• Tags
:
• library support |
• library automation |
• information management |
• open access |
• digital repositories |
• documentary heritage |
• information services |
• library services

• communication@kit.nl
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