Tanzania’s new digital library system will serve 4 million people

Four million Tanzanians will be able to easily access books, journals, and educational resources from the comfort of their own homes in June thanks to the inauguration of an integrated national digital library system by the Tanzania Library Services Board (TLSB), an official announced on Friday, March 28.

The TLSB’s director general, Mboni Ruzegea, stated that the government’s larger initiatives to update library services and provide access to educational materials include the digital library system that would be developed in collaboration with the e-Government Authority (eGA).

“Our goal is to change the way that library services are used and accessed nationwide,” Ruzegea stated during a press conference held in the port city of Dar es Salaam.

The project also seeks to promote research in Tanzania, cultivate a culture of reading, and increase access to knowledge, she said.

“This digital system is expected to significantly improve the delivery of library services, especially in remote areas where physical libraries may be scarce or inaccessible,” Ruzegea stated.