Managing information and technology: critical roles for librarians in developing countries

The paper sets out to provide a critical overview of the contribution of information technology to the current shift from information to knowledge processing. It situates that shift in the context of the management challenges for librarians from the developing countries.

The approach adopted was to review the development challenges of developing countries, the in‐trends information handling and the transition from information to knowledge management systems. The next approach was to examine statistically, the internet usage status and information and communication technology facilities in Africa. Based on the data provided and discussed the final approach was to draw up critical roles for developing countries' librarians in the knowledge age.

The findings indicate the abysmal state of internet usage and ICT facilities in Africa in particular and the rest of the developing countries in general.

Librarians will be called upon to provide authentic and reliable information, evolve strategic alliances, participate in network activities and contribute to the bridging of the digital divide. They will emerge as technology experts, guides, scouts, researchers, analysts, knowledge engineers, editors, navigators, gatekeepers, brokers and asset managers. Conclusively, librarians will need to acquire new skills to access net resources, and develop new strategies and services to meet the challenges of the knowledge age.

The results and discussions imply that it is critically important for information professionals from developing countries to begin to re‐evaluate their roles in terms of how they contribute to the management of technology and information in the knowledge age. They must participate in information and knowledge creation, undertake information resources documentation, provide an information identification service and evolve new means of resource preservation.