Towards A Reading Culture for Uganda

Abstract

To access information and information materials, readers need to be literate about their reading needs. This requires a creative reading culture within the society. Although there are demonstrated efforts by the government and civil society organisations to ensure quality education, there is a lack of co-ordinating strategy targeted at building a culture of reading among the Ugandan population. The problem is how to make the present efforts and opportunities available to potential readers to utilise information as a prerequisite for life long learning. This paper discusses the various efforts by the Uganda Library Association (ULA) in the promotion of a reading culture and explores the possible strategies to build a culture of reading for life- long learning. Qualitative data were collected through reading camps and consultative meetings with both teachers and librarians. It was observed that the culture of reading in primary schools was low. The paper stresses the need for promoting a reading culture in Uganda by providing networking and strategic alliances among the stakeholders with respect to existing facilities and efforts and by integrating them into the various strategic and educational programmes, actions and reforms for lifelong learning.

Afr. J. Lib. Arch. & Inf. Sc. Vol.15(1) 2005: 35-42