Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication (Name of Journal)

Libraries Driving Education for Sustainable Development

Department

Libraries

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111336466-014

Publisher

De Gruyter

Abstract

Sustainable development has become a global priority. The United Nations (UN) member states have endorsed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to transform the world by 2030 into a sustainable society. This chapter reports on academic libraries’ initiatives in East Africa, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, which were explored through interviews and focus groups with librarians from East African university libraries. Library efforts can be assigned to the five priority action areas: advancing policy, transforming learning environments, building the capacity of educators, empowering and mobilising youth, and accelerating local-level action, as envisioned under UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) framework (UNESCO 2020, 25). The chapter reports on the perspectives provided by the librarians interviewed and describes the contributions academic libraries are making to realise some of the SDGs. Through the provision of access to information and resources, academic libraries provide access to knowledge to foster innovation, promote inclusivity, and support the overall development of individuals and communities. The role of academic libraries as information hubs and collaborative spaces makes them valuable contributors to the UN’s efforts towards sustainable development. The pillars of the SDGs, including an educated and skilled workforce and innovative and efficient system-building information infrastructure, are founded in library services. Academic libraries contribute to a knowledge society which empowers individuals to seek, evaluate and use information to achieve the SDGs.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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