Promoting modernisation and professionalisation through documentation policies at the University of Bamako: some thoughts prompted by a new partnership

The University of Bamako –Mali’s only university– suffers from a dramatic shortage of documents. Alongside material and budgetary problems, achieving recognition of the role of book trade, archive, and documentation professionals is also a challenge, as professionalisation requires training and the first course offering a professional qualification only opened in 2004. It is vital to develop a concerted university-wide documentation policy based on an interventionist policy giving material support to local libraries as well as promoting prudent use of digital resources and effective international cooperation.
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