The Zimbabwe University Libraries Consortium (ZULC) is a library consortium of academic institutions and non-profit organisations in Zimbabwe. Through collaboration, ZULC provides members and affiliates with access to events, workshops, and digital content they would not be able to afford on their own.[1]
| Abbreviation | ZULC |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2001 |
| Affiliations | INASP, EIFL |
| Website | https://zulc.ac.zw/ |
Background
editThe Zimbabwe University Libraries Consortium was created in 2001.[2] A founding chairman was Jasper Maenzanise, and a founding secretary was Sarlome Mbasera, Librarian at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe.[citation needed] One of the main goals of the consortium is to share resources, such as access to international science journals, and promote cooperation among academic institutions without having to rely on only existing systems like the National Interlending Systems, which would otherwise be overstretched.[3] Without needing to rely on the National Interlending System, ZULC was able to negotiate directly with international publishers and access a larger volume of materials specific to the members' status as academic libraries.[3] Another goal was to support and promote librarianship and library science in Zimbabwe by providing professional structure.[4]
ZULC provides member institutions access to journals like JSTOR.[5]
ZULC frequently collaborates with other library-related organizations in Zimbabwe, including the initiatives at the Zimbabwe Open University.[1]
Members
editZULC Conference
editZULC hosts a biennial conference, where member universities and others can exchange ideas and support each other.[citation needed]
| Year | Location | Theme | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Victoria Falls | Higher Education and Academic Libraries in the 21st Century. (Value Addition of Library and Information Services to Higher Education, Embedded Librarianship, Social Media Technology in Academic Libraries, Libraries and Socio-Economic Development, Digital Libraries, Strategic Partnerships among Academic Libraries, University Libraries and ZIMASSET, Information Management in Digital Environments) | |
| 2024 | Victoria Falls | Positioning Libraries in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) | |
| 2026 | Harare | Navigating the Digital Frontier: Transforming Library Services for Tomorrow. |
Notable attendees
edit- Nyarai Chibanda, chairperson of the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AFLIA)
- Clara Chu, director of Mortenson Center for International Library Programs
- Dr. Gracian Chimwaza, executive director of Information Training & Outreach Centre for Africa (ITOCA)
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 "Zimbabwe University Libraries Consortium: a profile". Stories @ INASP. 24 October 2016.
- ↑ Dabengwa, Israel (2018-01-01). A phenomenological study of experiences in blended librarianship among academic librarians in Zimbabwe with special reference to selected higher education institutions (Thesis). University of Cape Town.
- 1 2 Madziwo, Edwin T; Chigwada, Josiline Phiri (August 2022). "Survival strategies employed by state university libraries in Zimbabwe in the face of limited funding". Library Philosophy and Practice (E-journal). 7281 – via DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
- 1 2 "Partnerships in Libraries: Cornerstones of Access. The Case of Institute of Development Studies Library University of Zimbabwe | ALA". www.ala.org. Retrieved 2026-07-04.
- ↑ Machimbidza, Takawira; Mutula, Stephen (June 2020). "Exploring experiences of librarians in Zimbabwean state universities with the consortium model of subscribing to electronic journals". Information Development. 36 (2): 193–207. doi:10.1177/0266666919834055. ISSN 0266-6669.
External links
editOfficial website: https://zulc.ac.zw/
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