National Libraries as Institutes of International Understanding Among Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the practice of librarianship at the sub-regional level in West Africa. Functions of national libraries that are widely known are examined. The case is made for the implementation of the proposed Federation of West African Library Association (FWALA). A proposal is also made for the establishment of a sub-regional library and a network of the national libraries of the member countries of ECOWAS at a secondary level. The roles that various arms of the proposed structure can play to promote free flow of information in the sub-region are then discussed.