On the 19th of March, 2025 I received an email, that I have been selected alongside librarians from 8 other African countries to shape the future of library digital inclusion across Africa through our participation in the Library Internet Governance Ambassadors Program (LIGAP), an initiative that’s powered by Library Aid Africa in collaboration with the Internet Society (ISOC). The Email:
“Your application stood out from one of our strongest applicant pools… The program will train young library leaders in Africa with the skill set needed to contribute meaningfully and actively to shaping the future of internet and digital inclusion strategies.”
The email felt like a call to contribute to a greater purpose, and it wasn’t just an invitation for me, because being a part of purposes like this is what I’ve been passionate about and in a continent like Africa where digital gaps still exist, where we seem to be consuming more than we are creating, there is urgent need for programmes like this one to ensure inclusion all round. No doubts, libraries still remain one of the most trusted and accessible spaces for information retrieval and librarians are doing a good job in ensuring that. But, the internet has redefined our work from just managing bookshelves to curating digital resources, implementing digital literacy, etc. Despite these new roles, many of us have stayed on the sideline in big conversations like ‘how the internet is governed, how digital rights are preserved, and other policy issues.’ LIGAP is helping learn more about these issues.
At the end of this programme, my capacity to become a digital inclusion advocate, policy influencer, and community educators would have been strengthened.
The Onboarding and First Virtual Session
After the onboarding session held on March 26th, we officially kicked off our journey with the first collaborative session on 17th of April. It was more than just a meet-and-greet. As one of the few participants selected to present during the session, I delivered a brief talk titled:
“Libraries Thriving with New Roles in the Internet Era.” It was really inspiring to engage with other participants across Africa who shared similar passion. See the presentation slides below:
Looking Ahead
Sometimes we find ourselves as librarians talking about the need to be “relevant” in the digital age, but what I believe Librarians must begin to do is “influence”. For instance, as the program continues, I’m looking forward to more collaborative learning, strategic engagements, and practical advocacy that will strengthen my ability to represent library voices in internet policy conversations in my country, starting by influencing my institution.
If you’re passionate about internet policy or libraries and digital inclusion. I invite you to follow this journey. There’s so much more to come. I will keep updating this particular blog post and share my reflections until the programme is over.
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About Sylvester I. Ebhonu, CLN, amPAIDeF
Youtube Channel @ https://youtube.com/@thedigitallibr