Tanzania launches digital library system
Education Minister Adolf Mkenda urged the Tanzania Library Services Board to prioritise books over new buildings.
Tanzania has launched its Integrated National Digital Library System, known as iNDLS, a platform designed to consolidate member registration, ISBN/ISSN applications, cataloguing, and lending management. Education Minister Adolf Mkenda officially inaugurated the system, developed by the library board in collaboration with the e-Government Authority, at the National Library in Dar es Salaam. The digital service aims to broaden access to publications and library information via web browsers and a mobile application, though copyright restrictions may limit full online availability of some titles.
During the launch, Mkenda advised the Tanzania Library Services Board to shift funding from constructing new library facilities towards acquiring and distributing books. He stressed the importance of repairing existing infrastructure while prioritising the purchase of local titles to support writers and publishers and expand reading access. The minister also encouraged local authorities and organisations to establish small public libraries, with the board providing the necessary books.
The initiative addresses long-standing challenges in book access in Tanzania, where, according to a 2025 UNESCO report, there was one bookshop for every 116,000 people and one public library for every 189,000 people. The ministry also plans to explore centralised subscriptions for online academic resources to reduce costs for universities and ensure transparent administration of government support for publishing, focusing on publishers with proven track records.
Why it mattersStudents and researchers will gain wider access to publications and academic resources through the new digital library system and potential centralised subscriptions.