Malawi Library and Information Consortium (MALICO) reported at the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM at Blue Waters Resort in Salima that it has made major strides in expanding access to quality and credible electronic academic resources in the year, despite some challenges such as the rising subscription costs and forex shortages.
The MALICO Chairperson Brian Ndau said the consortium has maintained subscriptions to key international scholarly databases such as Taylor and Francis, ScienceDirect among others, ensuring that students and researchers continue accessing credible information. Ndau also noted that although universities are increasingly embracing digital resources, secondary and primary schools continue to lag behind due to limited ICT tools and a poor reading culture.
Malawi Research and Education Network (MAREN) CEO, Solomon Dindi, who was the guest of honor, urged both users and service providers to fully embrace technology. He said leveraging global online resources can help Malawi fast-track development without starting from scratch.
A member of the Electronic Resources Working Group (ERWG), Teddie Chima, encouraged MALICO members to make full use of the credible electronic resources available through the consortium. He emphasized that effective utilisation of these platforms is key to supporting high-quality research and enhancing teaching and learning across Malawi’s academic institutions.
The meeting, held under the theme “The Future Is Now: Harnessing Technology for Library Excellence,” has brought together MALICO members and partners, including libraries of universities such as Mzuzu University (MZUNI), Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Lilongwe University of Health Sciences (LUANAR) and others, research institutions such as Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Programme (MLW), and the National Library Service (NLS).
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