Finance and funding were amongst the areas investigated by the recent Review of University Libraries in Africa. Data were gathered from eighteen libraries in eleven African countries. Findings reveal the extent of institutional underfunding and the current almost total dependence on donor assistance for both recurrent and capital expenditure. Neither student fees nor income generation seem to provide viable alternatives. African librarians require more information about possible funding strategies and, if they are to regain institutional support, must be able to prove the value of university library services to the educational process. Sustainability is not an option for the foreseeable future.
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