Evaluation of KEPA’s Activities in the Library Sector in Mozambique (1996-2002)

KEPA has been supporting the public library sector in Mozambique since 1996. Its support has consisted of the posting of two development workers in the libraries of Maputo and Nampula between 1996 and 1998, and small funding. With the small funds, a need assessment survey of the sector was carried out, capacity building activities and supervision of the public libraries developed, seven public library workers were trained at the Training Institute in Documentation Sciences. Additionally, organizational and financial support was given to exchange visits; and small quantities of books and equipment were purchased. KEPA managed also the Democratization Project that provided newspapers subscriptions to 39 public libraries, with funds from the Finnish Embassy in Maputo.
The evaluation addresses the needs of KEPA to have a holistic picture of its efforts to develop the library sector in Mozambique, as well as to place its own program within the context of the public libraries development in the country and the efforts of other actors. It assesses the relevance, the effectiveness and efficiency, and the sustainability of KEPA´s intervention, as well as the major achievements, strengths and weaknesses of KEPA´s activities and the stakeholders’ perspectives of factors associated with successes and failures.