Brain drain in African academic libraries: a survey

This study was intended to identify and assess the extent and impact of the emigration of professional librarians on every university library in Anglophone Africa as well as the attitudes of library administrators toward national and international programs that have been or might be designed to make use of the skills of librarians in the African diaspora.

The research was conducted by use of an online survey that was sent to 121 African academic libraries.

The study conclusively demonstrated that African academic libraries have been impacted – both positively and negatively – by the effects of the “brain drain”. It also revealed that the administrators of these libraries are highly receptive to the possibility of working with African emigrant librarians in various forms (i.e. permanent, temporary, virtual) of structured “return programs”.

The survey's relatively low response rate precluded precise determination as to the degree to which the brain drain has penetrated African academic libraries. Additional study will be necessary to clarify the range of its impact and any differences between regions that might exist.

The study's findings strongly suggest that academic libraries in English‐speaking Africa offer a promising environment for return programs designed to ameliorate the effects of the brain drain.

This paper is an original study that fills a gap in the literature of African library administration. It is of value to practicing librarians and researchers as well as individuals involved with international development projects.