Access Reframed
The Role of Human-Computer Interaction in African Public Library Innovation and Transformation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5860/ital.v45i2.17410Keywords:
Human-Computer Interaction, Public Library, Librarianship, AfricaAbstract
This study critically explores the transformative potential of human-computer interaction (HCI) in reimagining African public libraries as dynamic, user-centered, and culturally grounded spaces. Based on a literature review and comparative analysis of libraries across several African countries, the research investigates how HCI principles can enhance user engagement, usability, and inclusivity, particularly in multilingual, resource-constrained, and postcolonial contexts. The paper situates libraries as sociotechnical infrastructures that mediate between technology, local knowledge systems, and community needs, and argues for the importance of participatory and culturally responsive design approaches in library digitization efforts. The findings highlight significant gaps in current implementations of HCI within library services, including the lack of localized interfaces and limited user involvement in design processes. The study concludes by offering practical recommendations for integrating HCI into library development strategies and advocating for the co-creation of digital public spaces that reflect and empower Africa’s diverse knowledge ecologies. In doing so, the paper contributes to the growing discourse on decolonial approaches to technology and the future of public libraries in the digital age.
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