The Aga Khan varsity library tops awards list

The Aga Khan University library has been named the overall winner of Maktaba Awards, beating 77 others to clinch the top prize.

The university was also awarded top honours in the academic libraries categories besides scooping the overall prize for Library of the Year in a ceremony held at the National Museum of Kenya recently.

Mr Peter Gatiti, the university’s regional librarian, said the library had defeated larger universities in the region because of the quality services it provides, advanced use of technology and other services it renders to the community.

The selection process was rigorous and involved impromptu visits, interviews with the staff and library users as well as detailed examination of the services provided,” Mr Gatiti said.

The Kenya Library Association, the Goethe Institute and other groups organise the Maktaba Award.

BEST PUBLIC LIBRARY
In other categories, the Dr Robert Ouko Community Memorial Library was voted the best community library, while the Kenya National Library, Buru Buru branch was voted best public library.

Nairobi Primary won in the public schools category, while the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa, won in the private schools category.

Meanwhile, a Kenyan scholar, Prof Calestous Juma, has received the Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize for his leadership in socioeconomic development in Africa.

Prof Juma, a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, is among 16 recipients of this year’s awards.

The Millennium Excellence Foundation, which awards the prize, said the laureates met the mark of excellence of distinction never seen in the continent in several decades.”