British Council’s Digital Library, which is part of the UK’s efforts to make educational resources "available to all”, was launched in Rwanda on August 31.

The event was presided over by Andrew Mitchell, the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Development and Africa, who hailed the new development, citing that libraries in communities are gateways to knowledge and culture.

ALSO READ: UK Minister Andrew Mitchell unveils digital library in Rwanda

The New Times spoke to Melody Sango, the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Programme Manager at the British Council, to gain further insights into the digital library. Below are excerpts.

Can you provide an overview of the digital library's content and resources? What types of materials are available?

The British Council’s Digital Library in Rwanda hosts over 80,000 useful resources for young learners and professionals alike. It contains over 11,000 newspapers and magazines from over 149 countries and 65 languages. It also has over 18,500 fiction, non-fiction, mystery, and romance books (including audiobooks) for leisurely reading.

The digital library also contains materials for young learners – from learning apps to over 2,500 books, including comics. There are over 100,000 research and academic journals that can be accessed through scholarly databases such as Ebsco/JSTOR and Proquest.

For those looking at self-paced learning, there are over 50,000 training modules that one can access to assist with their professional development. Lastly, one can access entertainment such as movies, full-length concerts, and UK music.

Will the library adapt to the needs and preferences of the local Rwandan community?

The partnership with the Kigali Public Library complements the British Council Digital Library as it provides immediate access to local authors through their SOMA platform. As the British Council digital platform is new to Rwanda, it will take time to get some of these resources online.

However, through the partnership with Kigali Public Library, they have started to support us in terms of helping identify some of those needs, and we welcome feedback from the local community as more and more engage with our digital library.

ALSO READ: Kigali Public Library goes digital

How can individuals access the digital library's resources? Is it open to the public, and are there any membership or subscription fees?

Our platform is currently live on our website and one can sign up from the comfort of their home. It is open to the public although only those 18 and above can sign up for our library.

For the next 12 months, there will be no subscription fees for anyone signing up. For more information on the library and how to join, one can visit https://www.britishcouncil.rw/programmes/digital-library.

Are there any partnerships or collaborations with local educational institutions or organizations to enhance access and usage of the library?

We are keen to explore these partnerships and collaborations with local institutions or organizations as witnessed by our current partnership with the Kigali Public Library.

While the library does not feature Rwandan authors, it does feature other writers from the continent. Some have come through popular writing platforms such as the Booker Prize and the Caine Prize for African Writing.

Are there plans for expanding the digital library's services or offerings in the future?

The Library is continuously evolving to ensure that it remains relevant and responsive to the needs of our subscribers around the world.