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Contributes to the discussion on the impact of Global Information on Africa with specific emphasis on libraries in sub‐Saharan Africa. Indicates that the impact of GI on libraries in sub‐Saharan Africa is closely linked to the status of information technology application in libraries and the state of electronic connectivity in the countries of the sub‐region. With the current general low level of computerisation and electronic connectivity in libraries in most of the countries in the region, the impact of GI can be noticed mainly in the libraries of the Republic of South Africa, where the state of economic development and information technology infrastructure is way ahead of the rest of the sub‐continent. Libraries in South Africa are using the Internet for electronic publishing and provision of and access to electronic information services to library users. Most libraries in other countries, which have established full Internet access, only have access to e‐mail facilities, and are not exploiting the facilities fully. Concludes that, unless libraries are properly funded, equipped, and well staffed, they will not be able to take advantage of the Internet access being established in sub‐Saharan Africa and will consequently be left out in the race for the establishment of a Global Information infrastructure.

Neither distance learning courses nor utilising information and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance these courses are new to sub‐Saharan Africa. “Long‐distance” training by correspondence has been practised here for decades. ICT as basic as e‐mail has the potential to enable the remotely situated student to interactively take part in a particular programme. Additional equipment can simulate the lecture environment by allowing the student to watch a video of a presentation while communicating via telephone. This article is an investigation of the status quo of ICT‐based distance learning in sub‐Saharan Africa. Broad trends were derived from the multitude of sources on the topic, depicting just as many examples of programmes currently being maintained. ICT inroads in Africa are addressed; the problems to acquire and maintain these are discussed, as well as ICT’s potential role in future distance learning programmes. Examples of public‐private partnerships are highlighted. It is emphasised that only through these partnerships will African tertiary institutions succeed in increasing the output of their much needed graduates.

Presents the results of a survey of interlibrary lending operations in Zambia, which indicate that existing activities are concentrated on the two highly urbanized provinces, the Copperbelt and Lusaka. Shows, in detail, that the schemes operate on an informal basis, lacking any form of co‐ordination, in the absence of any rules or regulatory code. Concludes that the lack of written rules and manuals has resulted in ILL arrangements failing to operate smoothly and that there is an urgent need to introduce an effective regulatory structure.

This Special Issue of The Electronic Library on the “Impact of information technology on indigenous peoples” gathers articles from several different countries and cultures in an effort not only to highlight the difficulties faced by indigenous peoples with accessing the Internet or using computers, but also to show how they are aiming at self‐determination and supporting their goals as sovereign nations, as well as preserving their heritage. The articles, in most cases specially written for this Issue, illustrate how tribal nations are using information technology to explore their culture, document these efforts, and share elements of their perspectives with the larger world.

This is the tenth article on business and law (BSL) databases in a continuing series of articles summarising and commenting on new database products. Two companion articles have appeared, one covering science, technology and medicine (STM) in Online & CDROM Review vol. 21, no. 4 and the other covering social science, humanities, news and general (SSH) in Online & CDROM Review vol. 21, no. 5. The articles are based on the newly appearing database products in the Gale Directory of Databases. The Gale Directory of Databases (GDD) was created in January 1993 by merging Computer‐Readable Databases: A Directory and Data Sourcebook (CRD) together with the Directory of Online Databases (DOD) and the Directory of Portable Databases (DPD).