Who we are

Professional Development

The Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA) is committed to strengthening the professional capacity, relevance, and ethical practice of librarians and information professionals in Uganda.

Through structured training, continuous professional development, mentorship, and knowledge exchange, ULIA supports members to adapt to evolving information environments, emerging technologies, and national development needs.

Advocacy and Policy

The Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA) serves as the national professional voice for librarians and information professionals in Uganda. Through advocacy and policy engagement, ULIA promotes an enabling environment for access to information, cultural heritage preservation, education, research, and lifelong learning.

ULIA works to influence policies, laws, and institutional frameworks that affect libraries, archives, information services, and knowledge systems at local, national, and international levels.

Access to Information

Access to information is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of democratic governance, education, research, and socio-economic development. Libraries and information centres play a critical role in enabling individuals and communities to discover, use, and benefit from information in all its forms.

The Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA) promotes equitable, inclusive, and sustainable access to information for all people, regardless of location, ability, or socio-economic status.

Cultural Heritage & Preservation

Uganda’s cultural heritage represents the collective memory, knowledge, and identity of its people. It includes documentary records, indigenous knowledge systems, oral traditions, audiovisual materials, and digital resources created and preserved over time.

KAMPALA – The critical role of libraries and the irreplaceable value of librarians in nurturing a reading culture and guiding users through the complexities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) were the central themes of a keynote speech delivered by the President of the Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA), Dr. Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya.

• To unite Library and information professionals, persons and organizations connected with, and interested in the promotion of the library and information services in Uganda
• To promote standards of practice within Library and information science (LIS) in Uganda
• To lobby and advocate for positive legislation and employment related to the LIS profession in Uganda and East African region
• To promote professional development and continuing education of the library and information professionals through meetings, offer scholarships, recommendations, lectures, seminars, w

ULIA is committed to raising the profile and strengthening the voice of the Library and Information Science profession in Uganda. We champion policies, initiatives, and partnerships that recognize the essential role of information professionals in education, research, culture, and national development.

Through advocacy, we:

This morning, the ULIA Executive, led by President Dr. Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya and accompanied by ULIA Administrator Mr. Edward Ssali, had a productive strategic meeting with the management of the Uganda National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), headed by Principal Higher Education Officer Mr. George Ebine.

During the meeting, the teams discussed and agreed to collaborate on several key issues, including: