We started off with very high expectations of establishing a library in honour of our founder vice chairpersons, the late Professor Fred Opio Ekong.

We rummaged through our stores and found loads of publications from our time as the Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (1992-2008).

we solicited donations of publications; bought some books; and indeed, we ended up with a respectable collection of thousands of publications for our library.

We were excited.

We made two unsuccessful attempts to hire a librarian. Each time the person just quit, because it got so lonely in the library.

Yes, our biggest failure came from the fact that we totally underestimated the inadequate reading culture that prevails in Uganda.

We are surrounded by multiple academic institutions – universities, schools, institutes; by government offices and NGOs.

None of the students, academic staff and other professionals found it of interest to invest in membership of our library, in order to have access to the fabulous books that we have:

• academic books
• government reports, including research findings
• NGO reports, including research findings
• Guardian Weekly (Stan Burkey’s old copies going back decades_
• National Geographic going back to the 1960s
• novels and more …

Not even the young adults whom we mentor find interest in investing time in the library for which they have free access.

We are not giving up.

We have decided to take a step back. We have changed from a library to a reading room. We will update you on how it goes.

In the meantime, if ever you find yourself in Lira City and you are looking for a clean and quiet place to read for leisure and for work (including bringing your work to read), you are welcome to use our Reading Room at a modest fee.

We are located at Plot 5, Makerere Road. We share boundaries with the Lira Golf Course grounds; and the Makerere University Lira Study Centre.