In much of Africa, there is a vast amount of informational material in the health and medical sector being produced. This material, in the form of research findings, journals, conference proceedings, reports, theses and dissertations, etc. is, however, not being indexed or otherwise controlled bibliographically and therefore inaccessible to the people who need it. Medical and health research depends on exchange of information and it is fundamentally important that ways and means exist for researchers, planners, administrators and practitioners to have ready access to available information sources. This information is important not only to health sector personnel locally in Africa, but can play a significant role in research being done in developed countries.

The African continent and South Africa in particular have always interested Russians. It may be interesting to note that as early as the 18th century the Russian tzar and reformist Peter 1st, ordered the compilation of a description of Africa, which was made in 1710 in Moscow. In the 18th and especially in the 19th centuries there were many Russian sailors and explorers who went as far as the Cape of Good Hope. Among them was a famous Russian writer and sailor Ivan Goncharov who spent two months in South Africa in 1853 and devoted more than 150 pages of his travelling book “Frigate Pallada” to the description of the lives of different racial groups there. This progressive Russian writer paid special attention to the fight of African people against the European colonisers. Another Russian explorer and art-critic A. Visheslavzev was also in South Africa in the 1850s and in his diary expressed his sympathy with the African chiefs, who led the black tribes against the conquerors.

Economic, social, educational and technological developments have brought pressure to bear on libraries. As librarians are faced with a major challenge in proving the need for continued sustenance of our libraries, we are also confronted with a major opportunity to explore possible new dimensions of services. The way we respond to the challenge and make use of the opportunities open to us will be a determining factor of our future success.

In recent years the priority that was given to libraries has been substantially reduced in the face of competing social needs, increasing economic problems and changing government fiscal policies. Despite these, libraries are expected to be cost-effective in order to ensure the maximization of the use of their resources. Faced with the declining levels of financial support and the rising demand for accountability, libraries are under pressure to re-examine their operations and priorities.