Doctoral candidate Dianah T. Kacunguzi will present her research at the 10th Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in in Libraries International Conference (QQML 2018), which will be held on May 22-25 in Chania, Greece.
In her talk, "Preservation of Endangered Indigenous Knowledge: The Role of Community Libraries in Uganda," she will discuss how community libraries engage with varied indigenous groups in Uganda to facilitate ongoing practices and preserve their knowledge for future generations.
"Indigenous knowledge is facing the possibility of total extinction in many countries, including Uganda," said Kacunguzi. "My study seeks to closely examine ways in which endangered indigenous knowledge can be preserved to prevent possible extinction and ensure long-term use by future generations."
Kacunguzi's research interests focus on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. She is particularly interested in studying how indigenous groups acquire and transmit existing and new knowledge; understanding challenges and how choices are negotiated; and identifying strategies for facilitating ongoing indigenous practices and preserving existing knowledge for future generations. She holds a master's degree in information technology from the University of Pretoria in South Africa and a bachelor's degree in library and information science from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.