The transitionary role of Research and University Librarians/Knowledge Specialists in developing countries in facilitating transformation for sustainable development

The university and research librarians as well as knowledge specialists in the global south have of recent been engaged in processes that require them to assist researchers and policy makers with the deployment of information and data. Open science, open data and open access has made the role played by librarians and knowledge specialists critical in understanding knowledge transformation for sustainable development. University researchers are being encouraged to collaborate as part of their research and aggressively solicit funding for their research that addresses the respective countries grand challenges that impact on the Sustainable Development Goals. Of particular interest is goal number 3 ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’. The expectation is for university librarians and knowledge specialists to provide information and data that can reinforce or facilitate innovations that can be harnessed for improvement in health; whether the data provided on innovation are conducive to bring policy change and the necessary conditions for transformative innovations to succeed as part of public good. As governments increase their spend on Research and Innovation, research and academic librarians are in the forefront advocating for the awareness and use of the research tools and research opportunities that are key in health research and in particular disaster health. The paper will provide an analysis of the expected roles academic/research librarians and knowledge specialists assume in the provision of information and data to the complex health problems that developing countries face.