Makerere University Library (Music Collection)

The Africana / Special Collection section is located on the 4th level of the Main Library. Africana Materials include books & periodicals related to East Africa, general Africana books by explorers and travelers, plus books and documents on Uganda. The collection is significant both for research and as the primary depository of Ugandan history. It contains papers, letters, notes, reports, and dairies of events, books of history, travel, church memoranda, registers and journals from individuals, private & official organizations important to the Ugandan heritage. The section also holds important historical documents referring to Kenya and Tanzania during the early years of colonization.

Most of the early materials date as the late nineteenth century, and the initial half of the twentieth century to independence in 1962. In 1958, by an Act of Parliament, Makerere University Library became a Depository Library for all Ugandan Publications. This makes it the richest collection of documents on Uganda.

The library has a collection of about 2,900 35mm roll film of periodical and newspaper back issues, manuscripts and theses. Music collection: The Library has a collection of works about music and music-related materials which include; personal and organisational papers; dissertations and theses, manuscripts, archival sound recordings of folklore, oral histories and performance history, as well as materials that support study, teaching and research in music. The library also collects music materials that form part of the documentary record of culture, as part of the Library’s national heritage responsibilities. The library has got a well-equipped listening centre located on Ground Floor of the New Library Building.