The last of the LIASA Roadshows culminated in Gauteng with two separate engagements with LIASA Gauteng South (04 Aug) and LIASA Gauteng North (05 Aug) respectively. Professional Body Recognition is receiving a lot of positive responses and the support from library directors and heads is still mixed & in some cases extremely limited! The inclusion of FET college libraries; development of a reading culture; need to bring on board government departmental librarians; and the need to raise the image of the profession were some of the issues discussed. It is also very clear that strong, participative and innovative leadership is required for LIASA to emerge as a forceful association at every level. Good governance, accountability, transparency, professionalism and collective leadership should be the values that imbue every aspect of branch and interest group management. The other observation I would like to make is the need for inculcating a culture of dialogue and discussions within LIASA and LIS institutions. We assume people know about the history, context, legal framework, current challenges and imperatives of the profession. Unfortunately this not the case! So how do we get librarians talking and more involved/informed? The visits to the SABC Sound Archives and the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership were unexpected delights. The wealth of collections around the country is unknown. We need to identify and explore special libraries, archives and museum collections so that librarians broaden their knowledge and networks, as well as identify areas of collaboration. I wish to acknowledge the Directors and Managers of LIS, LIASA members and colleagues who accepted our invitation to meet and engage on issues of significance towards enhancing the profession and LIASA, as well as the BECs of LIASA GS and GN under the leadership of Phindile Bekwa and Modisa Khosie respectively. We are doing exceptional work but more needs to be done. The more we engage across LIS sectors, the greater the awareness of similarities within different working environments and the possibilities for realising the common purpose of an informed & reading nation become greater. Having travelled to all branches and seen some of the varied library and community environs, and being cognisant of the huge challenges in the education sector, I truly believe that librarians can fill the gaps towards the realisation of educational goals and a knowledge society provided they realise the enormous power of libraries and their roles. Let us forge ahead as a strong and dynamic collective! Ujala Satgoor
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 20:45:09 +0000
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