LIBRARIES FOR DEVELOPMENT AND UNITY: A REALITY OR PIPE-DREAM?

Ujala Satgoor President-Elect 23 August 2012 LIASA EC AGM

OVERVIEW •  Definitions

•  Concepts and scope •  South African Context

•  Examples

•  Opportunities

•  Who creates this reality?

DEVELOPMENT

The public library, the local gateway to knowledge,

provides a basic condition for lifelong learning,

independent decision- making and cultural development of the

individual and social groups.

IFLA/UNESCO Public

Libraries Manifesto http://www.ifla.org/publications/iflaunesco-public-

library-manifesto-1994

Gradual advancement or growth through a series of progressive changes http://www.brainyquote.com/words/de/development153653.html#ixzz1nglecAmk

“If information and knowledge are central to democracy, they are the conditions for development” Kofi Annan

UNITY The Public Library Manifesto, adopted in 1994, proclaims UNESCO's belief in the public library as a living force for education, culture and information, and as an essential agent for the fostering of peace and spiritual welfare through the minds of men and women.

The state or quality of being in accord; harmony. "All for one;

one for all" [ Alexandre

Dumas

“Libraries are a bastion of civil liberties in times of great political turmoil, but in

calmer times are also an integral part of our daily lives,”

Caroline Kennedy at the CCNY/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award

CONCEPTS, SCOPE & IMPERATIVES

Community

•  Civil society – better life

•  Skills – social inclusion & equality

Social

•  Early childhood learning •  Adult Literacy •  Youth & Women’s

Groups •  Nutrition & Health

Economic •  Urban renewal •  Social enterprise -

PPPs •  Sustainability

Development e.g.MDGs

Unity

National Constitution

• Bill of Rights

Nation building

Diversity

National Identity

NATIONAL LIS IMPERATIVES 1. Redress and equity

2. Social and economic development 3. Social cohesion

4. Social inclusion 5. Poverty eradication

6. Diversity and responsiveness 7. Nation building

8. Entrenching a culture of reading 9. Developing a national literature in South Africa’s indigenous languages

The Library and Information Services (LIS) Transformation Charter (6th draft) http://www.liasa.org.za/sites/default/files/publications/

LIS_transformation_charter_July2009.pdf

TO WHAT END?

The development of an informed nation!

WHY AN INFORMED NATION? •  To understand the impact of the past on the present

•  Redress iniquities of the past

•  To create an acknowledgement and appreciation of existing diversity

•  Foster effective communication across cultures.

•  Stable democracy & progress •  Safeguarding of human rights

WHY AN INFORMED NATION? •  To educate future leaders who will represent these values

•  4 cornerstones to “seed” democratic values (DoE, 2000) •  critical thinking, creative expression through art, a critical

understanding of history & multilingualism

•  personal expression, a local sense of meaning and expanded ways of thinking and communication

SA LIS CONTEXT •  150 years •  Transformation Charter

•  National Library – 2 campuses

•  Legal Deposits – 5 •  Public & Community

Libraries – 1800 •  HE Libraries – 23 •  School Libraries –

25 145/ 19 940/ 3 388/1817

•  Govt. libraries – 79 •  SA Library for the Blind

•  10 Library Schools

•  Dept. of Arts and Culture •  Dept. of Basic Education •  Dept. of Higher Education &

Training •  Dept. of Science &

Technology •  National Advisory Council

(NCLIS) •  CHELSA www.chelsa.ac.za/ •  Library & Information

Association of South Africa (LIASA) www.liasa.org.za

OBJECTIVES OF THE LIS SECTOR According to the Transformation Charter… 1. Support and stimulate the socio-economic, educational, cultural, recreational, scientific research, technological and information development of all communities in the country

2. Provide optimal access to relevant information to every person in an economic and cost-effective manner

3. Promote basic and functional literacy, information literacy, and a culture of reading

4. Strengthen democracy by encouraging critical and independent thinking and intellectual freedom

OBJECTIVES OF THE LIS SECTOR 5. Harness new information and communication technologies (ICT) to achieve improved integration, equity, cost-effectiveness and quality in library and information services

6. Make available the national documentary heritage and facilitate access to the world’s information resources by all, including people with disabilities

7. Provide for the preservation of the national documentary heritage, and provide conservation services

8. Put a premium on Indigenous Knowledge, and mainstream this knowledge by collecting and disseminating it in book, audio, and video formats.

BARRIERS TO LIS

Leadership

• Managerialism *Lack of a national strategy *Lack of visionary leadership *Silo mentality

Physical Access

• Location of libraries *Opening hours *Design of buildings

Intellectual & Cultural

access

•  illiteracy *Information literacy *Multilingualism *Indigenous knowledge promotion *Collection development (Eurocentric vs Afrocentric)

Access for people

with disabilities

•  Inadequate facilities *Lack of norms and standards

ICTs

• Poor connectivity *Digital divide *Bandwidth *Lack of awareness of Open Access &OERs *Limited expertise *Fear of technology

• Need for alignment with govt initiatives

WORST BARRIER

INDIFFERENCE

EXAMPLES OF LIBRARIES IMPACTING ON

DEVELOPMENT & UNITY HTTP://WWW.GATESFOUNDATION.ORG/WHAT-WE-DO/GLOBAL-DEVELOPMENT/

GLOBAL-LIBRARIES/ACCESS-TO-LEARNING-AWARD-ATLA

2011 - Arid Lands Information Network, Eastern Africa – Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania.

ACCESS TO LEARNING AWARDS

“Before, I could not use computers. A computer was something amazing to us. But now I can operate it, I can use e-mail, I can communicate.” Agnes (Farmer)

RIVERS OF TECHNOLOGY: HOW BOATS ARE BRINGING LIBRARIES TO RURAL BANGLADESH (2005)

“OUR STORY” – NORTHERN TERRITORY LIBRARY – DIGITAL ARCHIVES OF INDIGENOUS CULTURE

Creating opportunities; A free place to learn; Access to Employment; Technology improves lives

2002 – BIBLIORED, COLOMBIA

The library has given him the "opportunity to learn, to know the world, to become someone, to dream, to travel in time and space — without spending money," Luis (12)

Giving back to the community; Going beyond traditional library services Outreach programmes to immigrants and refugees

2004 - AARHUS PUBLIC LIBRARIES, DENMARK.

“I am a volunteer because I believe that everyone—irrespective of professional, social, and cultural background—can learn about computers and the Internet,” Amir Zafar (Iran)

OPPORTUNITIES

Leadership •  Vision *Alignment of goals

*Professional involvement

Personnel •  Mindset shift *Workplace skills development

Advocacy •  Local & provincial stakeholders •  Locate libraries on the development agenda

Collaboration

•  Expertise *Best practices

WHO CREATES THIS REALITY?

“None of these efforts would have been possible without dedicated, committed and visionary

LIBRARIANS. Professionals who are excited about their changing role in a changing world - who are

dedicated to serving others, who respect scholarship, and who understand that you are our guides on a life

long journey of intellectual collaboration and collaborative composition.

Your work is truly life changing,”

Caroline Kennedy

ARE YOU READY TO CREATE THIS REALITY?

IF YOU WANT TO GO FAST, GO ALONE

IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR, GO TOGETHER

AFRICAN PROVERB