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South African South African Library Week Library Week Kerbside pick up

14-20 March 2022

14-20 March 2022

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South African Library Week

Celebrating 21 years of South African Library Week LIASA (Library and Information Association of South Africa) – through its diverse membership – is driving the process to make South African Library Week a celebration of our country’s intellectual and literacy heritage.

Libraries across the country use this annual event as an opportunity to market their services to the users, the broader community, civil society and decision- makers.

South African Library Week (SALW) was initiated in 2001 by LIASA to be a commemorative period recognised by government. All types of libraries across the country use it as an opportunity to market their services in an effort to contribute to the understanding of the important role that libraries play in a democratic society, while advancing literacy and making the basic human right of freedom of access to information a reality – and not forgetting to promote tolerance and respect among all South Africans.

The choice of date was based on research into the history of libraries in South Africa.

The South African Public Library, now known as the National Library of South Africa (Cape Town Campus), was the first library to be established in South Africa. This was done by a government proclamation on March 20, 1818. The South African library started off as a true public library and has established itself as a pioneering institution in South African library history. Therefore,

annually, SALW is celebrated during the week within which March 20 falls.

Furthermore, we celebrate Human Rights Day on March 21 and South Africa’s Bill of Rights recognises the freedom of access to information as a basic human right. Therefore, SALW is

linked to an important historical event with a crucial date in our new democracy.

South African Library Week was officially celebrated for the first time in 2002 and has become a very important date on the national calendar.

South African Library Week

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LIASA reimagines, repurposes and rediscovers libraries in South Africa South African Library Week 2022 THE Library and Information Association (LIASA) is celebrating South African Library Week (SALW) for the 21st time in 2022. This year’s theme is Reimagine! Repurpose! Rediscover...

Libraries, and takes place from March 14-20.

Libraries are being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with many still grappling with providing appropriate services or sometimes even unable to provide these in any meaningful way.

Sectors of the Library and Information Services (LIS) have also responded differently, and this continues to be a cause for concern.

After reflecting on the changes wrought on our services and hence our profession, LIASA exhorts all in the LIS sector to reimagine and repurpose libraries so that communities will rediscover them.

The theme for SALW 2022 will explore and interrogate ways in which libraries are having to: • Reimagine their services and their ability to render those services, • Repurpose both their spaces and their services to continue being effective in the communities that they serve, and in this way allowing users to • Rediscover the library and the ways in which it benefits them.

The theme for 2022 builds on the 2021 theme of “Libraries Matter!” by moving the narrative from one of confirming relevance to one of demonstrating how libraries continue to be relevant in society.

The 2022 theme will also echo throughout the year, as LIASA cel-

ebrates 25 years of being the association for LIS in South Africa. LIASA, throughout this year, will continue striving to reimagine itself and repurpose the association for a new generation of professionals and in this way, help the sector rediscover LIASA as a professional body for everyone.

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South African Library Week

LIASA represents and promotes the development and image of SA libraries and information services LIASA is a professional organisation that strives to unite, develop and empower all institutions and people in the library and information field. It further provides dynamic leadership in transforming, developing and sustaining Library and Information Services (LIS) for all people in South Africa.

The association actively advocates and supports the provision of efficient, user-oriented and excellent LIS and aspires to provide all communities in South Africa with equitable access to information. The association represents the interests of, and seeks to promote the welfare and development of, library and information workers and agencies.

LIASA also represents the interests of and promotes the development and image of the library and information profession in South Africa – at local, provincial and national level to learners, general public, government and other agencies. Furthermore, LIASA represents the South African LIS sector at international level.

South Africa’s transition to democracy has brought with it its own set of challenges including that of access to information – an essential pillar in upholding a democracy. The country and its citizens are reliant on every possible institution to contribute to the growth of its democracy.

The growth and sustainability of a democracy is dependent on equitable access to information and knowledge, which is the core business of the library and information sector. LIASA, representing the interests of the library and information sector, is one of those institutions that must be tagged as a significant contributor to the growth and development of South Africa.

Professional associations and so-

cieties are influential organisations representing the voice of the professional community, in addressing issues relating to their welfare, status, working conditions, physical facilities, education and training including the research and development activities.

The core purposes of associations have always been to serve the needs and to protect the interests of the community.

South African Library Week

What is a Library?

Click on the image of the video to watch it in your preferred language or copy the URL to your browser.

Trailer

English

https://tinyurl.com/libraries-trailer

https://tinyurl.com/library-english

isiZulu

Afrikaans

https://tinyurl.com/library-isizulu

https://tinyurl.com/library-afrikaans

isiXhosa

Sepedi

https://tinyurl.com/library-isixhosa

https://tinyurl.com/library-sepedi

These videos were made possible through the generous sponsorship from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture

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South African Library Week

LIASA flagship programmes South African Library Week LIASA, through its diverse membership, is driving the process to make South African Library Week (SALW) a celebration of our country’s intellectual and literary heritage. Libraries across the country use this annual event as an opportunity to market their services to the users, the broader community, civil society and also decision-makers.

South African Librarians’ Day LIASA, the profession and the sector, celebrates South African Librarians’ Day (SALD) annually on July 10 – the date of its 1997 launch.

SALD is dedicated to the LIS profession, its services and the scores of dedicated staff who work tirelessly at times and in challenging conditions – all of which are directed to serving communities. SALD aims to also shed light on librarianship as a career, eradicate the negative perceptions and to grow the profession.

LIASA’s annual conference To date, LIASA has successfully hosted more than 20 annual conferences. The conference draws between 600 and 800 delegates, including a few international delegates. Speakers range from local, African and international invited speakers, as well as speakers who submitted abstracts for presentations on a range of identified topics, in line with the year’s conference theme.

The 2022 conference, held from October 4 to 7, 2022, will not only celebrate LIASA’s 25th anniversary but will also

see the LIASA and SCECSAL Conferences come together to be held as one conference. This is a first in both LIASA and SCECSAL’s history.

The conference provides South African librarians with one of the few opportunities to be exposed to new trends in the library and information profession, and to interact with their counterparts from other countries.

For the general participant, it offers a mixture of opening sessions, plenary

and parallel sessions, a large exhibition, cultural events and the opportunity to recognise and honour their peers through various awards. The programme is planned so that there are sessions for all levels of LIS workers, while also covering the different specialist areas of librarianship such as public, government, special, school, academic libraries, IT, cataloguing, acquisitions, management and many other relevant topics.

South African Library Week South African Library Week through the ages 2003

Theme: Your right to read!

Date: 17 – 22 March 2003

2004

Theme: 1994 - 2004: Libraries in a decade of democracy Date: 15 – 20 March 2004

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South African Library Week

South African Library Week through the ages 2005

Theme: Opening the doors of learning and culture to all Date: 14 – 18 March 2005

2006

Theme: Libraries: Partners in learning, nation building and development Date: 13 – 18 March 2006

South African Library Week South African Library Week through the ages 2007

Theme: Libraries: Your key to the future Date: 19 – 23 March 2007

2008

Theme: From local to global @ your library Date: 17 – 22 March 2008

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10 South African Library Week South African Library Week through the ages 2009

Theme: Access for all @ your library Date: 16 – 21 March 2009

2010

Theme: Reading changes lives Date: 20 – 26 March 2010

South African Library Week South African Library Week through the ages 2011

Theme: Read in your language @ your library Date: 19 – 26 March 2011

2012

Theme: Develop @ your library Date: 17 – 24 March 2012

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12 South African Library Week South African Library Week through the ages SOUTH AFRICAN LIbRARy Week 2013

2013

Theme: Educate Yourself @ your library Date: 16 – 23 March 2013

SOUTH AFRICAN LIBRARY WEEK 2014

SOUTH AFRICAN LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND

2014

Theme: Celebrating libraries in 20 years of democracy: Check in @ your library Date: 15 – 22 March 2014 SOUTH AFRICAN LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND

South African Library Week

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South African Library Week through the ages 2015

Theme: Connect @ your library Date: 17 – 24 March 2015

South African Library Week 2016

2016

Theme: #libraries4lifelonglearning Date: 11 – 21 March 2016

#libraries4lifelonglearning arts & culture Department: Arts & Culture PROVINCE OF KWAZULU-NATAL

Library Week 2016 Posters_Final.indd 1

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14 South African Library Week South African Library Week through the ages 2017

Theme: My Library, Your Library Date: 18 – 26 March 2017

2018

Theme: Libraries: Heart of the Community Date: 19 - 25 March 2018

arts & culture Department: Arts and Culture REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

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2018/03/07 17:57

South African Library Week South African Library Week through the ages SOUTH AFRICAN LIBRARY WEEK

2019

COLLABORATE YOUR LIBRARY 2019

2020

Theme: Libraries: Your Partners for Life Date: 16 – 22 March 2020

Theme: Collaborate @ your library Date: 18 – 24 March 2019

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16 South African Library Week South African Library Week through the ages 2021

Theme: Libraries Matter!

Date: 15 – 21 March 2021

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ReImagine!

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Theme: Reimagine! Repurpose! Rediscover…

Libraries!

Date: 14 – 20 March 2022

RePurpose!

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Libraries!

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2022

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South African South African Library Week Library Week Kerbside pick up

14-20 March 2022

14-20 March 2022

South African Library Week

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In the past 25 years, LIASA has celebrated many achievements • In 2002 and 2022, LIASA hosted the Standing Committee of Eastern, Central and Southern African Library Associations (SCECSAL) Conference.

• In 2007 and 2015, LIASA hosted the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Conference with about 3000 delegates from 120 countries in attendance. It was the second and third time the IFLA Conference was held on African soil.

• The 2015 IFLA Conference gave rise to the Cape Town declaration signed by many African countries in support of their library and information services.

• The very first interim president of LIASA, Dr Peter Lor was elected to the prestigious position of secretary general of IFLA. • Ellen Tise and Mandla Ntombela (both previous LIASA presidents) together with Kay Raseroka (a LIASA honorary member) were elected into the IFLA Governing Board. Tise and Raseroka were subsequently elected as IFLA presidents.

• Numerous other prominent and respected LIASA members serve on the IFLA Governing Board, as well as other IFLA governance structures.

• LIASA was a partner to the first Public Library Summit, held in Pretoria. This summit

saw the birth of the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA).

• In 2017, LIASA honorary member John Tsebe was elected as the AfLIA president for the second consecutive term. A previous president, Mandla Ntombela was elected as the vice president. Ntombela was elected as president for the following term.

• LIASA members serve in various leadership positions on AfLIA and IFLA committees.

• LIASA was privileged to have received many grants, mainly from international donor organisations, for the development of libraries and librarians in the country.

• In 2014, LIASA was awarded, in line with the NQF Act 67 of 2008, professional body recognition for the LIS and related professions from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This recognition was renewed in 2019.

• LIASA celebrated its 10th, 15th, 20th and now 25th anniversary in 2022.