Over 650 delegates representing approximately 200 organizations in the field attended the Conference which was hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg.
Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, was in attendance, and, as a former librarian herself, she expressed her department’s full-hearted support for the library and information services sector.
She stated that they shared a common goal towards the preservation and promotion of the country’s cultural heritage.
“As we celebrate Heritage Day, we must sit and read to our children like we used to sit around the fire and listen to elders tell stories,” she said.
“Libraries play a critical role in telling, preserving and making stories that are told accessible to the nation and thus promote the heritage of our country.”
The annual LIASA conference has, over the years, emerged as the highlight of the library and information services calendar.
It is an opportunity for practitioners to engage with international and local experts on current trends, share best practices, locate libraries on the national development agenda, library schools, and enhance skills and competencies of the professionals attending.
It strives to unite, develop and empower all stakeholders in the sector by bringing them together to discuss dynamic ways of transforming, developing and sustaining library information through professional development.
In her address during the opening session Professor Rocky Ralebipi-Simela, the National Librarian and CEO of the National Library of South Africa, stated that the state of South African libraries after 20 years of democracy has improved tremendously but there is still room for development.
She highlighted that the conference is about uplifting the profession of librarian.
According to Ralebipi-Simela, the conference must also address matters such as the shortage of librarians in the country and the need to enhance their skills to ‘professionalise’ the occupation.
She believes this is crucial because of the role that libraries play in the country’s social landscape.
“Libraries are a place of social cohesion and social development and as librarians we change people’s lives daily because the work we do impacts on lives” she said.
According to the South African Yearbook 2012/2013, there are more than 11 373 libraries in the country.
This number comprises of 77 higher education libraries, 9 416 school libraries, 79 government departmental libraries, one national library with two branches and the SA library for the blind.
At total of 1 800 libraries are public facilities provided by provincial and local government.
The theme for the 16th Annual LIASA conference was “Celebrating libraries in 20 years of democracy: continuing the dialogue…”.
For more information on the 16th Annual LIASA Conference visit www.liasaconference.co.za.
