MBOMBELA – With the continual celebrations of national library week, communities are urged to take care of their libraries.
This year’s library week celebration started from March 18-26 under the theme ‘My Library, Your Library’ and sub-themes: ‘My Library, My Home’, ‘Mind your Library’ and “Tell me about your Library”.
In Mbombela the launch was held in Matsulu library on March 18 where local schools including Masitakhe High, Benjamin and Enzani Primary were part of the celebration. Speakers encouraged attendees to take care of their local libraries.
Five significants of libraries:
1. Libraries are places where people come to know themselves and their communities – It is an undisputed fact that people go to the library in search of information. Robert Putnam, a political scientist and a Harvard University scholar says libraries are a meeting place too. “New moms connect at baby story-times; elderly people, often facing difficult life transitions, attend events and find that they make new friends; teenagers meet up in libraries’ teen spaces after school; and readers discuss current events in the periodicals room. In libraries, community-building connections happen,” he said.
2. Libraries also champion, promote and reflect important democratic values, are a part of the community’s political life.
3. Libraries provide important business resources, especially for small local businesses.
4. Archives kept in libraries preserve historic artefacts, oral histories, digital history projects and monographs relevant to the community, including minority groups.
5.Libraries are also the right place to be when you need ‘Me time’ to unwind and even do self-introspection.
