Condolences
The South African Booksellers Association would like to extend its condolences on the passing of Mr Hargraves to his wife Maureen, son Richard and the Hargraves family. The Hargraves have been actively involved in book selling, the Association and specifically the Library Sector for many decades. At this time we wish the family, their friends […]
A novel situation
The Library Sector Vic Lopich The library situation nationally is somewhat unclear but there are funds allocated to library services. The Conditional Grant has been reduced from R 1.48 billion to R1.17 billion. Provincial and municipal apportionment towards library purchase will be decided at a later time. In general libraries are struggling with creating protocols […]
SABA Conference and AGM
Please join the 2020 SABA virtual conference and AGM – follow the link to the programme here and the link to register here.
Bookmark April 2020 Newsletter
Download the latest Bookmark Newsletter here.
LIASA President: Statement – Books are essential
The Library and Information Association of South African (LIASA), the Professional Body for Library and Information Services (LIS) in South Africa, remains in full support of our South African government and the efforts to address the worldwide SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We actively appeal to our members and the wider Library and Information Services sector to adhere […]
TERS Application – A step by step guide
Initially, employers lodged claims under TERS by emailing a designated UIF email address. However, to simplify and expedite the application process, the UIF has recently developed an online portal to lodge claims under TERS. To assist employers in lodging a claim under TERS using the online application process, the steps to be taken are as […]
Post-lockdown to-do list
With lockdown eased to level 4 and hopefully continuing to open up, managers have to prepare for open up shop. Here are post-lockdown to-do list guidelines and suggestions. Permits, where applicable Deep clean premises (public facing surfaces, multiple times a day) Order sanitiser at doors (preferable single entry/exit) Masks/visors for staff (or see through Perspex […]
Disinfecting Bookshops
Retail space everywhere is being disinfected regularly … including Bookstores.
Ingeborg Pelser to head up Daily Maverick publishing arm
After the success of their first printed compendium, We Have A Game Changer: A Decade of Daily Maverick in November last year, online newspaper Daily Maverick announced plans to create a permanent book publishing division under the auspices of Ingeborg Pelser (pictured). Pelser has more than 20 years’ experience in publishing, having worked at David […]
Appointment of National Librarian and CEO
Mr Kepi Madumo is a highly experienced executive who, since early 2002, has gained senior leadership experience in the Library and Information Sector as Director: Provincial Library, Information and Archives Services in the North West Province. The most notable roles occupied by Mr Madumo include Executive Director in the Department of Community Development, City of […]
Copyright Amendment Bill needs to be reworked
Both national and international stakeholders are concerned about the Copyright Amendment Bill. Concern from Washington (United States) that the bill threatens intellectual property rights could end SA’s preferential access to the US market at a cost of R12 billion in exports. President Cyril Ramaphosa and Sports, Arts & Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa have said that […]
LIASA
A year of acheivements The Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) celebrated 20 years of existence in 2017 with amazing achievements, among others Professional Body Status, and having six members serving on the African Library and Information Association and Institution (AfLIA) Governing Council, acknowledgement as a key stakeholder in the development of Library […]
Tomorrow’s Libraries
New York City’s most iconic library is set to receive a $317 million makeover. The Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo and New York and D.C. firm Beyer Blinder Belle will overhaul the landmarked Stephen A. Schwarzman Building–the Beaux Arts masterpiece located on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street and famous for its sweeping outdoor staircase and lion […]
A year of fluctuations
It has been another year of fluctuations for library business with changes in some major metropolitan areas adding to this. Northern Region Polokwane have opened their systems for purchases. There is no tender in place but there are preferred suppliers. City of Tshwane have advertised their new tender. There is no confirmation on who was […]
Increasing Capacity and Empowering Youth
With the NLSA The NLSA through the Mzansi Libraries On-Line Project have partnered with Business Connexion (BCX) to recruit and develop skills among school leaving and unemployed youth in the career field of ICT Librarian. The objective is to put them through a graduate internship programme to train and deploy them for ICT technical support […]
Russian Libraries consolidate
Russian librarians may stage significant protests to a planned consolidation of the domestic library industry. The reform could trigger extensive layoffs of workers, the librarians say, and precipitate a crisis in the industry.Earlier in March, the government announced plans to complete a merger of the Moscow-based Russian State Library (RSL) and St. Petersburg’s Russian National […]
Thailand To Open a New Library in Bangkok, Honoring the Late King Bhumibol
The goal of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) project is to create a new city library in the late monarch’s honor by converting an existing structure into a Library scheduled to open in March this year. This is welcome news in comparison to the pressure currently being placed on library budgets in the US and […]
‘If we lose our celebrated bookshops and our libraries we will never improve our nation’s literacy’
Baroness Gail Rebuck, chair of Penguin Random House UK, delivered an educated and insightful speech on Thursday 13th October as part of a debate in the House of Lords, where Lord Bird moved that the House of Lords take “note of the cultural, civic and educational significance of local libraries and independent bookshops in the […]
Reading Room
Libraries are cornerstones of civic space, providing a free hub for learning and ideas. But with the rise of the internet, the role of the library has come into question all over the world and things are changing. American architectural photographer Elizabeth Felicella has spent the past eight years riding public transit to all 211 […]
Library supply – Experience required
By Richard Hargraves. I would really like to start a report with, “Full steam ahead!” but I am afraid this is still not the case. Library supply is a case of stop, start and return to the start with reams of paperwork in between. Always have twenty sets of original and certified documents on hand at […]