National Library Week: What’s taking place in Zimbabwe?
The Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) celebrated South African Library Week (SALW), March 19-26 2011, by translating the theme “Read in your own language @ your library” into the country’s 11 national languages. LIASA chose the theme to highlight the key role libraries in South Africa play in developing a reading culture and in the preservation and promotion of all South African languages.
In as much as libraries are important and essential in national development, they still are looked down upon in Zimbabwe. The nature and physical state of public libraries and some school libraries is pathetic and financial help is desperately needed. In my own opinion, in as much as we may want to point a finger at the government and say that they haven’t done this and that or they are responsible for the state of libraries in Zimbabwe, librarians have to know that while a finger is pointing towards something the remaining fingers are pointing back at themselves.
I will partially put some blame on the librarians themselves, in particular their lack of professionalism. The body representing librarians, Zimbabwe Libraries Association (ZIMLA) has not been doing its mandate. Whilst other library associations world over are making their presence felt as they celebrate Library Week, at home ZIMLA has no event organised. LIASA, in South Africa had their National Library Week in March this year. ALA, the American association has a Campaign for the World’s Libraries going on. On the ZIMLA’s Facebook page one can see events happening in other countries being marketed to the fullest potential. Even one member of the group commented that they appreciate knowing what is happening world over, but would appreciate more if local events were made known as well.
The other thing that worries me greatly, and maybe a few librarians out there too, is the training of software packages provided by UNESCO. UNESCO is dedicated to the digitalization of libraries in the developing world and they produce ‘Open Source Software’ – this means they are available for free for use in librarian automation. Due to the resource limitation and other constraints they train a few selected individuals on the use of different software. However, for the general populace of the librarians who do not make it to these training workshops, they have to part with an arm and a leg to be trained. When this selected group returns they offer course trainings and workshops and they charge large amounts of money to share the expertise. I then ask myself they were trained for free why do we have to pay? Considering that most libraries face financial constraints and operate on ‘shoe-string’ budgets then which library will be able to afford to send their librarian(s) for a three-day training session that will cost US$680 or more?
As other libraries celebrate their existence by speaking loudly and clearly about the value of libraries and librarians in the 21st century, I as a graduate call out for proper professionalism in libraries and in the association in Zimbabwe. As librarians we need to represent ourselves by our personal image and the image we create when dealing with our clients. Information is vital and we are the agents who carry it to the respective users at the right place and time. In as much as we acquaint ourselves with the new job names that come hand in glove with this century (documentalists, knowledge managers, cyber space librarians, information officers), we should not forget our core values.
We hope to have a conference like other national associations do, where participants and attendees are not asked to part with large amounts of money to attend. At the end of the day the association needs money to function, but it has to do away with fundraising tactics of milking already tight budgets.
Thursday, April 14th 2011 at 3:53 pm
EN: In as much as libraries are important and essential in national
development, they still are looked down upon in Zimbabwe. The nature
and physical state of public libraries and some school libraries is
pathetic and financial help is desperately needed. In my own opinion,
in as much as we may want to point a finger at the government and say
that they haven’t done this and that or they are responsible for the
state of libraries in Zimbabwe, librarians have to know that while a
finger is pointing towards something the remaining fingers are
pointing back at themselves.
TG: Thank you very much for this informative and eye opening comments
posted on one of many social networks advocating for a better deal for
the Zimbabwean Librarian. This kind of debate is very healthy as it
gives some of us an insight into problems, misconceptions, hearsay,
contradictions about the state of the profession in Zimbabwe inclusive
of training, infrastructure, resources financial and otherwise,
internal politics, individualistic tendencies the list is endless can
stretch from Cape to Cairo.
EN: I will partially put some blame on the librarians themselves, in
particular their lack of professionalism. The body representing
librarians, Zimbabwe Libraries Association (ZIMLA) has not been doing
its mandate.
TG: The vision of ZimLA has always been to unite all information
workers (local or Diaspora) irrespective of the LIS/RAM divide, with
one major objective of forming positive networks and synergies with
like-minded individuals and institutions. For the record, ZimLA was
dead and buried in 2005 (ask Lawrence Chikwanha Gt.Zim University)
only to be resurrected in November 2009 at the annual NLDS workshop in
Mutare. By May 2010 five working structures were set-up in the
traditional ZimLA provinces in addition to the newly created Masvingo
branch. To cap it all within the five month mandate we held the
historic Masvingo AGM were a permanent National Executive Council
(NEC) was elected by the 45+ participants in attendance.
After Masvingo and then what???
As the NEC in consultation with others locally, regional and
international networks, we have come to the conclusion that if the
following are not addressed APATHY will always be our Achilles heel;
1. A legally binding Constitution
2. A Code of Ethics
3. Rules and regulations
4. Special Interest Groups
5. Affiliation to regional and international organizations, i.e. SCECSAL, IFLA
6. An effective and correctly structured NLDS Directorate +
implementing the dictates of the NLDS ACT
7. National Library Policy
We have a myriad of problems of which some of them Elizabeth Nyamuda
has elucidated in her posting, but the above are fundamental to the
future of LIS/RAM professions in Zimbabwe. In other words with no
functional structures we are doomed unless IFLA intervenes as the case
was for LIASA that’s why they are successful.
EN: Whilst other library associations world over are making their
presence felt as they celebrate Library Week, at home ZIMLA has no
event organised.
TG: We would like to enlighten the contributor of the following
activities undertaken by ZimLA in 2010 and 2011;
1. International School Library Month (ISLM) was organized and
celebrated for the first time in the history of ZimLA and Zimbabwe in
October 2010 by three branches Bulawayo, Gweru and Harare. Our theme
was One School One Library One Librarian. Where were you when we
marched from the following centres, City Hall in Bulawayo to Evelyn
Girls High, or in Gweru from the CBD to CJ Primary School or from
Harare Town House to Prince Edward School? Facts about the success of
these commemorations are awash in the public domain i.e Chronicle, and
attended by high profile librarians such as Dr. Lawton Hikwa. In 2011
we are planning bigger and better commemorations in all provinces with
activities throughout the month of October.
2. Because of these efforts the International Association of School
Libraries (IASL), has requested ZimLA to host the Sub-Saharan Africa
conference for School libraries, School librarians and Teacher
librarians, which we are hosting in June/July 2011. Invitations are
already on the way. For further info contact hrncube@gmail.com
3. Several School-Teacher Librarians workshops have been and are still
being conducted, with highest concentration being in Masvingo branch
(kindly confirm with Ms Ella Moyo the coordinator ellamoyo@gmail.com).
Matebeleland branch did a successful training in Victoria Falls/Binga
area (jerrymathema@yahoo.com). In the midlands more info can be
obtained from Hosea Tokwe (tokwe@gmail.com).
4. The end result is that by end of the IASL conference in June we
will have setup a vibrant Special Interest Group, ZimLA School Library
Association at national and branch level. We will further use or
demonstrate the success of this special interest group in establishing
other individual structures such as HIV/AIDS group, ICTs in Libraries
group, Public Libraries, College libraries etc…
5. As ZimLA-NEC we are currently involved in discussions together
with the NLDS Council, in an international effort to establish a
National Library Policy which will encompass all types of libraries
inclusive of training, resource mobilization etc..
EN: On the ZIMLA’s Facebook page one can see events happening in other
countries being marketed to the fullest potential. Even one member of
the group commented that they appreciate knowing what is happening
world over, but would appreciate more if local events were made known
as well.
TG: ZimLA can never exist in a vacuum. We took advantage of the
social networks to advance our own vision, mission and objectives, web
presence can never be questioned in this day and age, if you not there
you doomed. It’s great to know that at least colleagues are getting
the info and visiting the page.
Looking at the postings they are not country specific but relevant and
related like minded institutions whether regional or international
such as IFLA, CILIP, IFLA Africa section, IFLA special interest
groups, lots of grant/fellowship activities.
We admit there is less of the local news “local is lekker”, in most
instances organizers of local events don’t inform us unless you are
one of the lucky ones to receive an invite. Information sharing is
like taboo within our local circle. Currently we are promoting the
forthcoming NUST IKS conference; once they provide us with web links
we will update the ZimLA page.
EN: The other thing that worries me greatly, and maybe a few
librarians out there too, is the training of software packages
provided by UNESCO. UNESCO is dedicated to the digitalization of
libraries in the developing world and they produce ‘Open Source
Software’ – this means they are available for free for use in
librarian automation.
TG: The contributor should be concise as regards to these so called
“UNESCO software packages”, her comments are vague and not
substantiated. Below are the facts;
UNESCO family of database management systems can be summarized as follows;
• 1st generation : CDS/ISIS and Micro-ISIS
• 2nd generation : enriched ISIS/Pascal interfaces, CISIS-tools
• 3rd generation : graphical, multimedia and multi-database : Win
ISIS, ISISDLL
• 4th generation : WWW-enabled versions (wwwisis, isis3w, openisis…)
• 5th generation : J-ISIS
Visit http://www.unesco.org/webworld/isis
Most libraries in Zimbabwe implemented and some are still using the
3rd and 4th generation. The 5th generation never saw light in
Zimbabwe as the core advocates abandoned it because of its limitations
in terms of a fully integrated system. In simpler terms it didn’t
provide essential modules such as cataloguing, circulation,
acquisitions, OPAC, serials control, remote database access, bar
coding etc…
The truth CDS/ISIS is dead not only locally but internationally and is
no longer supported. Current solution provision for CDS/ISIS users is
migration to ABCD which are compatible.
As I said above that I and other enthusiasts abandoned cds/isis for
the reasons mentioned above and joined the international bandwagon in
the development of the next progressive integrated system based on an
Open Source Model, the birth of ABCD, which was modeled along the same
ISIS technologies but developed further by a dedicated team from all
corners of the world.
FACT: UNESCO is still developing and distributing the CDS/ISIS
packages. The development, maintenance and distribution of ABCD
follows the free and open source software (FOSS) modality, under
coordination of BIREME with the support of PAHO, WHO and the
Consortium of Flemish Universities (VLIR/UOS – and the ISIS community
of users and developers, zimisis included.)
ABCD is in no way CONNECTED to UNESCO inclusive of the copyright,
distribution and training. For further info and verification visit
http://www.bireme.br
EN: Due to the resource limitation and other constraints they train a
few selected individuals on the use of different software. However,
for the general populace of the librarians who do not make it to these
training workshops, they have to part with an arm and a leg to be
trained.
TG: The above statement is utterly not true. Could the contributor
provide the following answers?
1. Provide a list of the ‘UNESCO selected individuals’ who have been
trained, when and where?
FACT: Historical background, zimisis archives show that UNESCO
organized and sponsored a TOT workshop for 10 selected individuals in
1992, names that come to mind from that initial group include Jean
Kanengoni (Consultant), Lillian Mashiri (now at FAO), Sabelo Mapasure
(diaspora), the late James Guzha. They were the pioneers of cds/isis
in Zimbabwe, but others like Edgar Makowe (Hre poly Librarian) had
encountered cds/isis as way back as 1989 when they attended training
in Lesotho. The same year 1992 saw the birth of zimisis which was
very active until taking a lull during the period 1995-1998. A lot of
colleagues were trained at a cost and students on internship were
introduced to the package myself included though at an operational
level not technical.
Other UNESCO sponsored trainings include the following;
1. Advanced Regional CDS/ISIS Course for library information services,
September 1-3, 1998, in conjunction with the Library School, Harare
Polytechnic and conducted by Andrew Buxton (IDS, UK). 15 Participants
drawn from SADC countries.
2. August 28th-September 1st, 2006, Regional CDS/ISIS & Web
Publishing, Natural Resources College, Lilongwe Malawi: Geneisis as a
powerful tool for web applications. 15 participants from SADC
countries
3. November 27-28, 2007, National CDS/ISIS & Web Publishing, Kadoma
Ranch Hotel, Zimbabwe: Geneisis as a powerful tool for web
applications. 12 Zimbabwean provincial participants
4. Part sponsorship for Alfred Gumbwa (agumbwa@acbf.org) to attend
the 2nd CDS/ISIS World Congress in Brazil 2005
Notable beneficiaries of these trainings include Anne Powell (INASP
UK), Albert Makurumure (ZOU), Tonderai Chanakira (ex IMR-UZ),
Elizabeth Mlambo (IDS-UZ), CUT librarian, Ashabai Chinyemba (ex
National Archives) etc.. I shall not comment on their further support
and development of ISIS in Zimbabwe, but hope they will do so in their
own individual capacity.
For verification and further info kindly write to UNESCO Harare
Director at Harare@unesco.org
EN: When this selected group returns they offer course trainings and
workshops and they charge large amounts of money to share the
expertise. I then ask myself they were trained for free why do we have
to pay?
TG: Again I ask the same question and I need answers? Who are this
“selected group’? Charging ‘an arm and leg’ for their expertise.
Please provide concrete evidence supported by names.
FACT: I (tg) was introduced to cds/isis during my internship at UNESCO
IN 1995, was only shown how to enter and search the database. In
1997i applied and was granted an Indian bursary (nothing to do with
UNESCO) to attend a 6month pioneer training course at NISIET in
Hyderabad and Bangalore in computer applications for LIS. Most
colleagues have and are still applying for the NISIET grant and have
had an opportunity to participate over the years. Notable colleagues
include Mkuleko Hikwa, Philip Marevangepo (Min. of Finance).
At this juncture I was introduced and harnessed skills in PROGRAMMING,
CODING, DATABASE CONCEPTS AND DESIGN, WEB DESIGN, etc.. Importantly I
was introduced to the technical configuration and customization of
CDS/ISIS DOS. I can boastfully say when I left the Indian shores I was
an expert and the years to follow became an ISIS guru and arguably one
of the top Zimbabwean techno-savvy librarian. Notably my passion for
ICTs for LIS/RAM was born and to this day am a strong advocate fully
supported by my push for encompassing Open Source Models in libraries
in SADC region.
On my return and my passion for ISIS technologies we revived zimisis
in 1998 with colleagues such Israel Chidavaenzi, Thomas Chifungo,
Lillian Mashiri, Josh Chigodora, Anne Derges, and others. With my
influential post at UNESCO Harare, I managed to produce proposals for
ISIS workshops both locally and regionally as mentioned earlier above.
In between we managed to hold training workshops at various levels
ranging from beginners to advanced, monthly user group meetings.
Importantly CDS/ISIS was incorporated into Library School Curriculum
at Harare Poly through our efforts as I represented zimisis on the
advisory body. To this day ISIS is being taught not only at Harare
poly , but Bulawayo Poly and NUST.
FACT for all these trainings participants paid for the course which
covered lab, training materials, Resource Persons, meals etc…
To this end we (on a personal level) have churned out ISIS gurus such
as Michael Chimalizeni (ITOCA), Edwin Madziwo (ZOU), Alfred Gumbwa
(ACBF), Hitler Mhomwa (UBM), Ronald Munatsi (Parliament), Chenai
Dhliwayo (UK), Godfrey Matsika (HIT), Wilson Yule (UNAM), Themba
Nyathi (ITDG), Freeman Dube (NAC), Makunununu (min. Of Water), Munya
Mutebuka (Morgan Zintec), and the tens of interns who passed through
my hands at UNESCO Hre Documentation Centre not only did they benefit
on an operational level but technical aspects of ISIS.
EN: Considering that most libraries face financial constraints and
operate on ‘shoe-string’ budgets then which library will be able to
afford to send their librarian(s) for a three-day training session
that will cost US$680 or more?
TG: 1. Does Elizabeth have a clue as to how we arrived at that $680
cost… for the benefit of all this was a 3 day Residential Course
inclusive of hotel type accommodation, meals, training materials, RPs,
transport. Above all this was an International first for SADC ABCD
training. Our charges are determined by current rates vis-à-vis hire
of lab, transport, training materials, meals etc… why this particular
course boggles the mind just 2 weeks ago we held an ABCD training at
Morgan Zintec for a give away $180.
2. Is Elizabeth aware that they are libraries in Zim paying an annual
fee of $42 000 for a proprietary software. Some libraries have wasted
fortunes on useless American type of systems to the value of $12 000
but have discarded them for ABCD Zimra is an example
FACT: when ABCD was introduced I and Michael Chimalizeni downloaded
it from the web AND spent countless nights STUDYING THE SOURCE CODE, a
record 18 TEHNICAL MANUALS. We never attended any ABCD training but
self taught taking the risk to introduce and implement it in Zim
Libraries. We are very grateful to ZOU LIS (Mr. Maenzanise & Mr
Makurumure HQ and 10 regional libraries) for having belief in our
abilities and allowing us to experiment and fine tune ABCD.
The result is there for everyone to see today, 30+ satisfied clients
cutting across the universities, colleges NGOs, schools etc and
growing by the day. As Elizabeth rightly puts it we were ‘innovative’
and today we are masters of our own destination, so when I charge am
costing my expertise for a lifelong product with local dedicated
support.
FACT: We have embraced Open Source as a business model where one can
make a living by manipulating ABCD source code, just like UBUNTU with
linux.
I urge the contributor and others to study free online and understand
FOSS as a business model, follow the link below
Certificate FOSS & IT for Africa Business http://www.inwent.org/ Global Campus21
EN: As other libraries celebrate their existence by speaking loudly
and clearly about the value of libraries and librarians in the 21st
century, I as a graduate call out for proper professionalism in
libraries and in the association in Zimbabwe. As librarians we need to
represent ourselves by our personal image and the image we create when
dealing with our clients. Information is vital and we are the agents
who carry it to the respective users at the right place and time. In
as much as we acquaint ourselves with the new job names that come hand
in glove with this century (documentalists, knowledge managers, cyber
space librarians, information officers), we should not forget our core
values.
We hope to have a conference like other national associations do,
where participants and attendees are not asked to part with large
amounts of money to attend. At the end of the day the association
needs money to function, but it has to do away with fundraising
tactics of milking already tight budgets.
TG: Final word to Elizabeth and the like are you a member of ZimLA, do
you participate in any ZimLA activities either national or at branch
level? If not ask yourself why you not contributing positively to
‘proper professionalism’ as you put it. It begins with you and me by
paying your subs… and offering practical solutions backed by FACTS.
this response is a personal view…
–
bhowa tg
Infoprenuer, zimisis
bhowatg@gmail.com skypeID: bhowatg
blog: http://bhowatg.blogspot.com
http://facebook/bhowa.tg; http://twitter.com/bhowatg
http://www.zimisis.co.cc
“there are two equally dangerous extremes-
to shut reason out and to let nothing else in”
Pascal, 1670
Reply
Wednesday, April 20th 2011 at 10:06 am
Thank you Elizabeth for you article and TG for the response, at least the debate had begun now. That’s what we have been hoping for all along to get everyone involved. Instead of criticising from afar its high time we put all those ideas together to fully revive ZIMLA. I really appreciate the great work TG and team are doing, please keep pushing.