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Developing a vibrant and relevant library profession for South Africa
Naomi Haasbroek1 and Nohra Moerat
Naomi Haasbroek and Nohra Moerat were awarded third place in the Best Poster Competition. It was announced at the Closing Ceremony of the World Library and Information Congress in Buenos Aires, 22 - 27 August 2004.
It was a proud moment for both LIASA members to be recognized in this way as neither had presented at an international conference before and both were newcomers to IFLA.
The poster entitled "Developing a vibrant and relevant library profession for South Africa" was designed to familiarise the international library community with LIASA who will be hosting the Congress in 2007. The abstract for the poster reads as follows:
The process that led to the inauguration of the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) mirrors
the political process that gave rise to a democratic South Africa. Just as the "new" South Africa has been welcomed
into the fold of the international community, so LIASA has been chosen to host the World Library and Information
Congress/73rd IFLA Conference in Durban in 2007, its 10th anniversary year.
It will be the second time only that IFLA comes to Africa.
This poster aims to illustrate this remarkable achievement and how South African librarians have enabled LIASA to
become the voice of the library and information profession, recognised and respected nationally and internationally.
Through its communication, advocacy and marketing strategies, its online and print publications and Annual Conference,
LIASA provides its membership with opportunities to network and share, to develop and learn new skills and to interact
with fellow professionals, both locally and internationally. It offers a window to LIASA and its activities for all
key LIS stakeholders as well the public at large.
Through this poster session we wish to offer conference delegates a glimpse of LIASA that will encourage them to foster
good relations, form partnerships with their South African colleagues and most of all, attend WLIC in Durban in 2007.
The poster sessions were held between 12:00 and 14:00 on two days and presenters were expected to be present to answer any questions that delegates had for them.
For Naomi and I this started even as we mounted our poster in the vast exhibition area and continued over the next few days. We were astounded by the interest that librarians have in South Africa and many delegates, especially from Africa and the developing world, indicated that they would be coming to Durban in 2007. Some, mainly from Europe and North America, were concerned about the security situation, but the overwhelming majority were more interested in the costs as the 2005 (Oslo) and 2006 (Seoul) would be too expensive for many to attend.
There was a palpable excitement among our African and South American colleagues and many indicated that they would be marketing the Durban congress to their colleagues back home. This was fuelled in no small measure by the shopping bags displaying the WLIC/IFLA 2007 logo (the logo's first public appearance) and brought all the way from Durban by Haffy Haffajee for us to hand out as part of our presentation.
The interaction with colleagues was stimulating and inspiring. Being awarded third place out of 80 posters was the cherry on top of a truly amazing experience overall.
Naomi Haasbroek was also the official LIASA representative to IFLA and attended all Council meetings as well.
Nohra Moerat's travel and accommodation was generously sponsored by the Department of Arts and Culture because the poster was regarded as preliminary marketing for WLIC/IFLA 2007 in Durban.
Nohra Moerat.
E-mail: naomi@tlabs.ac.za and nohram@etv.co.za
Footnote:
- IThemba LABS, P O Box 722, Somerset West 7129, South Africa
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