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Accomplishments of the SALLP
31 December 2004 marked the end of the SALLP, the first formal Continuing Education and Professional Development (CEPD) project of LIASA. Its been a project that posed initial challenges but subsequently elicited constructive results at the levels of personal growth, professional development, leadership, professional partnerships, networking, group vs team dynamics, and national pride. The initial grant was extended by the Mellon Foundation thereby enabling a third group of South African librarians to participate within the leadership training programme. Finally, twenty three (23) library professionals from senior and middle management ranks of public and academic libraries participated within the project.
Given the challenges being faced by the library and information servcies (LIS) profession, the SALLP has begun the process of creatively addressing these challenges by focusing upon change management, fundraising, advocacy and lobbying, current best practices in the profession, identifying management styles and leadership skills, honing of IT skills, etc. The persons selected for participation, with the exception of a few, have all embarked upon the journey from management to leadership. A slippery and tricky journey but definitely an empowering destination! The Project has served as a catalyst for change and is not an end in itself. The path that each participant wishes to tread is undoubtedly a personal choice, but the repercussions will certainly impact upon the profession and professionalism. Overall, it has been a period and a project that has cemented longlasting professional relationships and friendships.
In the light of the above, it can be declared that the SALLP is justifiably a ground-breaking and successful project of LIASA. I say ground-breaking because:
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A project such as this has never been undertaken by any other LIS stakeholder, nationally and, dare I say, internationally as well, as evidenced by the responses we received at IFLA 2002 in Glasgow and the international poster session at the 2003 American Library Association (ALA) conference in Toronto, where several library and literacy related projects and programmes were highlighted but none related to leadership!
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It has been a unique partnership between a relatively young library association and an internationally respected CEPD centre, the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs based at the world renowned University of Illinois, led by Ms Barbara Ford (Director) and Ms Susan Schnuer (Assistant Director). The former Director, Prof. Marianna Tax Choldin (now retired) was closely involved in the initial process of the SALLP.
ILA Reporter: http://ila.org/pub/reporter.htm
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It is a determined effort by the SA LIS sector to have consciously identified the lack of leadership skills amongst its fold and to have acted upon it, instead of ignoring it! Senior professionals involved in the initial development and implementation of the project included Prof. Heather Edwards, Ms Clare Walker, Ms Ellen Tise, Mr Robert Moropa, Prof. Peter Lor and Ms Gwenda Thomas. Various stakeholders were identified and included within a broad national governing body.
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It has clearly shown that a supposed developing country and a developed country can come together on an international initiative as equal partners. The SALLP is a programme that has been designed using American skills and techniques to achieve our uniquely identified South African goals and objectives.
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It has allowed South African professionals to recognize and appreciate the LIS infrastructure that exists in this country and that we can, as professionals, hold our own in a country that is widely recognized as the leader in librarianship.
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It has exposed senior and middle managers to the importance of libraries as community hubs to racially and culturally diverse communities. For a truly democratic and human rights culture to prevail in this country, we have to recognize the enormous potential that exists for libraries to be at the forefront of breaking down the barriers of cultural ignorance and disparity.
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It has created the awareness that we are indeed in the people business, as declared by Gary Strong the former Director of the Queensborough Public Library System (QPLS) in New York. He addressed members of the 1st Group when they participated within a Strategic Management programme at the QPLS. It is not about being in safe and stable jobs until retirement but rather about being proactive and being a contributing factor to the development of the minds of the nation.
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It has affirmed to all that to be a librarian is to be a professional ; community activist; the best researcher; the IT specialist; a fundraiser; a creative thinker; a vociferous library advocate; a keen political lobbyist; an initiator and a leader!
This has also been a particularly rewarding experience for Ms Susan Schnuer, who together with Prof. Tax Choldin, was involved in the project from its inception. She has this to share:
"In 2002 the first group of SALLPers arrived on a very hot day at the Mortenson Center. The program was intense, tiring, and rewarding. As of today 23 librarians from South Africa have participated in an exciting leadership program and have left an indelible mark on the Mortenson Center, the University of Illinois, and librarians around the state of Illinois. They have returned home to share their experiences and enthusiasm with colleagues in South Africa. The program has been a success. When the third group of SALLPers left the United States on November 5, 2004, it was a bittersweet moment for the Mortenson Center. A wonderful group of colleagues is now at work in their own country leaving behind them a host of warm and unforgettable memories. While our work on the SALLP program is finished, our work for libraries is in full swing. We know that our paths will cross again."
The accomplishments of the SALLP clearly indicate a realisation of the original goals and objectives. This was possible through the dynamism of the partnership and the enthusiasm and commitment of the participants.
Goal 1
In his analysis of the Project in 2003, Johan Greeff (Treetops Management and Development Consultants) recommended that individuals should be prompted to take up the challenge of greater involvement within the profession and professional association in the future. 2004 was an election year for all office bearers in LIASA and the presence of SALLP participation resonated throughout the ranks. Sixteen (16) participants from the SALLP were nominated and elected as office bearers on all LIASA structures for the 2004 -2006 term as follows:
National office bearers:
Tommy Matthee - President
Tshidi Makhafola - Deputy President
Karlien de Klerk - National Secretary
Rene Schoombee - National PRO
Branch office bearers:
Doraliza Ackerman - Chairperson: Free State & Executive Committee additional member
Rachel More - Deputy Chairperson: Gauteng North
S'bu Thembela - Membership Secretary: Gauteng South
Ingrid Thomson - PRO: Western Cape
Ronelle Van Vollenhoven - Treasurer: North West
Representative Council Members:
Alvina Matthee - 2nd Rep.: Western Cape
Rhandzu Mhinga - 2nd Rep.: Limpopo
Rachel More - 2nd Rep.: Gauteng North
Interest Groups:
Nomabhaso Ramugondo – School Libraries & Youth Services Interest Group (SLYSIG) Co-ordinator: Free State
Mariam Natalwalla – Member: Public and Community Libraries Interest Group (PACLIG) Committee: National
Therese Els - PACLIG Convenor: Gauteng North
Naziem Hardy - Deputy Chairperson, PACLIG: Western Cape
In addition, the achievements of the following individuals are:
- Joyce Gozo – LIASA-SabinetOnline 2004 Academic Librarian of the Year
1st elected Chairperson of the newly formed “Council for Higher Education Librarians of South Africa”
- Branham Frances – Awarded the Gauteng Premier’s Award for Excellence for his “Born To Read” Programme
- Karin Kitching – Current LIASA National Office Manager
- Tommy Matthee - member of the National Advisory Council on Library and Information Services (NCLIS) - an advisory entity to the Minister of Arts and Culture.
- Tshidi Makhafola - named "2003 Employee of the Year" by the Limpopo Provincial Department of Sports, Arts and Culture
- Morris Mabasa - selected for participation within "Emerging Management Development Programme"
- Rachel More - LIASA-SabinetOnline 2002 Academic Librarian of the Year
These achievements are strong indicators that the 1st Goal, namely, the development of leadership skills in senior and middle managers, and the overall Objectives of the Project have been realised.
Goal 2
The 2nd goal of the SALLP is to locate a Continuing Education facility within LIASA. Bearing this in mind, LIASA has identified Continuing Education and Professional Development (CEPD) as one of its strategic objectives within its current business plan. In 2002 the University of Cape Town conducted a preliminary survey of training needs of local LIS workers for LIASA and identified four focus areas, namely, Personal Development; Professional & Support Skills Development; ICT, and Management & Leadership Development. The former Project Director (Gwenda Thomas) and the SALLP Co-ordinator (Ujala Satgoor) worked on a framework with local experts in this regard. Subsequently, the Project Coordinator, in consultation with the staff of the Mortenson Center, developed a proposal, which was submitted to the Carnegie Corporation of New York in 2003 for the establishment of the Centre for Information Career Development (CICD).
In February 2004, the Carnegie Corporation of New York awarded a 3-year grant of $499 500.00 to LIASA. This grant was made on the basis of the success of the SALLP, the management of the Project and the strong professional partnership that has developed between LIASA and the Mortenson Center.
The goals of this project are:
- To establish a database of accredited training programmes for the LIS sector
- To build the capacity of the LIASA Interest Groups
- Leadership training at the Mortenson Center for 2004 Carnegie grantees.
It is envisaged that this will be a centralized initiative to make training opportunities available to all LIS workers irrespective of the levels of initial training. Careful consideration will be given to the quality of training and accreditation of service providers and course content as required by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), and to function within the ambit of the national Skills Development Act.
Ujala Satgoor, the SALLP Co-ordinator has been appointed the Programme Co-ordinator of this new LIASA-Carnegie CEPD Project.
Ujala Satgoor, SALLP Co-ordinator, 2001-2004
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