South African Library Week 2014 launches on the 15th March.
South Africans have embraced libraries as places of learning, entertainment and culture. After the first free and fair elections in 1994 the library services in South Africa started the process of unification that resulted in the formation of LIASA in 1997.
LIASA’s Wikipedia entry gives a potted history of the unification here.
I was a student librarian during those years and it was a very exciting and turbulent time to be entering the profession.
2014 marks the celebration of 20 years of democracy in South Africa! LIASA has embraced this milestone by adopting the theme “Celebrating libraries in 20 years of Democracy” which highlights how libraries are making the right to freedom of access to information, as enshrined in the Bill of Rights, a reality and how they contribute to nation building and community development by opening the doors of learning to all.
This campaign showcases libraries as desired spaces for:
South African Libraries Week has been celebrated in South Africa since 2000 but since 2002 it has been LIASA’s vision to celebrate a truly national library week that embraces all types of libraries and all kinds of users and potential users.
Find out more about LIASA and South African Library Week here
