Its National Librarian’s Day and the City of Cape Town’s librarians boast more than three millennia of service to their communities. Librarians will be raising awareness of their profession. Librarians, take a bow!
The City has 268 librarians with a collective 3 743 years of service. Among them are 45 who have more than 25 years of service on their shelves, and 48 who joined in the last five years. While 80% of the City’s librarians are women, 38% are 50+, and 23 members of the staff complement are under 30.
‘Our librarians are the proverbial glue that holds the service together, and so National Librarians’ Day simply has to be celebrated. Our library membership numbers continue to grow – a sign of just how valuable these facilities are to communities, but also proof that we remain in step with the changing landscape. The blend of staff and the different levels of experience and interests are key to ensuring that we can meet the needs of all our patrons, irrespective of age,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.
- One of the aims of National Librarian’s Day is to create awareness about the importance of librarianship as a profession and the critical role librarians play in nation building. The photo is a display at Durbanville Library that provides more information on choosing librarianship as a career.
‘Being a librarian is about more than helping to educate our communities. They are teachers, research assistants, social workers and entertainers. Librarians are champions of equity as everyone can access the knowledge housed there and they keep us grounded by connecting us to the past. I tip my hat to our librarians for being part of a creative and important profession,’ said Councillor Van der Ross.
National Librarian’s Day also aims to:
• safeguard libraries as valuable community spaces that advance community development
• promote the love for reading through marketing of reading and writing activities
• advocate for and promote libraries as the hub for accessing valuable information for general knowledge, education, development and recreation
The day was initiated by the Library and Information Association of South Africa and this year’s theme reflects on 30 years of democracy in the South African Library and Information Sector.
WHAT: National Librarian’s Day
WHERE: City Libraries
WHEN: 10 July 2024
INFO: see also Cape Town Green Map
LEAD PHOTO: City librarians took part in a road march earlier this year to highlight their profession