Monday, December 18, 2017

Entebbe Mayor extends invitation to library and information professionals to XXIII SCECSAL conference

Entebbe Mayor Vincent De Paul Kayanja
Mayor of the Municipality of Entebbe Vincent De Paul Kayanja has extended an invitation to library
and information professionals to travel to Entebbe to take part in the memorable XXIII SCECSAL conference and enjoy all that the city has to offer.

Mr Kayanja extended the invitation in a letter made available to the Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA) on Monday.

“Entebbe will have a great opportunity to host SCECSAL for the third time in Uganda when it is forty (40) years”, Mr, Kayanja wrote.

“From 23rd -28th April 2018, Entebbe will proudly exhibit her hospitality, cultural richness, beautiful beaches, Botanical gardens and wildlife”, Mr Kayanja added.

ULIA will host the SCECSAL Conference for the third time in the history of SCECSAL having previously hosted the regional event in 1990 and 2004.

The conference in 2018 is expected to attract library and information professionals from 11 active SCECSAL countries - Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the host country, Uganda, - in addition to participants coming from outside the SCECSAL region.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

ZimLA announces its fifty-second annual conference and call for papers

By Kenneth Mangemba, ZimLA Editor

The Zimbabwe Library Association (ZimLA) has announced the Call for Papers for its 52nd annual conference to be held in Mutare in July 2018 under the theme ‘Libraries in Transition:  Emerging Trends and Technologies’.

“Many people in positions of power, however, do not yet understand the expanded roles and capabilities of modern libraries nor recognize the extent to which libraries can be catalysts for national development and greater opportunities”, stated ZimLA in the call for papers.  It is against this background that the conference seeks to explore the changing role of libraries in the advent of technology, hence the sub-themes that seek to explore the various technological advancement in libraries and allied institutions.

The fifty-second ZimLA conference will provide platform to scrutinize the current technological trends transforming the information sector assessing their adoption and envisioned benefits information delivery. 

In addition to the conference, ZimLA will hold its Annual General Meeting whose agenda will include elections for the National Executive Council, a body that runs the affairs of ZimLA. The Executive Council comprises the President, Vice President, Secretary General, Treasurer, Advocacy Officer and National Editor.

The current constitution of ZimLA provide for 2 year-long office terms for the Executive Council members, and requires only registered members to nominate and vote for officers and those nominees should have been paid up members for successive years.

Access the call for papers here.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

NIWA elects Elizabeth Matheus as chairperson

The Namibian Information Workers Association (NIWA), at its Annual General Meeting held at the
 Ms Elizabeth Matheus, NIWA Chairperson
Goethe Institute in Windhoek on 30 November, elected Ms Elizabeth Matheus as its new Chairperson for a two-year term.

In her acceptance speech, Ms. Matheus called all NIWA members to continue supporting the Association, indicating that “it is a role for all and not only looking up to the Executive Members to make sure that NIWA’s 5 years strategic plan is achieved”.

She also urged NIWA members and members institutions to attend the SCECSAL conference in Uganda in 2018 and to make sure "we have an inclusive and successful SCECSAL conference in 2020", Ms Matheus said.

Ms Matheus, an Assistant Librarian at the International University of Management (IUM), will lead the NIWA Executive Committee composed of the following officials:
  • Chairperson: Ms Elizabeth Matheus 
  • Deputy chairperson: Mrs Hertha Iipinge
  • Secretary: Mr Frans Amakali
  • Assistant secretary: Ms Anna Leonard 
  • Treasurer: Mrs Maria Ashilungu
  • Editor: Mr Detlef Pfeifer 
  • Additional member: Mr Ronald Kanguti
Ms Matheus previously served on NIWA Executive Committee as Secretary for 2016 and 2017.

NIWA will host the SCECSAL conference, for the second time, in 2020 and the new Executive Committee is expected to put in place arrangements for the conference.

In April 2000, the NIWA Executive Committee, led by Ms. Ellen Namhila (now Dr. Namhila) hosted the XIV SCECSAL Conference on the theme - Information 2000: a Vision for the SCECSAL region.