Call for Papers, Africa Section Open Forum, WLIC, Helsinki, Finland, 2012

The IFLA annual congress will take place in Helsinki, Finland from 11th -17th August, 2012. The Congress offers an opportunity to present library research outcomes and innovations in a multi-disciplinary international forum. In line with the theme of the 78th IFLA WLIC, Africa Section chose the theme: 'Africa Libraries now on open access agenda'. IFLA Africa Section invites Librarians, Information Scientists and other stakeholders to submit proposals (abstracts) for papers at the Africa Section Open Forum session in Helsinki, Finland.

Theme:

"Africa libraries now on open access agenda”

 Sub-Themes:

• Open Access for all in Africa libraries
• Social networking in Africa libraries
• Information literacy in Africa libraries on open access agenda
• Indigenous knowledge for all in Africa libraries
• Policy issues in open access agenda
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Africa libraries open access agenda
• Integration of open access agenda and libraries in Africa: the role of librarians

Submission Guidelines:

The proposal must be the original work of the author(s) and should be written in either English or French. Each abstract must contain:

•  Title of proposed presentation
• Outline of the proposed presentation (no more than 350 words)
• Name(s) of presenter(s)
• Position or title of presenter(s)
• Presenter(s) employer or affiliated institution
• E-mail address, Telephone/fax numbers
• Short biographical statement of the presenter/s, with digital photograph

Please send proposals by January 14, 2012 by email to:

Rosemary Gitachu

Secretary, IFLA Africa Section,
e-mail: gitachur@yahoo.com

Important Deadlines:

January 14, 2012: Deadline for submission of abstract
February 18, 2012: Notification of acceptance/rejection of paper
May 16, 2012: Deadline for submission of full paper

All proposals will be evaluated by a refereeing team of the Standing Committee of the IFLA Africa Section

Travels and Costs:

Please note that all fees, including registration for the conference, travel, accommodation etc. are the responsibility of the authors of the accepted papers. Presenters are advised to approach their parent organizations for sponsorship.

For information on the IFLA Africa Section, please see
http://www.ifla.org/en/africa

Tanzania Marks World Food Day at National Level in Lindi



Dr. Mponda (second left) of Naliendele
Agricultural Research Institute
stressing a point during exhibitions 

 Today, Tanzania joined other countries worldwide to mark the World Food Day. The colourful event took place in Lindi region about 450 km south of Dar es Salaam. The commemoration was preceeded by a week long of exhibitions from various agricultural stakeholders. The theme of this year's cerebrations is - Food prices from crisis to stability.  The Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Cooperatives collaborated with other sector ministries(- livestock and fisheries Development), international organisations (- World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agrculture Organisation (FAO) of United Nations ) and Lindi region to organise the event. Leaving alone the presence of government leaders and agricultural experts the most important message was to remind Tanzanians on the importance of access to food by every body. However, the messages were touching some of the challenges which have denied other people from getting adequate food and in balanced amounts. In recent years, food prices have been rising thus denying other people from this important right. Actually, this situation needs in some way to be addressed by concerned parties- governments at all levels and the people up to the grass roots. Most importantly, is to ensure increase in production and productivity at farm level, reduce post-harvest loses and using the food wisely at the household level. In this event the government of Tanzania expressed its commitment on this important obligation to its people. Likewise, the people especially farmers and livestock keepers were challenged to take their parts so that together food is made available to all at all times. 

Zambian Librarian Turns to Farming

Mr. Hephias Mweemba Hamakanda, a former librarian with the Zambia Library Service and and one time  excutive member of the Zambia Library Association,  has turned to farming.

SCECSAL XX Conference, Nairobi, Kenya, 2012

The XXth Standing Conference of Eastern, Central and South Africa Library and Information Associations (SCECSAL) 2012 conference will take place at Intercontinental Hotel, in Nairobi, Kenya from  4th– 8th June 2012 to address the Theme: Information for Sustainable Development in a Digital Environment. For details, visit Kenya Library Association (KLA) website.

Developing Knowledge for Economic Advancement in Africa: 2nd International Conference on African Digital Libraries and Archives (ICADLA-2)

The 2nd International Conference on African Digital Libraries and Archives (ICADLA-2), hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand, will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 14 – 18 November 2011.

The theme of the conference is Developing Knowledge for Economic Advancement in Africa.  

For more information, visit the ICADLA-2  website.

Participation is invited from all African countries, private and public international development organisations, and other countries aiding Africa

Sights from ZLA 2011 AGM

A fishing boat on Lake Kariba

View of Lake Safari Lodge from Lake Kariba

ZLA 2011 AGM delegates on a boat cruise

ZLA Honours 5 Individuals

Dr. Chifwepa receiving his certificate

On 13 August 2011, the Zambia Library Association honoured five individuals for their contribution to the development of the library and information profession in the Zambia and support to ZLA. The five, who were presented with Honorary Membership Certificates, are:

• Professor Maurice Lundu
• Dr. Justin Chisenga
• Dr. Vitalicy Chifwepa
• Dr. Hudwell Mwacalimba
• Mr. Charles Lungu

The certificates were presented by Ms. Francina Makondo, ZLA President, at a Cocktail Party held at the Lake Safari Lodge, in Siavonga.

Francina Makondo re-elected as ZLA President

A smiling Ms. Makondo after the elections

Zambia Library Association members have shown confidence in Ms Francina Makondo and her Executive Committee by re-electing them back into office. Ms. Makodo was un-opposed for the post of  President of the Zambia Library Association (ZLA) at the just ended ZLA Annual General meeting. About 100 members of the Association met on 13 August 2011, at Lake Safari Lodge located on the banks of the Lake Kariba, to deliberate on the affairs of the Association and to elect members of the Executive Committee for 2011/2013, which comprise the following individuals:

• President: Francina Makondo (University of Zambia)
• Vice President: Charles Banda (Copperbelt University)
• Secretary: Otila Malasa Shikati (National Institute of Public Administration)
• Membership Secretary: Kennedy L. Mutila (Ministry of Education)
• Publicity Secretary: Eric Simukonda (The Post Newspapers Ltd)
• Treasurer: Bishop Phillip Banda (Zambia Revenue Authority)
• Vice Treasurer: Lembani Dambo Chagona (ZCCM Investments Holding PLC)
• Project-Coordinator: Muswa Suuya (National Assembly)
• Editor: Dr. Akakendelwa Akakadelwa (University of Zambia)
• Committee Member: Mirriam Mumba (Zambia Environmental Management Agency)

The only new member to the Executive Committee is Mr. Eric Simukonda who was elected as Publicty Secretary.

Librarians Advised to Innovate or Become Irrelevant

Dr. Vitalicy Chifwepa delivering the keynote address

Librarians in Zambia have been called upon to be innovative or they will find themselves irrelevant in the fast changing information environment. Speakers during the morning session of the first day of the Zambia Library Association (ZLA) Annual Conference, at Lake Safari Lodge in Siavonga, urged information professionals in the country to move from the notion of “business as usual”, to take up the reins and drive the information profession in the country. Discussions at the conference showed that developments in the world information environment, among others, have resulted into:

• Several competing professions in the information environment resulting in certain jobs which hitherto use to be a preserve for librarians being carried out by other professionals;

• Modern information and communication technologies such as the Internet and Web 2.0/social media have opened up new sources of information to potential library users

In his keynote address, Dr. Vitalicy Chifwepa, University Librarian at the University of Zambia, called upon librarians in the country to have foresight, be alert and catch-up with the changing and up-coming technologies that are having an impact on the delivery of library and information services. Librarians in the country need to move at the same pace as their users if they are to provide the services the users will ever require.

Prof. Mary Wagner

Prof. Mary Wagner, during her presentation on Public Libraries: Catalyst for Information Literacy indicated that public libraries are essential infrastructure in a democratic society and should play a key and supportive role an information literate society.  However, faced with the problems of under-funding and poor library infrastructure, public librarians need to innovate and should consider providing targeted services to their communities within the limited resources available. Potentially, public librarians should target children, adults in employment, immigrants and émigrés, and provide ICT facilities for use by the communities.

In his paper on Information Professionals as "Hybrid Managers” in the Knowledge Economy: A Review from the Zambian Perspective, Mr. Sitali Wamundila, a lecturer in the Department of Library and Information Studies, urged information professionals in the country to transform themselves into “hybrids” capable of performing various roles in the information economy, if they are to compete  effectively with other information professionals. There is also need for the information professionals in the country to effect several changes including skills sets, mind sets and professional culture.

Library and Information Professionals in Zambia Take a Glimpse into the Future

Participants at the ZLA Conference, Siavonga, Zambia

About 90 library and information professionals in Zambia are meeting at Lake Safari Lodge in Siavonga at a three-day Zambia Library Association (ZLA) Conference, 11 – 13 August 2011. The theme of the conference - A Glimpse into the Future: Redefining the Role of Libraries in a Fast Changing Environment, will afford participants an opportunity to discuss, among others, the following:

• Professionalism and education for librarians in Zambia;
• Status of libraries in colleges of education in Zambia;
• Public Libraries: catalyst for information literacy;
• Information ethics in the information age;
• Adopting Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in libraries;
• Use of Web 2.0/social media in public university libraries in Zambia

View of Lake Kariba from the Conference Venue Restaurant

Speakers at the conference will include Dr. Vitalicy Chifwepa, University of Zambia Librarian, who will deliver the keynote address at the Opening Session; Professor Mary Wagner, a Visiting Fulbright Scholar at the University of Zambia in the Department of Library and Information Studies, who will make a presentation on Public Libraries: catalyst for information literacy; and Mr. Charles Banda, Reference and Electronic Services Librarian at the Copperbelt University, who will speak about Web 2.0/social media in libraries in Zambia.
Participants at the conference have come from various parts Zambia mainly from public libraries, university libraries, specials libraries, the Department of Library and Information Studies of the University of Zambia and the Zambia Information Communication and Technology College (ZICTC).

Digitisation of legacy collections at ORI Library

As previously agreed on, I will be reporting on events that happen at our Library during the course of the year. On Wednesday (23rd February) amongst much pomp and fanfare, the Library held a launch of a special collection of slides under the theme" documenting and interpreting the !Xo San Cultures. This work is a collection of Dr.Hans Joachim Heinz , a trained parasitologist who came to Botswana in 1961 to study the biology of the bushman in the Okwa Valley and his work focused on documenting the culture and indigenous knowledge of the bushman in the Okavango and Northern Kalahari. In preparation for this event ,the Library staff travelled to Bere, a place where Dr. heinz lived and did most of his slides and brought in 10 members of that community for the launch, who also entertained the audience with some traditional dances. Several speakers praised the good work that was done by Dr. Heinz. However, one issue of concern that was brought up by one speaker was that so many researchers have come into the San communities, got the information they wanted and never give back anything to them, thus the need for practising ethics when carrying out research within these communities.For more on the event, you can see some of the pics on our weblog, Flow on http://flowhoorc.blogspot.com/

ITOCA -IDS Pre-workshop Information Literacy Seminar in Pictures.

Dear members

Here are the pictures from the ITOCA -IDS Seminar (better late than never Chief Editor). Enjoy!