Angels of literacy descend on SA libraries

(NLSA) has been awarded a R32m grant by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support a pilot project to strengthen selected Public Libraries in South Africa. This is fantastic news, as the grant should consolidate public libraries as community hubs with re-skilled staff able to work with new technologies in a time when the entire sector is feeling fiscal pressure from many quarters. “In an age where economic, educational, health, and social opportunities increasingly depend on access to the Internet, lack of access means lack of opportunity. Only 35 per cent of the world’s population is connected to the Internet, and people in rural and poor communities are the least likely to have online access or the skills to navigate the digital world.

Through the Internet, individuals search for employment, access government programs, learn new skills through online courses, research important health issues, and engage in social interactions with distant family members and friends,” states the foundation on their website. Opportunities made possible through internet access have become so important to individual and community development that a 2011 report to the United Nations Human Rights Council by the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression declared internet access to be a fundamental enabler of human rights. Several national governments, including those of Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, and Spain, have formally recognized internet access as a human right that allows citizens to stay informed and use the information and online services needed in 21st-century life.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation believes that “equality of opportunity in the digital age requires that all individuals, especially those living in poverty, have access to online information along with the skills to navigate the Internet. Worldwide, public libraries are uniquely positioned to provide this opportunity.”

“Most countries have public libraries. There are more than 315,000 libraries worldwide, 73 percent of them in  developing and transitioning countries. In many communities, public libraries are the only place where any person, regardless of education or skill level, can have access to information and the Internet free of charge. Moreover, library staff often provide training and support for first-time Internet users as well as those looking to improve their skills.”

As vital as they are, however, public libraries are often unequipped and need critical support to move forward into the digital age. In South Africa, meeting the evolving information needs of individuals and communities through technology is no easy task. Technology becomes obsolete quickly, and resources are needed to keep up with ever-changing community needs. The fund has been awarded in partnership with the Government and public and private funders to expand technology access in public libraries, foster research and innovation, align services to trends and train staff and leaders. The outcomes of the project will be measured, and the impact of the upgraded libraries and public access on individuals in South Africa will be thoroughly investigated and reported upon.

The grant is aligned with the National Development Plan of Government, which aims to increase the quality of education especially in early childhood development programmes and promote the culture of reading in our country. The grant rests on the premise that if libraries can reinvent themselves and embrace an expanded role as online information centers, the impact on individuals and communities will be significant. The Foundation’s programme is designed to support the transformation of libraries, and expand their role as “engines of development”. The primary focus is on providing technology access in public libraries through the entire country. The Foundation will provide multi-year support to South African libraries. These efforts should help public library leaders and staff to understand and quickly integrate innovative ideas, tools, and services in response to the changing needs of their communities.

The current drive is to identify strong library leaders, and equip them to create high-impact libraries. Through leadership training, they can learn ways to foster a culture of innovation and risk taking, collaborate with others in the library field, and engage community members in the design and delivery of library services. Three years ago, the Carnegie Corporation invested a similar amount in grants to libraries in SA. The Corporation grants to public libraries in several cities, including Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Cape Town, and Johannesburg, as well as to the National Library in Pretoria, helped to leverage government contributions for the construction or rehabilitation of the libraries.

These “Centers of Excellence” include early childhood development sections, teenage computer game rooms, and performance and meeting spaces and are also serving as integral components of violence prevention projects. The grant certainly  promises great things for the libraries of our country and has a history of effective implementation. We wish them every success.

What we do: Global Libraries – Strategy Overview

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation giving R32 million to strengthen public libraries in SA