Thousands of pupils and students will no longer have access to research material now that a large section of the East London library has been shut down.
Fears have been raised of a library service on the verge of collapse, with many librarians believing facilities in Gonubie and NU1 in Mdantsane may suffer a similar fate if Buffalo City Metro (BCM) fails to employ more staff.
Stairways to the first floor of the East London library are blocked and a notice on the door reads: “The reference library and study hall are closed due to staff shortages.”
City manager Andile Fani told the Saturday Dispatch he was unaware of the closure. However, metro spokesman Thandy Matebese confirmed it.
The reference section – which consists of exclusive reference books, encyclopedias, micro-film machines, Braille, Daily Dispatch archive material and a study hall to accommodate 250 people – closed on January 5 this year.
This despite Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga pledging at the Council of Ministers’ Meeting in September last year: “A plan is also being developed to improve library services in schools with a specific focus on the Eastern Cape and Limpopo due to the lack of existing services in those provinces.”
The Saturday Dispatch spoke to 10 librarians, who identified libraries in Gonubie and NU1 as possible closure targets because staff manning those facilities were nearing retirement.
The metro is said to have 23 vacancies, some dating back to 2012.
“It must have been strategic to close the central reference library because if they had closed a branch like ours, nobody would notice the problem at hand – that BCM does not want to hire more librarians,” one librarian said.
Others claimed vacancies had been advertised and interviews conducted, but none of the positions filled.
“This happened continuously,” another said.
The vacancies were a surprise to a library science lecturer at Walter Sisulu University, Nombulelo Chitha.
“Libraries are the backbone of our communities.
“It is so surprising to learn that a library of such importance can close when there are so many graduates looking for employment.
“Graduates from other fields of study are doing postgraduate studies in library sciences because they know it is trending,” she said.
Pleading ignorance, city boss Fani said he was on leave and oblivious to developments.
“Which library?” Fani asked, and after being told, said: “This is the first time I am hearing of it.”
Spokesman Matebese said two staff members from the now-closed reference section had been posted to Gompo and Vincent libraries.
“The unit will reopen when the vacant funded posts are filled as nobody internally currently meets the minimum requirements,” Matebese said.
But one librarian said: “I am a qualified librarian and have been working here for years, but I have always remained an assistant librarian. They have never considered promoting me in all the years I have worked here all though I am very capable.”
The Department of Higher Education and Training reacted with shock to the news, as did the Library and Information Association of South Africa (Liasa), academics and locals.
Higher Education spokesman Khaye Nkwanyana said: “A serious municipality can never close the doors of any section of its library due to shortages of staff.
“A library constitutes importance of development of a community and encourages academic learning among the youth.”
Liasa chairwoman Zukiswa Maya said there were a number of qualified librarians and closing a facility due to “staff shortage” was no excuse.
“How will we ever move from the bottom of the list of matric passes? What are their priorities?
“We are the gateway to information and knowledge and the people. Technology can never substitute the relevance of libraries and librarians.”
University of Northwest library director and former library science lecturer at Fort Hare University, Dr Matthew Moyo, said the closure would hamper matric pupils.
“A library is a haven for pupils to study in peace with a variety of resources available to them because a reference library is subscribed to material most people would not be able to access otherwise,” he said.
Reference library closed down
Thousands of pupils and students will no longer have access to research material now that a large section of the East London library has been shut down.
Fears have been raised of a library service on the verge of collapse, with many librarians believing facilities in Gonubie and NU1 in Mdantsane may suffer a similar fate if Buffalo City Metro (BCM) fails to employ more staff.
Stairways to the first floor of the East London library are blocked and a notice on the door reads: “The reference library and study hall are closed due to staff shortages.”
City manager Andile Fani told the Saturday Dispatch he was unaware of the closure. However, metro spokesman Thandy Matebese confirmed it.
The reference section – which consists of exclusive reference books, encyclopedias, micro-film machines, Braille, Daily Dispatch archive material and a study hall to accommodate 250 people – closed on January 5 this year.
This despite Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga pledging at the Council of Ministers’ Meeting in September last year: “A plan is also being developed to improve library services in schools with a specific focus on the Eastern Cape and Limpopo due to the lack of existing services in those provinces.”
The Saturday Dispatch spoke to 10 librarians, who identified libraries in Gonubie and NU1 as possible closure targets because staff manning those facilities were nearing retirement.
The metro is said to have 23 vacancies, some dating back to 2012.
“It must have been strategic to close the central reference library because if they had closed a branch like ours, nobody would notice the problem at hand – that BCM does not want to hire more librarians,” one librarian said.
Others claimed vacancies had been advertised and interviews conducted, but none of the positions filled.
“This happened continuously,” another said.
The vacancies were a surprise to a library science lecturer at Walter Sisulu University, Nombulelo Chitha.
“Libraries are the backbone of our communities.
“It is so surprising to learn that a library of such importance can close when there are so many graduates looking for employment.
“Graduates from other fields of study are doing postgraduate studies in library sciences because they know it is trending,” she said.
Pleading ignorance, city boss Fani said he was on leave and oblivious to developments.
“Which library?” Fani asked, and after being told, said: “This is the first time I am hearing of it.”
Spokesman Matebese said two staff members from the now-closed reference section had been posted to Gompo and Vincent libraries.
“The unit will reopen when the vacant funded posts are filled as nobody internally currently meets the minimum requirements,” Matebese said.
But one librarian said: “I am a qualified librarian and have been working here for years, but I have always remained an assistant librarian. They have never considered promoting me in all the years I have worked here all though I am very capable.”
The Department of Higher Education and Training reacted with shock to the news, as did the Library and Information Association of South Africa (Liasa), academics and locals.
Higher Education spokesman Khaye Nkwanyana said: “A serious municipality can never close the doors of any section of its library due to shortages of staff.
“A library constitutes importance of development of a community and encourages academic learning among the youth.”
Liasa chairwoman Zukiswa Maya said there were a number of qualified librarians and closing a facility due to “staff shortage” was no excuse.
“How will we ever move from the bottom of the list of matric passes? What are their priorities?
“We are the gateway to information and knowledge and the people. Technology can never substitute the relevance of libraries and librarians.”
University of Northwest library director and former library science lecturer at Fort Hare University, Dr Matthew Moyo, said the closure would hamper matric pupils.
“A library is a haven for pupils to study in peace with a variety of resources available to them because a reference library is subscribed to material most people would not be able to access otherwise,” he said.
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