First African IFLA President, Kay Raseroka in the Western Cape
On Monday 12 September 2005, Kay Raseroka, first African president and immediate past president of IFLA, addressed a group of Western Cape LIASA members at the Bellville Public Library. She talked about IFLA and a few issues she is passionate about.
Old LIASA members will not be surprised to hear that this University of Botswana Library Director, has close ties to South Africa. She is a graduate of Fort Hare, and UNISA, and studied under Prof. Anna Louw. She was also involved in the evolution to and building of LIASA in the mid 1990’s.
Kay Raseroka considers IFLA to be the global voice of LIS. IFLA members are library associations. Institutions make up the bricks, and individuals are the mortar that holds the association together. The members that pay the highest in membership also have the most votes. Despite such large voting blocks, this is the world arena and it is therefore important to lobby for issues that affect us in the developing world. Agreement in this space and advocacy at this level benefits all libraries and all librarians.
As the first African IFLA President, she took care to listen to what the non-European and American members wanted to do and had a brainstorming session with them. Issues such as sustainable development, HIV/AIDS pandemic, privacy and civil society challenges, such as street children, were raised. As a result, IFLA became involved in the Information Summit, and raised the issue of content of and access to information. The IFLA delegation convinced everyone at the Information Summit that Libraries are at the heart of the Knowledge Society.
However, we have to show that librarians and libraries are indeed this vibrant heart. IFLA has embarked on a campaign to record, in a database, the good work libraries and librarians do. We have to focus our attention on the people that we serve, so that the principles of the declaration of the WSIS can be implemented on the ground, so that knowledge does contribute to humanity.
To contribute to this database and to find out more, go to http://www.ifla.org/ and follow the links. Kay says that no case is too small.
Kay Raseroka is concerned that we do not value the indigenous knowledge and culture of Africa. We only value that which is written and documented. Librarians are mediators of knowledge, not just information. It is our responsibility to ensure freedom of access to information and knowledge regardless of the medium. When we as Africans begin to value the knowledge of Africa, we will bring Africa’s contribution to the world. The unique contribution that only we can bring; without which the world will be poorer. She warns that Africa will not benefit from globalization if we continue to ignore our own knowledge.
These are the wise and inspiring words from an impressive woman. In her company, we are all proud to be librarians.
Date: 14 October 2005
Amended:
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