LiSLIG National Report 8 October /8 Term of Office

IG Branches The Special Libraries Interest Group (LiSLIG) currently has four active Branches. These are Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. A brief review of activities per branch since the 2006 AGM will now be presented.

EC Branch IG Activities 2008 (1) Eastern Cape 21st August 2008 AGM and presentation entitled Redesigning for the Next Generation Libraries: Challenges and critical issues by Gwenda Thomas, Director Rhodes University. 23 May 2008 Centre for Professional Development. Challenges to the Web in Africa, a talk by Geoff Hoy. Using the Internet to stay professionally current, presented by Jean Thomas.

EC Branch IG Activities 2007 (1) Eastern Cape 18 July 2007 Nielen Schaefer gave a talk entitled Improving the Sahara - A Journey with a Digital Camera. This was a practical and interesting introduction to digital imaging, PhotoShop manipulations, file formats and storage. Ann Torlesse gave a talk on the Cape Town Book Fair. 14 March 2007 Margaret Crampton gave a talk entitled Information for Africa – the importance of African information. A short talk on AJOL was presented by Sue Murray. After lunch members were treated to a memorable tour of the International Library of African Music.

EC Branch IG Activities 2006 (1) Eastern Cape 18th October 2006 The business meeting incorporated a talk entitled SEALS and Special Libraries: Can they work together? presented by Philip Clarke of NMMU. LISLIG EC also presented a talk entitled Enhancing your Professional Image at lunchtime on the same day so that members from outside Port Elizabeth could make one trip for the meeting and both talks.

FS Branch IG Activities 2008 (2) Free State 22 August 2008 Combined AGM with LIASA FS. Before the combined meeting, LiSLIG had its own ‘business’ meeting where the new committee was elected. 5 June 2008 The branch met at the War Museum of the Boer Republics in Bloemfontein where a well-planned tour of the War Museum, Archive and Library Information Services was awaiting us. The tour guide was Mr Abraham Sekete, Secretary of LiSLIG and Educational Officer and Researcher at the War Museum. 13 March 2008 Meeting at Bloemfontein Child Centre Toy Library where a joint discussion on How the Special Librarian can use Statistics for Reporting took place.

FS Branch IG Activities 2007 (2) Free State 25 October 2007 Ms Dora Ackerman, Chair Person of LIASA Free State, shared with the members her experiences In search of Free State Libraries, i.e. the research and work she had done for her thesis for her Master’s degree, which she had just received the previous month. 20 June 2007 LiSLIG Free State visited the information services of the Volksblad, and we were also taken on a guided tour through all activities and operation of the newspaper. 7 June The planned workshop on the ABC of electronic publications took place. It was facilitated by Ms Annamarie du Preez from the UFS Library.

FS Branch IG Activities 2006 (2) Free State 22 November 2006 LiSLIG FS met with LIASA FS to celebrate the Branch’s accomplishments of the past year, including winning the Nielsen/Bookdata President’s Award for the most deserving LIASA branch for 2006.

KZN Branch IG Activities 2008 (3) KwaZulu-Natal 21 August 2008 AGM & Presentation on Implementation of Microsoft SharePoint Document Management System – A case study. Presented by Myra Boyes at Engen Petroleum Refinery. 16 May 2008 Web 2.0 Social Networking Features. Presented by David Thomas held at Steve Biko Campus, DUT. 27 March 2008 Workshop: Open Source, Open Content, Open Access and All That…Presented by Catherine Dubbeld, UZKN Library at the EG Malherbe Library.

KZN Branch IG Activities 2007 (3) KwaZulu-Natal 30 July 2007 Intellectual Property Rights & Copyright-Digitally Scanned Photographs. This was last workshop for the year and was presented by Nellie Somers, PRO LIASA KZN Branch. Ms Sommers works at the Campbell Collections, UKZN. 29 May 2007 Basic Web Page Design. This workshop was presented by Dr Naresh Sentoo. It was a hands on workshop that focused on designing your very own organisation web page using the software FrontPage. 28 March 2007 Preservation and Access: Development of Digital Libraries in SA. The workshop was presented by Dr. Dale Peters of DISA.

WC Branch IG Activities 2008 (4) Western Cape 18th September 2008 LISLIG WC AGM and Presentation by Christine Hermanson on Change skills for a changing world. The venue is the SAAO Auditorium in Observatory. 20 May 2008 A Web 2.0 Tour was presented by Dave Duarte. The venue was at SAAO Auditorium in Observatory.

WC Branch IG Activities 2007 (4) Western Cape 25 April 2007 Presentation by Rebecca Vargha. In conjunction with the Sub-Saharan Chapter of the Special Libraries Association (SLA), we hosted a presentation followed by discussion, for a group of Special Library professionals visiting South Africa from the USA on a People to People Ambassador’s Program. President of SLA, Rebecca Vargha, discussed some of the successes and challenges in the special libraries field in the USA. SLA sponsored the breakfast buffet and the venue. 19 – 23 March 2007 Special Libraries Spyskaart. For the second year running, we celebrated library week by arranging a schedule of special libraries open for visits. The spyskaart included the Western Cape Provincial Parliamentary Library, the Niven Library at UCT’s Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of Ornithology, eTV Library, Nampak Library, and the Ninham Shand Library.

WC Branch IG Activities 2006 (4) Western Cape 18 October 2006 Communicating the Value of Your Service. Co-hosted with the Sub-Saharan Chapter of the Special Libraries Association (SLA), this program was a webcast presented by Jane Dysart, information management consultant based in Canada. SLA generously funded the cost of the webcast, one of SLA’s Click University offerings, and Old Mutual provided the venue. 19 July 2006 Speed Networking. Held at our AGM at the South African Astronomical Observatory Auditorium, this event was fast-paced, high energy, and reminiscent of childhood musical chairs games. In two minute intervals, separated by a ringing bell, each member had the chance to explain their job to the person sitting opposite them, before shifting chairs to the next person, and repeating the exercise.

Gauteng Branch IG Activities 2007 (5) Gauteng Branch 2008 No activities took place. 18 July 2007 The Gauteng Branch was officially re-launched with a seminar which was officially opened by the Africa Institute of South Africa’s Acting Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr Mokopi Mokotedi, who welcomed all the guests. The Deputy Chairperson of LIASA Gauteng North, Mr Robert Moropa gave a thought provoking keynote address. His message to delegates attending the launch laid emphasis on the unity, courage, and accountability amongst librarians.

National - Promotion An opportunity to promote libraries in the private sector arose when I was invited to present to the KwaZulu-Natal Branch of the Oil and Colour Chemists Association, at Westville Country Club, Durban on the 26th September, The topic of my presentation was entitled: Knowledge Management: A case for libraries in organisations. The presentation is available on the LiSLIG National Web Page.

LiSLIG Branch Activities I would like to congratulate all these branches for their considerable efforts during their terms of office in that they produced such a varied and interesting programme of events. I’d particularly like to thank Dot Pitman, Chair of Eastern Cape, Erna Mostert, Chair of Free State, Priscilla Moodley, Chair of KwaZulu-Natal and Amy Bell-Mulaudzi, Chair of Western Cape.

LiSLIG Web Page The LiSLIG Web Page has been updated and now has a page for National and for each active branch. This has been the main focus over the past two years and it has been continuously updated with current events of the branches and presentations given if available electronically. LiSLIG Newsletter As a result of the improved Web Pages, no newsletter has been published. Members should decide if this strategy is acceptable or if they would also still like an annual newsletter published?

LiSLIG Membership History (Primary) 83 6/11/ (Secondary) 56 6/11/ (Primary) /07/ (Secondary) /07/ (Primary) 174 8/10/ (Secondary)108 8/11/ (Primary) /04/ (Secondary) (Primary) Aug (Secondary) Aug 2008

LiSLIG Membership The membership reports received from National Office on the dates shown in the previous slide were forwarded to the individual Branches. Two types of reports were received – renewed and non-renewals. The Branches were then responsible for following-up on the non-renewals, encouraging members to renew, usually by advising of the activities being held at the branch.

Financial May 2008 Eastern Cape R2, Free State R KwaZulu Natal R 1, Gauteng - IVAISLP funds? Western Cape R Day Call Account R 12, National R 9, (See Financial Report)

2008 Conference Workshop Wednesday 8 th October LiSLIG AGM and Workshop New Technologies for the Changing Role of LIS, How to Create your own Wiki. To be presented by Dave Duarte. Sponsorship was obtained from the following sources: Engen Petroleum Ltd – R5, Bateman, Watling & Associates agents for I.H.S. – R 1, TsiBA – Use of their venue and computer facilities.

Libraries Transformation Charter 1 Please join with me to applaud the achievement of one of our members being voted onto the NCLIS committee. Well done Segametsi Molawa – we salute you! Your efforts to assist a new order through the LTC are acknowledged. The Charter is now in Draft Format and can be viewed at the following hyperlink: pdf/view pdf/view

Libraries Transformation Charter 2 The Special Libraries Sector of SA LIS has not been fully acknowledged in the Charter. At the LIASA Conference there was a plenary session on the Transformation Charter on Tuesday afternoon. We would encourage you to contact the committee via Segametsi if you have input to share on this subject.

APOLOGIES I’m sorry I was unable, due to work commitments to attend today. I have enjoyed my period as Chair of LiSLIG. I had hoped to achieve more but somehow IFLA got in the way!!! Congratulations to the newly elected committee. I wish you the best of luck with your future endeavours. Myra E Boyes 3 October, 2008