Friday, November 30, 2007

Library Business Corners AGM on 6 December in Paarl

Kindly note that the LBC AGM will be held on Thursday 6 December in the Council Chambers at the Drakenstein Municipality in Paarl from 09h30 - 10h30

A Seminar to discuss the Business Information Guide will follow from 11h00 - 14h00

This invitation is extended to all information suppliers, i.e. SEDA, Red Door, LED, CDWs, THDs, Advice centres, Thusong Centres, Librarians, and more.

Refreshments will be served

Please confirm attendance with Desiree at 021 - 421 0049 or desiree@lbc.org.za or gaillbc@iafrica.com by 29 November 2007

Gail Jacobs
LIBRARY BUSINESS CORNERS (LBC)
Relevant Business Information at YOUR library

gaillbc@iafrica.com
O83 390 4276 (cell)
+27-21 421 0049 (tel)
+27-21 421 1025 (fax)

Physical Address:
Ist floor, 7 Anton Anreith Avenue
Cape Town

Postal Address:
Postnet Suite 40
Private Bag x3
Roggebaai, 8012

Monday, November 26, 2007

IFLA Africa Section: Call for Projects

The IFLA Africa Section is calling for proposals to be funded by IFLA: Action for Development through Libraries Programme, ALP to promote library related activities in Africa. The proposals should help to implement and promote the IFLA three pillars and aspects of the Africa Section’s strategic plan.

The deadline for proposal is 30 December, 2007. Follow the link: http://www.ifla.org to the Africa section Strategic plan, which also highlights IFLA’s three pillars. Below is the ALP another link to the application form: http://www.ifla.org/VI/1/admin/alpform.pdf

Successful presenters will be notified by 1 March 2008 at the latest.
Please send your proposal to:

Dr Buhle Mbambo-Thata
Chair, IFLA Africa Section
mbamtb@unisa.ac.za

Dr James Daniel
Secretary, IFLA Africa Section
jimidaniel@yahoo.com

Ms Lindy Nhlapho
IFLA Regional Office in Africa
iflaafrica@unisa.ac.za

Birgitta Sandell
IFLA/ALP
Uppsala University Library
Box 510, S-751 20 UPPSALA, Sweden
Tel.: +46 18 471 3990
Fax: +46 18 471 3994
E-mail: Birgitta.Sandell@ub.uu.se

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

AFRICA SECTION CALL FOR PAPERS

CALL FOR PAPERS

WORLD LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CONGRESS & 74ND IFLA GENERAL CONFERENCE AND COUNCIL, QUEBEC CITY, CANADA, 10-14 AUGUST 2008

AFRICA SECTION OPEN SESSION

Theme: “Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities for African Libraries"

The IFLA Africa Section invites practitioners and academics to submit abstracts for papers to be presented at the Africa Open Session of the World Library and nformation Congress to be held in Quebec City 10-14 August 2007. The Africa Section Open Forum will focus on the effect of globalisation of libraries in Africa. Globalisation is seen as providing both an opportunity and a threat to Africa Libraries. In what ways can libraries leverage on globalisation t enhance librarianship in Africa? In what ways is globalisation a challenge to African libraries?

Papers that examine practical applications and original research on the subject are welcome.

The deadline for submission of a detailed, one-page abstract (in English or French) and full author details is 15 January 2008. Selection of papers will be based on the abstract.

Other requirements are as follows:Paper must be original and never been published before Paper should be of 20 pages maximum, double spaced typing Paper should be written in English or French with an abstract of one page in the same language 20 minutes will be allowed for the delivery of the paper by Power point. Paper may be submitted by e-mail,fax or post The author should indicate his/her personal full contact address and a summary of his/her curriculum vitae

Successful presenters will be notified by 1 March 2008 at the latest.
(Please note that all expenses, including registration for the conference, travel, accommodation etc., are the responsibility of the authors of the accepted papers)

Please send your abstracts or papers latest by 15 January 2008 to:

Dr Buhle Mbambo-Thata
Chair, IFLA Africa Section
mbamtb@unisa.ac.za

Dr James Daniel
Secretary, IFLA Africa Section
jimidaniel@yahoo.com

Ms Lindy Nhlapho
IFLA Regional Office in Africa
iflaafica@unisa.ac.za

[IFLA-L] CALL FOR PAPERS: International Confere-nce on the Development of Subject Librarianship and Personal Librarianship, Beijing, China

International Conference on the Development of Subject Librarianship and Personal Librarianship

Beijing, China, October 14-16, 2008

organized by the Library Society of China Academic Library Division,BALIS University Net Library of Beijing, and Capital Normal University Library in cooperation with DRCnet (Development Research Center of the State Council of P. R. China).

Themes of the Conference: Development of Subject Librarianship and Personal librarianship

Main topic areas:
Subject librarian and subject librarian services: duties, tasks,objectives, evaluation, and training of subject librarians Subject librarian and subject resources construction Subject librarian services and information literacy education:
relationship between subject librarian services and information literacy education; subject librarian and information literacy Subject librarian services and library

management: subject librarian services and collaboration with other library departments Research about personal librarian information service; content and methodology of personalized information service Ideas, thoughts, and construction of information commons, learning commons, and multi-media commons

The conference program includes a number of keynote lectures to be delivered by those listed below.

Keynote Speakers:
Joseph Branin, Ohio State University Libraries, USA
Jan Glover, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library, Yale University, USA
Karin A. Trainer, Princeton University Libraries, USA

Important Dates:
Completed Paper Submission: May 15, 2008
Authors Notification: June 15, 2008
Final Paper Submission: June 30, 2008

Please send completed paper to:
Michael Bailou Huang
Stony Brook University
Health Sciences Library
HSC Level 3, Rm 136
Stony Brook, NY 11794-8034, USA
michael.b.huang@stonybrook.edu
Tel.: (631) 444-3794; Fax: (631) 444-6649

Papers should be sent in electronic format as an email attachment. Please note the following requirements: simple text, Times New Roman, font size 12, 100-word abstract at the beginning of the paper, 3 to 5 keywords, and APA style bibliography; including author’s contact information (author’s name, institution, address, email, and phone
number) and a short bio of the author(s) at the end of the paper. Submitted papers will be subject to a peer-review process. All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings.

Venues:
Capital Normal University Library
83 Xi Shan Huan Bei Road
Beijing, China, 100089
http://www.cnu.edu.cn

Organizing Committee, International Conference on the Development of Subject Librarianship and Personal Librarianship
--
Michael Bailou Huang, L.Ac., M.Ac., M.L.S., M.Ed.
Associate Librarian
Stony Brook University
Health Sciences Library
HSC Level 3, Rm 136
Stony Brook, NY 11794-8034, USA
Tel.: 631-444-3794, Cell: 631-786-7023, Fax: 631-444-6649
michael.b.huang@stonybrook.edu

[IFLA-L] Call for papers Reference and Information Services Section for World Library and Information Congress Quebec 2008

World Library and Information Congress Quebec– Canada, 10 -– 14 August 2008

IFLA Reference and Information Services Section invites the submission of proposals for papers to be presented at a two-hour session in Quebec

Theme:
Have we have blown up the reference desk? Reference Services in virtual worlds

Subjects of interest:
This open session will provide pro and contra experiences and arguments for reference services in virtual worlds. We have moved on from the reference librarian on the internet or in an ‘ask-a-librarian’ service. By looking at both the virtual world (such as Second Life) and the physical world, there will the opportunity for an open-minded investigation into the suite of information services now on offer.

This Session is not about connectivity or technology, but about user expectations, service delivery and staff. It looks at the following questions:

Are there new roles for libraries and librarians in virtual worlds?

What does it mean to be a virtual librarian and what knowledge base and skills does that librarian need?

How does real life service link in with virtual / Second Life services and can the same level of service be provided in both environments?

Will reference staff as gamers be able to connect to and be of relevance to users, or do they stay with their more traditional roles?

In the mean time what is happening in the real life service? How are services being provided and from where? Can physical and virtual services work side by side?

Do we need to re-think our purposes and infrastructures?

Proposals
Deadline for submitting a detailed one-page abstract and full author details is January 22, 2008. Late submissions will not be considered. The selected presenters will be notified by end ofFebruary 2008.

Papers
Must be original; written in English, or with an English translation attached, and should be no longer than maximum 5,000 words with an abstract of 350 words. Selected papers will be published on the IFLA website prior to the conference and must be submitted no later than May 1, 2008 Presentations at the session will be a summary of the paper in English or a virtual presentation with accompanying introduction - either should not exceed 20 minutes in length. There will be an open forum to
allow audience interaction with the speakers, who should be fluent in
English.

Please note that the expenses of attending the Quebec conference will be the responsibility of the author(s)/presenter(s) of accepted papers and at least one of the presenters/authors must be present for the programme.

Please send your abstract via e-mail to:
Amanda Duffy
184 Burnt Oak Lane
Sidcup, Kent
DA15 9DG
UNITED KINGDOM
Phone (+44) 208 300 0845
E-mail burntoak@dsl.pipex.com

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO LIASA NATIONAL CONSTITUTION

You are hereby invited to make recommendations regarding proposed amendments to the LIASA National Constitution, as 2008 will be a Constitutional and Election year. This was necessitated due to WLIC that took place in 2007.

Any such proposals must be submitted on or before 31 January 2008 to Marina van Wyk marinaw@emfuleni.gov.za or the LNO liasa@liasa.org.za

Please note that no late submissions will be accepted.


Marina van Wyk
Chair: Constitutional and Rules Committee
marinaw@emfuleni.gov.za

Reminder - LIASA Western Cape Recruitment Breakfast 28 November 2007

END OF YEAR BREAKFAST MEETING WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2007

*Please note the deposit reference is your surname and Villa Via*

The Western Cape End of Year Recruitment Breakfast meeting for 2007 promises to be a festive affair in the lovely environment of Gordons Bay.

The Villa Via Hotel is in a beautiful setting, part of the Harbour Island Marina Development, with magnificent views of the sea from the deck.

Enjoy a scrumptious breakfast buffet spread and hear all about the latest LIASA news, while IFLA president elect shares with you her vision for her presidency and her role as president elect in this global federation. Elitha van der Sandt, CEO of the newly established South African Book Development Council will share the results of two studies that was recently conducted, on the cost of books and reading behaviour in South Africa.

We will be celebrating the Western Cape Branch's win of the LIASA Presidential Award for 2007.

And a major highlight will be the announcement of the winner of the Western Cape LIASA Branch Award.

Just by attending and being a paid-up LIASA member will qualify you for the lucky draws!! So don’t forget to have your membership number ready when you book.

Use this opportunity to renew for 2008 and bring along a colleague to join as a new member - all new members will also be entered into a draw on the day!!


Date: Wednesday 28 November
Time: 8:30 am for 09.00 am
Costs: R120 for LIASA member
R190 for non-LIASA members

Book your place with Julian Schroeder at telephone 021 694 4684, fax 021 694 3452 or e-mail address Julian. Schroeder@capetown.gov.za by 20 November 2007.

Please complete the form :



Name:



Institution:



Contact No:



Cell:



Email address



LIASA membership number:



Food Preference: Halaal Vegetarian


Confirmation of Booking is only upon receipt of payment by the due date as no payments will be taken on the day of the meeting.

Please deposit your fee into the following bank account, clearly marked with your Surname and referenced Villa Via.

Fax a copy of your slip to Julian Shroeder at no fax 021 694 3452
Bank Details: First National Bank, Paarl
Account number: 50251139760(Cheque)
Branch Code: 200110


How to get to Villa Via:
http://www.villa-via.com/vwd_scripts/jspw2_pop.htm?/images/villamap21.jpg,700,,,0,../contacts/,.:%5BVilla%20Via%20-%20Luxury%20Hotel%20-%20Gordon%27s%20Bay%20Waterfront%5D:.,.:%5BVilla%20Via%20-%20Luxury%20Hotel%20-%20Gordon%27s%20Bay%20Waterfront%5D:.,0,0,,0,700,458

If the direct link is not successful for you, find the map from the Villa Via website at www.villia-via.com

SOUTH AFRICAN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION (SALI) TRUST

SOUTH AFRICAN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION (SALI) TRUST

Grants for research and development projects 2008

The SALI Trust, established after the dissolution of the South African Institute for Librarianship and Information Science (SAILIS), has the following objectives:

 To promote the common interest of persons carrying on the profession or occupation of librarianship and information work within the Republic of South Africa; and in doing so

 To develop librarianship and information studies in order that library and information services of a high standard may be rendered by all persons active in the Library and Information Sector in the Republic of South Africa.

In line with these objectives the Trust annually offers at least one grant each (maximum R40,000) in the fields of (1) research and of (2) development in librarianship and information work in South Africa, for projects which, according to the Trustees, will best contribute to the realisation of the above objectives. The Trust reserves the right not to make any grants from the applications received.

Applications should clearly state

 the objective of the project, including the expected end result and the effect it could have on the South African library and information profession or service

 full biographical details of the applicant, the person responsible for the project and others to be involved, including the nature of their work and their employers

 the proposed methodology/activities

 the envisaged programme/time-frame for completion

 a detailed budget, with an indication of funding received or applied for from other sources. (Please note that the Trust will not make grants available to pay grantees for their time, or for the payment of salaries, nor for the purchase of computers or other equipment)

NB Failure to adequately provide the above information could lead to disqualification.

Applications, preferably in electronic form (email or disk), should reach the Administrator of the Trust by 16 November 2007

at the following address:

willemsej@vodamail.co.za or otherwise at John Willemse, PO Box 299, Stilbaai, 6674

Monday, November 12, 2007

"Library" on at the Artscape Arena

Library is a delightful new play about love and literature between some old shelves, and is an ideal opportunity for your staff or LIASA members to spend a festive evening at the Artscape Arena in Cape Town.

Written by Juliet Jenkin, who received much acclaim locally and abroad for The Boy Who Fell From The Roof, her latest inspired comedy Library forms part of the Artscape New Writing Program and is the last play in Artscape’s Spring Drama Season.

Library is on for a short two-week run from November 20 until December 2, with low priced previews from November 15 – 17, and starts at 18:00 The play runs for just over an hour,.

Directed by Francesco Nassimbeni, Library addresses important issues of race, romance and overdue books. This comedy of errors and novellas will confirm your suspicions about the dangers of light reading and heavy petting. It's fast, it's funny and it's all fiction.

Play written by Juliet Jenkin
Directed and designed by Francesco Nassimbeni
Lighting designed by Faheem Bardien
Original music by Derek Eydon
Starring Leslie Mongezi, Adrienne Pearce, Jennifer Aldridge, Eben Genis and Jacqui du Toit

November 18 to December 2
Previews: November 15 to 17 @ 18:00 R40
Opening: November 18 @ 18:00 R60
Family Nights: November 20 & 27 @ 18:00 R40
Wednesdays to Sundays
November 21 to December 2 @ 18:00 R60

Fundraising or Charity performances available. Group Bookings (with substantial discounted prices) are offered - contact Daniel E. Dercksen at 072 474 1079 or 021 425 5355 (Office Hours) or 086 672 1757 or springseason@mweb.co.za

WCHELIG Annual Panel Discussion

We will be investigating the different methods of and initiatives regarding the preservation of today’s digital information in our libraries and we really
hope you can join us in discussing this interesting topic.

We would really appreciate your effort to attend!

WCHELIG Committee

Programme :

09:30 - 09:55 Registration & Tea/Coffee in the staff room

10:00 - 10:10 Chair: Nthabiseng Kotsokoane - Welcome & Scene set

10:10 - 10:40 Wynand van der Walt (University of the Western Cape, IT
Department)

10:40 - 11:10 Janine Dunlop (UCT Manuscripts and Archives Department)

11:10 - 11:40 Ilse de Lange (University of Stellenbosch, Head of
Pieter du Plessis (Faculty Librarian, Economic and
Management Sciences)

11:40 -12:10 Wouter Klapwijk (University of Stellenbosch, IT Department)

12:10 - 12:40 Questions and discussion

12:40 - 13:00 Wrap and close panel discussion, vote of thanks

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch

Date: Thursday 15th November 2007

Time: 9:30 for 10:00

Venue: Auditorium, University of Stellenbosch

Costs: R50 for members and R65 for non-members;

Please diarise and make an effort to attend what should be a lively discussion!

Please r.s.v.p. by 13th November 2007 to Debbie Becker at beckerd@cput.ac.za or tel no. 021-460 3848 or fax number 021-460 3699

Only on receipt of proof of payment will attendance be confirmed.

Please deposit or ETF to the LIASA Western Cape Account at FNB.

Account number: 50251139760

Branch name: Paarl

Branch Code: 200110

Reference: WCHELIG 15/11 and your surname

Please fax deposit slip to 021-959 2659 for attention Wynand van der Walt (Tel: 021 959 2944).

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Vacancies: Tshwane University 0f Technology -Arcadia Campus Library :

~ PLEASE APPLY TO THE CONTACT DETAILS AT THE END OF THE PAGE ~

PART TIME INFORMATION LIBRARIAN (SATURDAYS)

TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
ARCADIA CAMPUS LIBRARY
[One (1) part time positions available]

Requirements
. A degree in Library and Information Science or relevant equivalent
qualification
. Extensive and proven knowledge of electronic databases utilized by
academic libraries
. Experience in managing a library or a section/division in a library
will be advantageous
. Excellent communications and customer relations skills
. Proficiency in English
. Own transport

Job description
. Responsible for the effective and efficient operation of the library
during Saturdays
. Supervision of staff
. Rendering an information service to library clients by:
. Answering information inquiries
. Conduction literature searches
. Administrative duties including the compilation of monthly reports

The successful candidate will work on Saturdays.

Enquiries: Ms. Marlene Beetge tel: 012 382-6323, e-mail: beetgem@ut.ac.za

Submit your CV to: Ms. Marlene Beetge, e-mail beetgem@tut.ac.za

Closing date: 16 November 2007

Preference will be given to candidates from designated groups in terms of the Employment Equity Act

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FINAL APPOINTMENT IS SUBJECT TO APPROVAL OF THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET FOR 2008

1st AFRICAN DIGITAL CURATION CONFERENCE

~PLEASE REGISTER AT CONTACT DETAILS AT THE END OF THE MESSAGE~

1st African Digital Curation Conference:
When: 12 - 13 February 2008, CSIR International Convention Centre,Pretoria, South Africa

The advent of affordable global digital connectivity has created opportunities not only for more effective and efficient research, but also for new, better, faster and previously impossible research. The proviso to participate in the new forms of research, known as eResearch or eScience, requires that sustainable management and curation processes and practice are put in place at the onset of the research project.

What is digital curation and management?

Curation and management of research outputs (data sets, journal articles, conference papers, models, simulations, visualisations and a multitude of multi media), refer to the active management (taking care of), appraisal (evaluation of quality) and promotion (awareness creation) of digital content during the entire life-cycle of scholarly and scientific interest; and therefore stretches beyond the short term boundaries of an individual research project. Curation and management refer to accessibility periods of longer than 20 years.

As a start it is necessary to consider the following:

(1) National Government Departments and the Science Councils that provide them with R&D, universities and even private research companies continually produce, at great expense, datasets and reports that are intended for a specific purpose, but could, if properly managed, be repeatedly re-used, in their original or aggregated format.
(2) This cannot happen if they are dispersed among a range of project and institutional repositories/computers, many of which have no long-term preservation plan, and with no mechanism to make their existence known.
(3) Modern ICT provides for the infrastructural means to capture, secure and share such valuable items of intellectual capital. However, sharing relates to consistent processes and behavioural discipline.
(4) The previous points have led to the creation of Digital Management and Curation systems in all the leading research countries, at least in the Anglophone ones.
(5) Africaand South Africaare lagging behind, but can profit by the willingness of the leaders to share their expertise and systems.
(6) This is a potentially beneficial effort but will require resources and will to make it happen.

Researchers, internationally, are currently debating whether a research repository, one of the vehicles for access to research output curation, should be discipline specific or whether it would be better for institutions to create multidisciplinary repositories and to decide as an organisation how curation should take place. In addition the pressure, to insist that publicly funded research results should be made available in public access is mounting internationally. South Africa, for example, is a signatory to the OECD declaration on access to research data from public funding and yet the infrastructure to provide such access is under developed.

Objective of the conference

The objective of this two day event is to create a shared understanding of curation and digital management. In addition researchers (and the staff that directly support research) will be given the opportunity to surface their needs and requirements to ensure long term accessibility to their research output (data, information, models, graphics, etc.) especially then when the research is made possible through public funding. The unique requirements of five research groupings will be addressed.

Who will benefit?

Scientists & Researchers
Public Funding Grant Holders
Research Managers
Information Scientists
ICT Infrastructure Managers
Librarians
Records Managers
Data Managers

REGISTER ONLINE NOW! Early registration closes 30 November 2007
Registration fees (R2 500,00) are payable by 15 January 2007

http://stardata.nrf.ac.za/nadicc/index.html

All conference enquiries can be addressed to:
Rina du Toit: Conference Organiser
Tel:+27 012 331 3404
Mobile: 082 785 3510
Email: rdutoit@yebo.co.za

Conference under the auspices of:

DST (Department of Science and Technology
ASSAf
NRF
Universityof Pretoria
HSRC
CSIR

WCHELIG Annual Panel Discussion

WCHELIG (Western Cape Higher Education Library Interest Group) is proud to bring you our annual panel discussion. This year the focus will be on digital information and preservation.

We will be investigating the different methods of and initiatives regarding the preservation of today's digital information in our libraries and we really hope you can join us in discussing this interesting topic.

Please diarise the event for Thursday, 15th November at the Auditorium, JS Gericke Library, University of Stellenbosch. The final details and programme will be made available within the next few days.

We would really appreciate you effort to attend!
WCHELIG Committee

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Western Cape: Invitation to Seminar presented by Sue Myburgh

Seminar: "Defining information: the site of struggle"
Presented by Sue Myburgh, visiting Research Fellow from the University of South Australia, Adelaide Friday, 2nd November 2007, from 11 - 12 a.m. at the Centre for Community Informatics, Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
Attendance at this seminar is free.
For directions on how to get there, and to indicate your attendance, please email Munira Allie at alliem@cput.ac.za

Defining information: the site of struggle
The term ‘information’ is used in a multitude of contexts in the so-called "Information Society". The contemporary information context is paradoxically antipathetic to the traditional information professions, as there is an emphasis on the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their development and deployment, rather than the information that they convey.
The notion of ‘information’ is contested in two ways. There are many professional groups who describe themselves as ‘information professionals’, whereas the object of their work is discovered to be data, data systems or telecommunications, and there is little evidence here of understanding the human processes of knowledge creation,
information communication and meaning construction. On the other hand, traditional information professionals, such as librarians, are often perceived to be guardians of warehouses of physical artefacts, such as books, and their contribution to socio-economic (and other) development overlooked. Secondly, business literature, and much of the literature on socio-economic development, is replete with suggestions that ‘information’ is a commodity, which has a financial value and which can be traded in a marketplace; that the provision of ICTs is sufficient to have the desired ‘developmental’ effects, and that the accumulation of ‘information’ has direct financial and economic benefits. This conceptualisation, once again, does not consider how information is created, shared or used.
The challenge that faces traditional information professionals is that, for the most part, their theoretical foundation, praxis and teleology is located within a context which, to a large extent, no longer exists: it has changed politically, economically, socially, technologically and environmentally. The education for, and practice of, the traditional information professions has not adjusted to these changes. Instead,
they are seen as redundant, with libraries and library schools being closed down.
The change that is required is not dissimilar to the challenge for a change of paradigm that faces society as a whole. For many (e.g. Castells), the "Information Society" is little more than the last phase of Industrialism, predicated upon the manufacture and trade of commodities within a capitalist framework. Defining information in such as way that differentiates it from ‘data’, ‘technology’ and ‘facts’ may stabilise a conceptual model for information work which can more
adequately deal with society’s information problems and needs. In this seminar, two different approaches to defining the concept of information are considered, and their respective outcomes discussed.

Vacancy: Position for a librarian at ROOM TO READ

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: READING ROOM PROGRAM ASSOCIATE

Organization Profile

Room to Read's mission is to provide the most previously disadvantaged children with an opportunity to gain the lifelong gift of education. The organization was founded on the belief that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and taking control of one's own life. We currently work in Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate all of their children equally. In 2006, we began our expansion into Africa,
establishing projects in South Africa and in 2007 began to establish ourselves in Zambia.

Room to Read (RtR) is a results-driven organization that seeks to intervene early in a child's life to provide ongoing educational opportunities in their communities. We are non-governmental, non-religious and work with many local NGOs and community based
organizations to implement our programs. We have developed a successful approach to building educational infrastructure and opportunities which consists of:
Partnering with communities to build schools through challenge grants
Establishing bi-lingual libraries
Publishing local language children's books
Establishing computer and language labs
Providing long-term scholarships to girls

Since our inception, Room to Read's worldwide team has celebrated the opening of our 3800th library, the donation of our two millionth book, and our fourth consecutive year winning the Fast Company Monitor Group Social Capitalist award. To date, we have impacted the lives of over 1.3 million children. Room to Read has an annual budget of approximately US$12 million, and our global staff will number over 175 by the end of
2007. Our global headquarters is located in San Francisco, and we have program offices in Colombo, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Lusaka, New Delhi, Phnom Penh, Tshwane (formerly known as Pretoria), and Vientiane.
Our long-term goal is to help 10 million children to gain the lifelong gift of education.

Room to Read South Africa started its operations in October 2006. We are currently working with 65 primary and secondary schools in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga where we are establishing Reading Rooms (libraries). With the goal of increasing children’s access to book, we have also published 3 books in local languages through our Local Language Publishing Program. We plan to release two new titles in the
beginning of 2008.

Position Overview

The Reading Room Program Associate (RRPA) will assist and report directly to the Reading Room Program Officer (RRPO). S/he will provide assistance to the RRPO in implementing the Reading Room programme.
Primary responsibilities will include procuring, organizing and preparing books for distribution to Room to Read (RtR) Reading Rooms.
Additional duties towards fulfilling objectives of the programme will be determined as needed.

Position: based in Mpumalanga with occasional travelling to other provinces

General Duties and Responsibilities
Assist in surveying and selecting schools that are in need and meet the RtR selection criteria for Reading Rooms.
Assist in analyzing and assessing applications and/or proposals from schools and make recommendations for programmatic implementation.
Make regular visits to project sites to supervise, monitor and support the local partners and educators.
Assist in gathering information for reports on the status and progress of our Reading Room programs.
Assist in hosting donor site visits as needed and document anecdotes that evolve through field work.
Make recommendations on improving the Reading Room program’s impact and ustainability in schools and communities, with particular focus on maximizing quality and the community’s challenge grant contribution.
Support local and outside volunteers/mobilisers in order to ensure support for the programme.
Participate in any other activities which may be required to be undertaken to fulfill the objectives of RtR South Africa.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities
Assist in coordinating and facilitating training workshops for Reading Room librarians or teachers.
Identify, categorize and enter suitable books and materials into a database for Reading Rooms supported by RtR South Africa.
Assist in procurement of books, furniture, library stationery and other supplies from different sources and develop a package of materials for the Reading Rooms.
Assist in receiving, sorting and storing donated English-language books.
Maintain an inventory of books and track distribution to schools and partners.
Work with appropriate staff to organize the packaging of books and supplies and their distribution to beneficiary schools and partners.
Represent RtR in different forums and advocate the importance of reading and the need for Reading Rooms for children.

Qualifications Required
Bachelor's degree/diploma from an accredited university program in South Africa preferably in Library and Information Science or equivalent.
Demonstrated computer literacy.
Ability to travel frequently within and to provinces throughout South Africa.
Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and 2 or more local languages.
Valid Code B driver’s licence.
Preferred Prior experience living and/or working in rural areas.
Prior experience working with schools, teachers, administrators and government officials.
To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also need to:
Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact an
up-and-coming non-profit organization.
Be an innovative and creative thinker - you are not afraid to try something new and inspire others to do so.
Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness.
Have strong work ethics, take initiative, and require minimal direction.
Work well independently as well as part of a team.
Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment.

Compensation
Salary will be based upon the final candidate’s experience. Benefits including a company sponsored health care plan and an optional retirement programme. Additional benefits include professional development opportunities and the unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, and rapidly growing organization that is
changing the world through the lifelong gift of education.

Application Procedure
Please send your cover letter and resume by email, with "RRPA, South Africa" in the subject line, to info@roomtoread.org.za.
Due to a large volume of CVs submitted to Room to Read, we regret that we cannot reply personally to each candidate. We will contact with those candidates whom we wish to interview via phone or in person.
Room to Read South Africa is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.

Closing date for applications
All applications should reach us on or before 30 November 2007.