City celebrates Library Week

23 March 2017

 

Despite the phenomenal growth in the popularity of the digital media in recent times, libraries - with millions of books and other reading material on any subject one can think of on their shelves - still remain important and reliable sources of information in society.

 

This is the message the City of Johannesburg’s Library and Information Service, part of the Community Development Department, is sending out to communities as the country celebrates National Library Week, which started on Saturday March 18 and will be wrapped up on Sunday March 26.

To celebrate the week, observed under the theme “My Library, Your Library”, Johannesburg residents have been urged to visit their nearest library to see what is on offer in the demanding modern world in which information has become a highly valuable commodity.

Maryna Moolman, the City’s Library and Information Service’s Operations Manager, says libraries should be used as centres of learning.

“As the City of Johannesburg, for us the South African National Library Week means creating awareness of the importance of reading and learning. Learning is an important aspect of human and social development - unlocking true human potential,” she says.

Moolman says to encourage the culture of reading among young learners, the Library and Information Service has this year alone handed out more than 2 000 snack packs to children who visited its libraries.

A major highlight of this year’s Library Week is the book fine amnesty. During this period - from Saturday March 18 to Saturday April 1 - community members can return overdue books without having to pay a fine.

The 2017 Library Week is also being used to promote the Ready to Read Programme, which involves more than 180 creches; the Story Skirmish and Battle of the Books competitions, in which more than 440 schools take part annually; and the Science Scuffle, which involves more than 200 schools.

To ensure it has as wide a reach as possible during this week, the City’s Library and Information Service has extended its services to old age homes and correctional services facilities.