Zimbabwe Library Association 46th Conference slated for Kwekwe

Zimbabwe Library Association (ZimLA) remains the official librarian’s representative in Zimbabwe taking over from the Rhodesia Library Association. It has been in existence for more than four decades. The recent readmission in to the IFLA community does send a positive signal to local librarians who had despaired on the role of ZimLA in professional activities. The recent announcement of the 46^th ZimLA conference staged for Kwekwe in May is again a boaster to the activities of ZimLA which due to a number of reasons – known to you – have failed to take place. I am positive that this is a new start after social-economic challenges that have handicapped the professional association’s mandate.

Now what’s the way forward? The way forward is for every LIBRARIAN/INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL to put weight behind the organisers of the workshop through submitting abstracts and attend the workshop in big numbers. But perhaps you have to be a registered librarian with ZimLA. Way to go indeed! Our Professional association has suffered much due to lack of support not financially but support in regard to membership. Please not that the vitality of any association is the support from membership. What role does membership play? You may ask. Membership is the support, it is the programmes, and it is the success of the association. So for the association to play a pivotal role in professional representation you should first be a member then take part in the activities. Then we have librarian’s association.

Basically the 46^th ZimLA Conference is the opportunity to fine tune LIS/Ram issues in the Zimbabwean LIS/RAM landscape providing a platform for sharing ideas and best practices in the information age. You have realised that  keeping abreast with technology is a challenging phase not only in Zimbabwe but in numerous countries world wide. The underlying factors are sharing experiences and harness those ideas to better serve clients with limited resources whilst meeting expectations. This lead to the notion that technology is a leading threat to the library sector which the conference seek to address. If you cannot beat them join them, people say. If you view technology as a threat, utilise it to gain advantage. Utilise its strength to manage and increase job satisfaction.

You have a lot to learn by attending the 46^th ZimLA conference. The main theme of the even its “Information Professionals at the Crossroads: Opportunity for Change.” Indeed this time and age provide numerous opportunities for librarians to prosper and innovate in their respective spaces.

What you have to do? Play your part. Prepare to share experiences with others at the 46^th Conference, prepare your abstract and submit it to zimlanec@gmail.com before May 4^th 2012 and book yourself a place to present. Further to that pay your subscription to be a bona fide member of ZimLA your professional association. Don’t be left out! Be part of the growing family.