US library specialist visits Zimbabwe



Part of the librarians from different libraries who attended the presentation by the visiting library speaker Barbara Ford in Harare recently.

Librarians in Zimbabwe's largest cities – Harare, Gweru and Bulawayo – had an opportunity to interact with a visiting library professional from the U.S. based at the Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Barbara Ford. Barbara Ford is the director of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs and Mortenson Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has been recognized with awards by American Library Association (ALA), Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA), and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for her significant contributions and dedication to international librarianship. In 2011, she was appointed to the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.



Her presentations and discussions focused on the top ten fundamental trends in libraries – academic, public and school libraries. These are based on the 2012 “top ten trends” released every two years by Association of Colleges and Research Libraries (ACRL) Research Planning and Review Committee. ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee is responsible for creating and updating a continuous and dynamic environmental scan for the association that encompasses trends in academic librarianship, higher education, and the broader environment, e.g., economic, demographic, political; providing an annual environmental scan “snapshot.” The committee also is responsible for identifying the ACRL “top ten trends” for release every two years.

The presentations by Ford covered topics such as advocating for the value of libraries, library user needs and expectations, need for staff training and development, mobile services in libraries, and how information and communication technologies can help meet these needs and deliver expanded access to information and new services. She also deliberated on data curation, patron driven e-book acquisition, scholarly communication and digital preservation. All these are not new topics in Zimbabwe but they are presenting different challenges for each library as we seek to transform our libraries from the traditional model to fuse new library driven technology for a better service.

Barbara Ford during one of the presentation at the Zimbabe Open University in Harare.

Based on the ACRL report the top ten trends are also presenting challenges to U.S. libraries as new applications are emerging and user behaviour is dramatically being shaped with technology. An emphasis is on collaboration as an approach for providing solutions with the aid of a vibrant library association. The need for a knowledgeable library staff in the emerging technologies is vital for immediate adaptation to the new environment. The increase in scholarly publishing is vital for continued efforts by librarians to provide information resources through digital libraries together with appropriate curation and preservation strategies.
 

Ford noted that there is a strong interest among librarians in Zimbabwe to provide programmes to develop the information literacy of the public.  The interest in topics such as digitization to preserve cultural heritage and how to make information available on mobile devices is growing in Zimbabwe. “Attendees to presentations were eager for information on new technologies and approaches for providing information through iPads, tablets and other tools”, said Ford.

One-on-one - Mr F Mutindindi and Mr Choto discussing a few pointers during a break at the Breakfast meeting.

Her visit included working meetings with library association leadership from the branches to help think through issues relating to low membership and lack of advocacy for libraries. She hoped that ZimLA would discuss with IFLA for a joint programming for the 2015 conference in South Africa. Possibility for a Fulbright scholar in library and information science was discussed to help transform the library profession in Zimbabwe.

Barbara Fords' visit to Zimbabwe was facilitiated by the U.S. Embassy in Harare through the Speaker program. Perhaps, the following unedited comments from Facebook page of ZimLA show the hype following Barbara Ford’s visit.  
Lantern Rangarirai Fusire (ZimLA Acting President) wrote “We had a good opportunity of meeting and listening to a presentation by Professor B J Ford at the breakfast meeting at the Bulawayo Public Library auditorium on Thursday 3rd of October. Her presentation on Current trends in libraries in the USA was quite informative. The presentation was urging us as librarians and information professionals to adapt to change, promote dynamic libraries, and to think outside the box. Thank you Professor Ford. Thank you USA Embassy. Thank you library and information professionals who attended this meeting in large numbers.”
 
Pride Bhebhe wrote this in response to Lantern Fusire “I can confirm you statement as a transcript of the meeting Mr Fusire, the presentation was informative indeed..”

Jerry Mathema (ZimLA Mat Chairperson) wrote, “On behalf of the ZimLA National Executive Council, Matabeleland Branch Executive and the US Public Affairs Directorate, I would like to convey my sincere gratitude to our distinguished librarians, Archivists, Records officers, information officers etc who devoted their precious time in attending the just ended breakfast meeting on emerging trends in librarianship. The unwavering support you have rendered is greatly appreciated and without it the association would not be where it is now, it would have crumbled and crashed to the ground. You are the pillar of our strength and we cling and snuggle on your shoulders. Lastly I would like to assure you that we take seriously the linkages we have sealed between You, ZimLA and the US Public Affairs Department. It is my wish that we continually maintain and cherish them. Once again thank you very much, siyabonga, enkosi, tatenda, toboka, ndolivhuwa, twalumbwa.Lingadinwa lakusasa,ukwandakwaliwa ngabathakathi !”

Mthulisi Ndebele (ZimLA Midlands) wrote “We had a great presentation from Prof Ford at the Gweru Memorial library...”

Further Reading

ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee (2012). “2012 top ten trends in academic libraries: A review of the trends and issues affecting academic libraries in higher education.” College & Research Libraries News vol. 73 no. 6 311-320. [Internet] Available at http://crln.acrl.org/content/73/6/311.full?sid=7b9d9022-29a4-4d6d-abbf-cbaa5cc298ae