ZimLA 48th Conference on this Week

Information professionals and interested stakeholders are traveling to Victoria Falls for the historic 48th ZimLA Conference and Annual General Meeting to be held at the A’Zambezi River Lodge. A Keynote address is expected to be given by Kgomotso Radijeng of the Botswana Library Association. Participants started traveling yesterday (Sunday)  to the majestic Victoria Falls which is considered Africa's adventure capital and the best hub for safaris into Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.

The conference is running under the theme “Working Smarter and Adding Value: Library services in a new Paradigm” will see more than 20 papers being presented treating many sub themes. The conference will also see the strategic planning meeting taking place that is expected to revitalize the operations of ZimLA and define the future for the information professional in Zimbabwe. IFLA is keen to see ZimLA regaining its strength and visibility so that it can execute its duties well.

The AGM is another activity that is likely to bring change in the national structures that bona fide ZimLA members participate in accordance with the current ZimLA Constitution. The AGM is expected to iron out outstanding issues within the association and pave way for the strategic meeting in identifying key areas that the association needs to look into. Branch representatives are expected to present branch reports that will also be used as a benchmark on the performance of ZimLA.

Call for papers for ZimLA 48th Conference and AGM, Vic Falls June 23 - 26, 2014

The Zimbabwe Library Association (ZimLA) has send out a 3^rd and final call for papers that is closing on March 28, 2014 for the upcoming 48^th Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) that is  penciled for Victoria Falls to run from June 23 – 26, 2014.

A group photo for the participants of the ZimLA 46th Conference in Kadoma held at the Kadoma Hotel in 2012.

The theme of the conference is ‘Working smarter and adding value: Library services in a new paradigm’. The announcement noted that the internet has opened a new world to information seekers from academic, researchers, business communities and even those with a casual information need. It is against this context that libraries should add value to their services in this new paradigm.

ZimLA further noted that the question that arises from many views is that; Is the library still playing an indispensable role in today’s information society? The announcement states that “It is against this backdrop that the Zimbabwe Library Association (ZimLA) invites interested professionals from the broad, interdisciplinary Library and Information Science field to submit abstracts of papers to be presented at its 48^TH Conference and AGM. These papers should attempt to address the above main theme but stemming from, but not necessarily limited to the sub-themes listed below.”

Sub-Themes

·         Innovation in library services

·         Information literacy and lifelong learning

-       In different types of libraries

-       (approaches/models in academic and school curricula

-       As a vital life skill

-       In protecting Intellectual property and Copyright

·         Embedded librarianship

·         Responsiveness to changing information and technology landscape

·         Information brokering and infopreneurship

·         Community librarianship

·         Library out-reach services

·         Corporate librarianship

·         Use of social media in library services

·         Changing roles of librarians

·         Proactive librarianship

·         Knowledge management

·         Open access

      

      In 2012 the ZimLA annual conference was held in Kadoma under the theme " Information Professionals at the Crossroads: Opportunity for Change” and was attended by a number of regional fellows from Malawi and South African including the then LIASA President Naomi Haasbroek. In 2013 the 47^th conference was in Mutare at the prestigious Golden Peacock and was attended by regional exhibitors from South Africa. The conference was held under the theme “Informing Zimbabwe Developing Zimbabwe: libraries powering development.” 

     Abstracts for the 48^th conference are being sent to the following contacts:

     Ronald Munatsi [ronaldmunatsi@gmail.com]

     Lantern R Fusire [lantern.fusire@nust.ac.zw; fusirelantern@gmail.com]

     Harriet R Ncube [hrncube@nrz.co.zw; hrncube@gmail.com]