REINVENTING THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPAL MOBILE BUS LIBRARY SERVICES

BY

SIBO DONCABE

SENIOR LIBRARIAN 2019

SCOPE

DEFINATION OF TERMS

BACKGROUND OF THE MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICES

VISION OF THE MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICES

CURRENT SERVICES

IMPACT AND INFLUENCE

CHALLENGES

PARTNERSHIPS AND STAKEHOLDERS

WAY FORWARD

ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY

Total Area: 2,297 square km (2011)

Durban population is 595.000

The whole Municipality Population is 3,8 million (2011)

110 Wards

96 Libraries Libraries Unlimited- (House bound citizens) X 5 Departmental/Special Libraries X 2 Mobile Libraries• X 4 Container Library

ETHEKWINI MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES

Visiting Sites

DEFINATION OF TERMS

• HOUSEBOUND SERVICE – Library service directed to the elderly / physical challenged citizens residing in old age homes/places of safety or their homes to deliver books or related Library programs .

• MOBILE BUS SERVICES- Library on wheels servicing people in rural areas and institutions.

• LIBRARIES UNLIMITED –(Branding) combines housebound and mobile bus library services for people that do not have access or cannot reach Libraries for various reasons.

BACKGROUND

In the early years of 1980 the city of Durban identified a group of marginalised citizens due to their health and physical circumstances .

. In October 2012 eThekwini Municipal Libraries introduced Mobile Library services. Two trucks were purchased and customized into mobile libraries while collection development was maintained to service rural areas hence a new term of ‘Libraries unlimited concept ‘emerged combining both housebound and the mobile library bus services.

It started with 8 rural sites :

On Monday – Illovu and KwaNyuswa Amatata( Umzinyathi)

Tuesday- Emaphaphethweni and Amatata ( Umzinyathi)-

Thursday – KwaNdengezi and Ngonyameni

Friday- - Amawoti and Mophela

VISION AND OBJECTIVES• To reach out to the entire eThekwini citizens regardless of their geographical

location or status.

• To support Education by providing information and to encourage literacy in the entire eThekwini Municipality through reading and Literacy programs.

• To revitalize, invigorate and sustain the previous mobile Library services.

• To render services to areas that are not within the reasonable distance of a Local library.

• To promote literacy, reading and EML services in the community at large.

• To promote access to ICT and emerging technologies.

• To contribute to building human capital through access to information

• To achieve the strategic plan, sustainable developmental goals (SDG), IDP and the goals of the Agenda 2063 of the AU.

• Transformation and renewal of traditional library practices

• Promote healthy and sustainable lifestyle and living

CURRENT SERVICES

Visiting Schools and homes during their preferred times

Book clubs , reading clubs and block loans.

story telling , reading and writing activities

Career workshops, guidance and assistance for grade 9 and 12,

Institutional and individual book deliveries

Arts and craft programs

Lending Library services to various sites and Schools

Promote library services, user education and book care

Assist in the establishment and revitalization of Libraries and reading comers in Schools, places of safety and other public institutions.

Creating CV’s, emails and job searches

Early child development support

IMPACT AND INFLUNCE

Literacy for all and love for reading regardless of the environment, age and physical challenges .

Bridge previous gaps of education and services.

Encourage parent commitment and support to their children education.

Improve ICT skills – online applications and creating email account

Contribute to the improvement of the Learners pass rate levels

Improve learners confidence and reading skills

Development of DIY, hobbies and general information

Assistance in career pathing and awareness

Advocacy- campaigning for the LIS profession and services

Contribute to activities addressing social ills

CHALLENGES

Staffing- driver and hours

Road terrain- gravel, narrow and dangerous roads

Vehicles –to visit all sites

Sites- Ablution facilities , unsafe spaces to park,

Lot of requests from NGO /NPO and Schools

Resources- photocopier, network signal, computers and Wi-Fi

PARTNERSHIP AND STAKEHOLDERS

Local leadership, OSS (Operation Sukuma Sakhe) and councillors

Department of education/ ELITS (Education Library Information Technology Service)

Local literacy organizations ( NGO & NPO).

Institutions ( Schools, old age homes, places of safety.

ALL EThekwini Libraries

Early child development centres

Central Application office (CAO)

WAY FORWARD

Dial a book system

Hospitals and correctional services for literacy programs

Designated depot

Smaller customised buses that can travel in any road

WI-FI ( roaming)

Customised bus with computers and multifunction photocopier

Commissioner of oaths to certify copies.

Read Aloud Day

CADDY FOR AREAS WITH LIMITED ACCESS

ENJOYING READING INSIDE THE BUS

CAREER EXPO IN

SCHOOL LIBRARY

Sankontshe Book Club Awards

INTERIOR OF REVAMPED

SCHOOL LIBRARY

CONCLUSION

DURBAN AS THE UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE OUR MOTO IS :

WE BELONG

WE CARE

WE SERVE