A state-of-the-art library for a new generation. Elsa Esterhuizen, former director for library services, and Neli Kaunda, the newly appointed director, share their love of information. Neli’s vision for the library is to create an enabling facility that will contribute to the NWU in terms of resources, services and products. “This library should be a destination of choice for all students and staff.”
Library leads the way with transformation
Neli Kaunda has been appointed as director for library services from 1 January this year. She has an extensive academic library background of 18 years and obtained a master’s degree in library and information services from the Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States of America.
Neli worked at the South African Library for the Blind in Grahamstown before joining the NWU. Previously, she worked at the universities of Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal and at Wits and, as a qualified teacher, taught library management sciences at FET colleges.
She is married to Nathan, a chemical engineer, and they have four children, aged four, 10, 16 and 17.
Meet the new director for library services
The Ferdinand Postma Library, as a hub for knowledge and resources, has transformed into the proverbial butterfly in all aspects of its facilities, staff and services.
Elsa Esterhuizen, who retired at the end of 2015, says one of the most important highlights was the transformation of the old library building (dating from 1951) into a state-of-the-art facility that caters for undergraduate and postgraduate students and is accessible to people with physical disabilities.
Developing human capital
The library has had considerable success in the area of human capital development. It actively promotes equity and transformation and has made history by appointing, for the first time in the 60-year history of the library, a black manager.
In this regard, six staff members with the necessary qualifications, expertise and experience have been promoted or appointed in higher level jobs.
Elsa says the library has made a concerted effort to help staff improve their qualifications. “In the last year, 38 percent of the staff were studying part time, including three staff members who enrolled for Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) courses.”
Exciting new e-services
It’s not only the facilities and staff that are part of the library’s transformation. Neli Kaunda, the new director, will strengthen the emphasis on e-research, aiming to digitalise all research on an e-platform that will be easily accessible to all.
Neli believes that research currently stored on personal computers or stashed away in boxes will be more accessible and easier to use once it has been digitalised.
The secret to success
Elsa says the main reason for the library’s transformation success story is the many development opportunities available to staff. “There are a few earmarked positions that must be filled on an equity basis. We try to develop our staff and advertise internally to ensure that they get the relevant opportunities.”
Effectiveness is crucial and Neli says that it is important that all staff members are occupied for the full eight hours of a working day. “Where we note that there is a need in other departments, we redeploy staff rather than asking for new staff. The latter is applicable after exhausting immediate available options.”
Elsa believes that three elements are important to transformation success, namely services, resources and physical facilities. “Our library can compete on national and international levels,” she says.
The library’s attractions are evident from the many students who prefer to be there rather than study at home or in residences.
“The library is a nice place to be,” she concludes.
