South Africa’s LIS Transformation Charter: Policies, Politics and

Professionals

Genevieve Hart, University of the Western Cape

Mary Nassimbeni, University of Cape Town

Transformation Charters

1994: Birth of SA democracy

1994:Election day joy

Challenges to SA democracy

• 1994 Reconstruction & Development Plan

and• 2012 National

Development Plan

“No political democracy can survive and flourish if the mass of our people remain in poverty, without land, without tangible prospects for a better life”

Stormy waters of SA democracy

• Dangers of “Unfree freedom” (February & Calland 2013)

• Widespread dissatisfaction at slowness of transformation

• So-called “service delivery protests”

Service delivery protests

20 public libraries destroyed since 2009

“deep frustration bordering on despair, a failure of grassroots democracy, and the tendency of ordinary people still to associate municipal institutions with agencies of governmental control as they were during apartheid” (Lor quoted in Van Onselen 2014).

LIS as “cornerstone” of democracy (ALA claim)

• In South Africa? • Could they be?• What do they need to do

to take on this role?

SA LIS post 1994

• Early 1990s: think-tanks’ optimism– radical new “African” models– LIS would be “key element in the implementation

and sustenance of democracy …” (NEPI 1991)

• By late 1990s: disappointment– Budget cuts “crippling” libraries (Lor 1998)

• No moves to build school LIS - despite new “resource-thirsty” curriculum

LIS post 1994 continued New promise?

• LIASA 1997• NCLIS Act 2001– First meeting 2004– 2005: Representation to Parliament

“over-stretched” and “under-funded” LIS

• 2005 & 2008: Dept Arts & Culture’s Community Libraries Conditional Grants (R2.8 billion)

• Transformation Charter 2008-2014

LIS Transformation Charter

Cross-disciplinary team:

LIS academics/professionals,

experts in heritage & government

Manage expectations

Multiple audiences: our principals, LIS sector, user communities, Cabinet, Treasury, civil society, book trade

The Charter: Phase One, 2008-2009

• Define the challenges … provide a framework for changes … elimination of illiteracy, eradication of inequality in the sector, promote social cohesion, build an informed and reading nation

• Needs of a developmental state• Common vision of transformed LIS• Mobilise librarians to uncover and create good

practice

Charter: Phase Two• Draft Six, endorsed by profession in 2009, went

through a number of government processes, short of Cabinet approval

• Reactivated by concerns of Min

of Education: civic action • With Minister of Arts &

Culture: new paradigm of

services for youth, not institutions

Organising principle

Continuities & Discontinuities• Human Rights perspective in

Draft 7• Collaboration, partnerships • Thirty-nine recommendations: policy,

legislation, governance, HR, infrastructure, funding & finance

• LIS as effective partner delivering government’s goals: literacy to research, knowledge production and innovation

Conclusion: policy gains

• The Public Library and Information Services Bill ready to go to Cabinet

• Guidelines for collaboration between Arts & Culture and Basic Education to render services to children

• Funds to pilot joint-use school/community libraries set aside

• A vision for the future to achieve a “better life for all”