Repositioning libraries for sustainable development

Lazarus Sauti

“Knowledge and information are crucial factors in human development,” said seasoned social scientist and celebrated scholar, Professor Ngonidzashe Victor Muzvidziwa of Midlands State University. “Without information, there is no development.”

Speaking as the guest of honour at the Zimbabwe Library Association (ZimLA) 51^st Conference under the theme “Libraries in the National Development Agenda: Repositioning Libraries for Sustainable Development”, at Fairmile Regency Hotel in Gweru recently, Professor Muzvidziwa added that in Zimbabwe, libraries play a crucial role in enhancing the free flow of information and ideas, as well as advancing freedom of expression – essential human rights supported by the United Nations.

“Libraries, nerve centres in giving access to full and objective information, are tools of empowering many people, especially school children and they support important development tools such as the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset), Southern African Development Community’s Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap as well as African Union’s Agenda 2063,” he affixed.

Velenasi Mwale Munsanje, President of the Library and Information Association of Zambia, also said libraries and information centres are powerful knowledge partners in delivering services such as literacy, digital inclusion, education, local knowledge, social services, as well as help in the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights.

Sadly, Professor Muzvidziwa said resources are still a challenge in Zimbabwe, and as a result, most schools in the country do not have functioning libraries – important institutions of human rights and social justice, and this is hindering free flow of information, skills transfer, as well as children to children interaction.

“Children in rural areas are mostly affected as they are denied access to information, a fundamental human right and a basic tool for sustainable development,” added public librarian, Antonetta Sipho Madziwa.

She believes every school, whether in rural or urban areas, must, therefore, have a well stocked library manned by a professional librarian so as to champion children’s rights and lifts thousands of children from the jaws of poverty, a fact supported by Peter Muzawazi, an acting principal director in the Ministry of Primary Education, who added that the revival of school libraries – key enablers to curriculum implementation and development, and the use of electronic books (e-books) and virtual libraries should be encouraged not only to reposition libraries for sustainable development, but also to facilitate cultural and scientific exchange as well as promote a reading culture.

“To efficiently relocate libraries for sustainable development,” affixed Muzawazi, “it is better to have community and school libraries that are not well stocked, but with relevant reading materials.”

ZimLA President, Lantern Fusire, said as the country is currently updating its educational curriculum which incorporates information literacy skills, librarians should be creative as well as innovative to make libraries the bedrocks of Unhu/Ubuntu as well as to successfully impart library users, particularly school children with much-needed literacy skills.

Adding his voice, Library and Information Association of South Africa (Liasa) President, Mandla Ntombela, noted that libraries and information centres support children’s rights and contribute immensely to socio-economic transformation by guaranteeing access to information which is a cross-cutting target that supports all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Libraries sit in the first five SDGs: end poverty in all its forms everywhere (SDG1); end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (SDG2); ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (SDG3); ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (SDG4); and achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, and these goals are critical in promoting child development,” he said.

“Without delay, librarians should be at the forefront in seeking to create a more inclusive society, which addresses challenges such as lack of good educational opportunities, poverty, poor health, poverty and poor standards of living.”

Ntombela also called for governments in southern Africa to craft plans, strategies and policies that promote library services, over and above drive strategic national agendas.

“Governments and library associations, in line with the Cape Town Declaration on the status of libraries and implementation of access to information agenda, should craft National Libraries and Information Services policies as part of a universal human rights approach, as well as rights of people to knowledge.

“Only Namibia has crafted one. South Africa is working on its own policy. I, therefore, urge other southern African governments to craft theirs,” he said.

City of Gweru Mayor, Councillor Charles Chikozho, urged school librarians to embrace modern technologies to ensure their libraries serve as the heart of the research and academic community.

Subscribing to Chikozho’s views, senior librarian at Okavango Research Institute, Botswana, Benjamin Thupe, added: “In this internet era, school librarians should use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to bridge the digital divide and ensure information reaches all users, especially individuals who face barriers to information access created by literacy, technology and language.”

For Tonderayi Chanakira, Chief Librarian, Namibia Library and Archives Service, a well-run library impacts positively on pupil’s literacy, health and wellbeing and as such, library associations in Zimbabwe and other southern African countries should join hands with the International Federation of Library Association (Ifla) in demanding one school, one library, one librarian as an avenue to promote and protect children’s rights.

“This will also help a lot in attaining equality as well as stimulating mutual respect between children of different backgrounds, reducing poverty, propagating human rights and safeguarding the environment,” he said.

Makhosazana Ndiweni, researcher in the field of library and information science, asserted that libraries provide platforms for children and other key players in the society to be equipped with necessary social information which is valuable for decision making.

She, therefore, encouraged the government to build more community and school libraries in all parts of Zimbabwe to enhance the sharing of skills, collection, as well as preservation of stories from local communities.

“There is also serious need for the improvement of library and information services for children with disabilities so as to eliminate barriers to the free flow of information, especially those that promote discrimination, poverty and dejection,” she summed up.