Saldanha Bay Municipality's Library Services to boost its role through partnership with Unisa

Dignitaries were welcomed to the Vredenburg Public Library on Tuesday 27 February for the official launch of a partnership between the municipality’s Library Services and the University of South Africa (Unisa).

Driven by a common vision, the collaboration between Saldanha Bay Municipality and Unisa is a multiple library initiative that, at its core, aims to create an environment for local students, prospective students and the public at large to access information and available technology that will support and equip users in the process of further learning and development.

The vision is ultimately to contribute to an informed, skilled and learned society. A strong emphasis is placed on promoting “lifelong learning” in the community and unlocking the potential of local human capital.

Saldanha Bay Municipality currently manages nine public libraries that lend books and provide access to electronic resources such as the internet. It also serves as a gathering place for certain community-based events. The newly launched service, in collaboration with Unisa, will benefit enrolled and prospective students of the institution, across libraries where, for example, an email can be sent to Unisa to request a specific prescribed book or literature.

This item will subsequently be despatched via a dedicated courier to the library closest the student. Once the student has completed the borrowing period and returns the book or educational material to the library, the library will inform Unisa accordingly, and Unisa will arrange for the item or items to be collected. Students can benefit through this process by saving on time and expenses to obtain prescribed material.

Through this collaboration between the municipality and Unisa it is envisioned that the partnership will indeed open doors for many and further encourage a culture of learning in a developing society.

The ceremonial signing of the partnership agreement were performed by Saldanha Bay Municipality’s Phumzile Mbaliswana, Director of Corporate and Public Safety Services and Michelle Frauendorf, Unisa Cape Town Campus Acting Regional Director.