at the Gala Cultural Evening of the WLIC/IFLA conference
22 August 2007
South Africa is extremely honoured to be hosting the World Library and
Information Congress/International Federation of Library Associations and
Institutions (WLIC/IFLA) Conference. This is only the second time that this
gathering of the world's librarians has been held on the African continent and
the first time it is being held in South Africa
It has offered us a great opportunity not only to showcase the new
developments in our libraries sector, especially the construction of the
northern campus of the National Library, which will be completed in early 2008,
but it also dovetails well with government initiatives to spur on the culture
of reading.
Ours, regrettably, is not a society of readers. Worse yet there is neither
enough literature in indigenous languages nor a single bookstore that
specialises in the African languages. Afrikaans and English literature are
better served. Even German, French, and Portuguese fare better than indigenous
languages on the South African book market.
Recent surveys indicate that 51% of South Africans have no books in their
homes. A mere 14% of the population read books and only 5% of these read to
their children. There is obvious room for improvement. We have therefore
launched an Indigenous Literature Publishing Project, aimed at producing a
series of publications in different languages by writers from different
backgrounds, across South Africa. This, hopefully, will stimulate the growth
and development of literature in indigenous languages and generate new
readerships. We have also tasked the National Library with republishing of
out-of-print African language classics so that they are available to the public
and institutions again. We are also the creation of partnerships between state
entities and private companies to give a lead to the private sector who have
thus far proved very reluctant to publish in African languages.
Gross turnover in the publishing sector is approximately R3 Billion per
annum. In 2005, R195 million were paid out to authors in royalties. Literature
is a significant contributor to the economy and can grow even bigger if we read
more and read more widely. In 2006 I announced the provision of R1 Billion to
recapitalise our community library system. This will be our largest and most
ambitious project till 2009. It demands a partnership to plan, to manage, to
monitor and to evaluate at all tiers of government, especially provincial and
local.
It has been more than amply demonstrated in a host of places that Libraries
make a qualitative difference by enabling individuals to develop 'wings of the
mind' and thus transcend their circumstances. The story of Neal Petersen, an
important South African achiever, illustrates this point. Neal Petersen became
the first black South African yachtsman by learning navigation and boat design
from books he found in the public library. He went on to take part in the
Around Alone (formerly BOC Challenge) Race, becoming the first black man to
race solo around the world. Neal Petersen was born disabled. He is now a
motivational speaker in California, United States of America (USA).
Neal Petersen owes a large portion of his achievements to one brave
librarian, Letta Naudee formerly of the Wynberg Public Library � now the Head
of the Sea Point Library, Cape Town - who risked everything to provide Petersen
with access to the knowledge he craved. In the days when Neal Petersen was
learning about sailing, our public libraries were racially segregated and all
the books on sailing were in the 'Whites only' section of the library. Letta
Naudee would sneak books out the back door for him, bravely defying the racist
laws of that time. Such little acts of defiance of tyranny can make a world of
difference. Neal Petersen's achievements testify to that. They also underscore
how of libraries can change people's lives.
* We have made an additional R200 million available for libraries this
year.
This amount will go to the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) and to the
nine provinces as conditional grants for upgrading of libraries. The nine
provinces have submitted their business plans and we are already rolling out
the project.
* Library Charter
A Library Transformation Charter has been unveiled this year setting the new
directions for our country's community libraries. This charter was developed
through a process of wide consultation among stakeholders.
* R39 million has been set aside for the upgrading of public entities and
the SA Library for the Blind.
The Pretoria Campus of the new National Library is on schedule and is
expected to be completed in November 2007. The estimated cost is R374 Million
and the National Library will move into the new building in early 2008.
The development of a reading culture depends critically on the availability
of literature in indigenous languages. Literature emancipated human thought
from the constraints of time and space. Having learnt how to record our
thoughts, opinions, emotions, beliefs, values and experiences in writing, they
became timeless. They could be transferred from one place to another, they
could be transported from one time to another, they could be carried from one
environment to another, and they could be carried from one people to
another.
The invention of writing was one of the most profound cultural revolutions
experienced by humankind. The printing press, which made possible the wide
dissemination of books, was the advent of the information revolution we are
currently experiencing. Its consequences are shaping, reshaping and in the
future will reshape the world we inhabit in ways that no one can
anticipate.
Books are the bridge that spans gulf between the past and the future. They are
'the memory of peoples, communities, institutions and individuals, the
scientific and cultural heritage, and the products through time of our
imagination, craft and learning. They join us to our ancestors and are our
legacy to future generations. They are used by the child, the scholar and the
citizen, by the business person, the tourist and the learner. These in turn are
creating the heritage of the future.'
Books remain a critical factor in the dissemination of knowledge and
information. Reading helps to promote critical thinking, particularly among the
youth, who can through books learn to perceive differing and even conflicting
dimensions of the same issue. After the publisher, the librarian is the
principal agent ensuring that books reach the general public. Through the
written word we can lay claim� to the wealth of humanity's literary heritage,
by building libraries we are making it the property of all our people, indeed
of people everywhere.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Arts and Culture
22 August 2007
Source: Department of Arts and Culture (http://www.dac.gov.za)
