|
|
|
|
Universiteit Stellenbosch Biblioteek-en Inligtingsdiens ● Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service |
|
|
Dear Readers
With this issue of Bibnuus we, once again, share a few titbits about new developments and activities at the Library. We also invite you to share your viewpoints and suggestions about the Library with us by means of the Library's new blog, BiBlog.
Best wishes for the mid-year exams and the delightful winter holidays that will follow.
Lucia
Schoombee (Editor) New staff Welcome with us three new staff members who joined the Circulation Division on 1 April. They are (below from left): Paulette Taljaard, Laurinda Kleynhans and David Adams.
Alta Stone wins an iPod nano in the Library's competition for new students The Library offers a welcoming programme for new students each year. The programme comprises a library tour, exhibitions about library services, the distribution of information brochures and freebie's such as water bottles with the slogan "Info on Tap - drink it in the Bib". This welcoming programme is followed by in-depth training on using the catalogue and other information sources.
Because new students' attendance of the welcoming programme is so important to us, we decided to offer a prize in order to encourage students to participate in the programme. The Library offers a magnitude of information resources; information literacy training and a large variety of services and if students are not aware of these, their academic performance may suffer.
The prize did indeed serve as encouragement as 964 students participated in the programme this year in comparison to 838 students in 2006. This indicates an estimated attendance figure of 47% of new students, with the Faculty of Science holding the highest attendance figure, namely 68%.
In total, 705
students entered the competition.
Ellen Tise (Senior Director) and Elda Nolte (Assistant Director: Client services) of the Library with Alta Stone, winner of the iPod nano in the competition for new students
New initiatives
Metalib The SFX service was implemented this year as well. By means of this service library clients can gain access to available full-text versions of articles in databases. With SFX it is also possible to retrieve a high percentage of the Library's resources by means of Google Scholar. A "Full text @ Stellenbosch" button appears in the Google Scholar's search results list of clients who use campus computers. By clicking on this button the library client retrieves the full-text version of an article.
An electronic theses database,
constructed on DSpace software, has been
developed and was implemented for a period to test the uploading of open
access theses and dissertations. Several theses were uploaded and
were indexed and made retrievable by search engines such as Google and
Yahoo. The correct submittance procedures for theses and
dissertations (with due observance of embargos and publisher agreements)
are currently receiving attention after which the database will finally
become operative.
Research output
Library homepage The library homepage has been given a facelift. This is aimed at improving access to information sources and to create a client friendly image. Concurrent to this, a blog was developed to award clients the opportunity to make suggestions for the improvement of service delivery at the Library. An "RSS feed" was also created in order for clients to stay abreast of new developments at the Library.
Ellen Tise nominated for IFLA president
Ms Ellen Tise who took over the reins at the Library and Information Service in 2006 has been nominated as a candidate for its presidency (2009-2011) by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).
Ms Tise is currently a member of the IFLA Standing Committee for Africa and she is also the chairperson of the National Committee for the IFLA World Congress which will be held in South Africa in 2007.
The nomination in itself is an honour for the Library as well as for the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) which Ms Tise represents.
Please click here for more information on the nomination and Ms Tise's election manifest. Library staff will make contributions at the following conferences during the first semester:
"International Conference on Postgraduate Supervison: The State of the Art
and the Artists" (23 – 26 April 2007) at the Stellenbosch
University.
Joanne Arendse, Melinda Heese and Henriëtte Swart will participate in the
following panel discussion at this event: : "Adding value: a discussion on the academic librarian’s
role in supporting postgraduates and researchers at Stellenbosch
University".
"Scholarship of teaching & learning conference" (22-23 May 2007) Technopark, Stellenbosch. Elbie van Wyk will deliver the following paper at this event: "Librarian/Lecturer partnerships and e-learning: 'taking' the library resources to the students". |
Community interaction At the end of 2006 the Library's traditional Christmas fundraising effort collected R2000-00 with which ten gazebos could be purchased for the Wartergarden project.
Gazebos were a special need identified by the project leaders for the facilitation of outdoor activities with the children in the project. Other items that were also donated to the project included shelves, compact discs and a digital camera.
The Library is very proud and thankful towards staff members who supported the project with such enthusiasm and who continue to do so with donations that are still coming in.
Read more about the Watergarden project here or contact Marié Roux for more information.
Name changes Die SU Library
Service has been renamed the SU Library and Information Service to
reflect the diversity and scope of services that are offered.
The name of the
division, managed by Delene Pretorius, has also been changed to
Information Services Division. Prof Jannie Hofmeyr accepts a gift for participating in the "Library Celebrities" initiative. With him is Lucia Schoombee (Web Services and Communication) and Ellen Tise (Senior Director) of the Library and Information Service
Library Week celebrations
Library Week took a festive, celebratory tone at Stellenbosch
University Library and Information Service this year. Since the theme of
South African Library Week, "Libraries: your key to the future",
corresponded so well with the Library's mission,
it was taken as a carte blanche to reaffirm the Library's presence and
role on campus in an entertaining way.
The "Library Celebrities" are: (click on image to view name and quote)
In another attempt to attract as many students as possible in order to
focus attention on the Library, a well-known Stellenbosch band was invited
to perform concerts in the open air amphitheatre at the entrance of the
Library. In blazing heat the band Clark & Van der Hoven piped up folk-rock
music – interspersing songs with slogans about the good of the Library.
|
|
Bibnuus is published by the Library and Information Service. |
|
May
2007
