Morula Community Library

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Morula Community Library

• Esther Retief, Unisa Library
• Johanna Mogale, Morula Community Library

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Contents

• A. Morula Community Library, Mabopane
• B. Success factors

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Morula Community Library Mabopane

• Section A

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Morula Community Library

• The library was launched on 11 June 2005

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Main reason for developing a community library
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Morula Community Library

• Situated on the premises of Morula Sun Casino
  Hotel North West of Pretoria in Mabopane

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Library staff

• 1 Professional Librarian
• 1 Relief staff member (a trained librarian)
• 2 Volunteers helping during peak times

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The library

• The floor area of the library is 115 m2.

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The library

• The library has a reception area, Librarians
  office, a library room divided by bookshelves,
  and a separate reading section.

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Information resources

• About 10,000 items
• 5 computers,
• 4 Printers
• 3 scanners
• 1 fax
• Study tables

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Number of regular clients

• About 250 clients
• per month

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Age
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Reasons for visiting the library

• Clients mainly visit the library for study (38)
  and research purposes (33).

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Bulletin board
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Information literacy

• Basic library skills (indexes, encyclopaedias,
  dictionaries)
• Mouse and keyboard skills
• Introduction to the Internet
• Research on the Internet

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New developments

• Accommodate Unisa student (MyUnisa Electronic
  databases Courier service between Morula
  Community Library and Unisa Muckleneuk campus
  Interlibrary loans Unisa assignment box)

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Immediate needs

• Childrens literature (primary and secondary
  school learners)
• CD-ROMs encyclopaedias, specific topics (e.g.
  geography, biology and science)
• Grades 11 and 12 text books and study guides

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Success factors

• Section B

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Be enthusiastic

• One highly motivated professional librarian
• A librarian who is a trusted and valued member of
  the community

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Have a vision and share it

• See the need
• Decide that you can meet the need
• Be willing to seek help from the outside
• Know that, in the long run, you have to do it
  yourself
• A communitys future is in the hands of those who
  live there

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Plan

• Have a development plan and review it annually
• The plan should determine the budget
• The plan reflects your beliefs share it with
  appropriate persons

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Accessible library

• Busses
• Taxis
• Train station
• (6.5 km) 

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Relationships

• Build personal relationships (clients, community
  leaders)
• Involve the local community in the development of
  the library from its earliest stage
• Partner with appropriate libraries,
  institutions/organisations

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Meet the need

• Know your community and their information needs
• Provide reference and other information resources
  in demand

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Meet the need

• Provide study facilities as the majority of the
  users do not have space, electricity or privacy
  at home

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Know your community

• Residential population of Mabopane 210,399
  (Census 2001)
• 51 of these people are unemployed.
• 50,2 of the Mabopane residents are younger than
  25 years old.

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Mabopane

• 10,5 have brick houses, while the rest (89,5)
  have mostly traditional structures or informal
  housing. Only 10,2 of dwellings have electricity.

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Meet the need

• Provide information technology, e.g. Internet,
  word processing facilities, etc.
• Provide training

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Make use of volunteers

• Train volunteers to help in the library
• Treat them with respect
• Give them a special position and responsibility

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The end