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Johannesburg Library and Information Services

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The City of Johannesburg Public Library and Information Services (COJLIS) is the public library system of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. With 90[1] or 89[2][3] or 86[4] library branches, the COJLIS is the second largest public library system in South Africa

Diligent librarians are to be found in branch libraries across the seven regions of the city [5]. These information professionals offer a wide range of services and programs for the residents of this large metropolitan municipality.

Despite the efforts of individuals within Library and Information Services, the cities flagship library, the "Johannesburg City Library" and other suburban libraries are either closed or under states of disrepair. [6]

The Johannesburg Library in 1893

Libraries have always been a key part of the city’s infrastructure. Johannesburg City Library itself has been closed for over four years, neglected and unmaintained.[7]The identified refurbishment has stalled and additional R54m Is required to address the matter.[8] The main Central Library is not the only unavailable facility. Eight suburban libraries have also been closed. [9]

Closed Libraries in COJ[10]
Library Name Reason for closure Current Status
Protea North Library Structural Defects Planned maintenance
Elderado Park Ext 2 Library Data 3 Data 4
Brixton Library Demolished for precinct development (2018-19) Data 4
Murray Park Library Data 3 Data 4
SouthDale Library Data 3 Data 4
Library Name Data 3 Data 4
Library Name Data 3 Data 4

Libraries are often not prioritized, because their benefits are not direct. [11] An investment by Carnegie Library In sub Saharan African Libraries was intended to address this and "unleash enormous pent-up demand for library services".[12]

Public library advocates have protested at this closure and rallied in support of re-opening the central public library[13]. Reading materials are as important as the need to restore water or electricity.[14] Shut libraries can't assist with addressing South Africa's critical reading crisis[15] which could be addressed by making reading books freely available.[16]

Opportunities to access information in the main city library are likely to be limited. The Johannesburg public library has remained closed from when Covid shut down libraries in 2020 [17], to the official City of Johannesburg Library closure in May 2021[18], after a preliminary status report, [19] right to today 8 September 2024. This library will continue to be shut until sometime in 2025.[20] The Johannesburg City Council has responded belatedly for calls to reopen the library, indicating this was a key priority, and they have allocated R25 million (in 2024), insufficient for the city library to comply with it maintenance or safety regulations.[21].

Expanding Access to Information

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Libraries play a big role in offering free public internet to South Africans.[22] Since 2013[23], with the introduction of e-learning services[24], as part of the ‘Smart City’[25] initiative, the COJLIS has made it a priority to make access to digital information possible.[26] The “digital transformation” efforts have been led by Jeff Nyoka, [27], who has initiated multiple partnerships with American multinationals, such as Microsoft, Google, IBM, and Amazon. [28] The e-learning services have enjoyed achievements[29] and faced challenges during the past ten years, including staffing constraints, connectivity hurdles, and budget reductions[30].

Johannesburg's public libraries act as hubs of education, and anyone can go into a library and read books, magazines and newspapers[5]. Patrons of the city's libraries are served by over five hundred (500) librarians that Library and Information Services employ.[31] Physical libraries are not the only sources of information. In 2015, the city committed to rolling out 1000 hotspots by the end of the same year[32]. The Library and Information Services (LIS) introduced e-learning and technologies into libraries in 2016 to ensure inclusion.[33]. With the Massive Open Online Varsity (MOOV)[34], announced by Vulindlele Jozi, [35] MOOV would "deliver an efficient education in the shortest amount of time for the lowest cost in a nice kind of societal way"[36]. MOOV was intended to expanded access to those in disadvantaged areas [37] and provide smart education while eliminating cost and accessibility hurdles[38]. Since the expansion of e-learning services in 2016, the Metropolitan Trading Company (MTC)[39] has made free internet connectivity accessible in Public libraries. [40] In 2020, the COJ announced that the cities broadband network company would receive R120 million over the next three years[41] so that residents could access free WiFi Hotspots in 84 sites. [42]

For the latest news, the COJLIS offers Pressreader, "an all-you-can-read newspaper and magazine subscription service", that is only available at a few geofenced hotspot locations. [43] For online books, there is Overdrive, a free service that permits patrons to borrow eBooks and magazines for free[44]. Owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, an American Private Equity Firm. [45]

History

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  • Main | History of Regional Library and Information Services
  • Progress | Development of RLIS over time
  • Dates | Key milestones and events

Services Offered

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  • Lending and borrowing services
  • Reference and research assistance
  • Programs and events for adults and children
  • Digital resources and online access

Benefits

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  • Promoting literacy and lifelong learning}}
  • Supporting education and research}}
  • Fostering community engagement and outreach}}
  • Providing equal access to information}}

Challenges and Opportunities

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  • Funding and resource constraints

Of the existing libraries in COJ, six are closed for upgrades. Eldorado Park Extension 2 recently announced their re-opening[46] Two COJ libraries have shut their doors permanently - the Modderfontein Library and Norwood Library.[47]

Conclusion

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References

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  • The joy of reading quote from Nelson Mandela[48]
  • COJ elearning site [49]
  • COJ article [50]
  • Research into COJ librarians [51]
  • Joburg City Library: quiet, please, we’re closed[52]
  • COJ Overdrive[53]
  • Digital Transformation in City of Johannesburg Library Services through the Provision of e-Learning Services[54]
  1. ^ https://repository.ifla.org/handle/123456789/2691
  2. ^ https://joburg.org.za/play_/Pages/Overview-.aspx
  3. ^ https://www.eifl.net/eifl-in-action/responding-covid-19-innovation-award
  4. ^ https://groundup.org.za/article/johannesburg-heritage-foundation-join-ennerdale-communitys-call-for-their-library-to-be-reopened/
  5. ^ a b https://joburg.org.za/departments_/Pages/City%20directorates%20including%20departmental%20sub-directorates/Library/Libraries-and-Information-Services.aspx
  6. ^ Vumazonke, Nompumelelo (2024-09-08). "Joburg libraries are a place where books go to die". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  7. ^ https://www.citizen.co.za/news/millions-wasted-as-joburg-city-library-still-remains-closed/
  8. ^ https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/johannesburg-librarys-costly-refurbishment-stalls-needs-additional-r54m-20240822
  9. ^ https://groundup.org.za/article/johannesburg-heritage-foundation-join-ennerdale-communitys-call-for-their-library-to-be-reopened/
  10. ^ https://mg.co.za/news/2024-09-08-joburg-libraries-are-a-place-where-books-go-to-die/
  11. ^ https://mg.co.za/article/2003-02-19-on-the-brink-of-collapse/
  12. ^ https://media.carnegie.org/filer_public/55/cc/55cc0558-16fd-4a7f-ae58-ff8b15220ca1/ccny_creporter_2012_vol6no3.pdf
  13. ^ https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/news/2024-05-19-editorial-make-some-noise-to-open-the-library/
  14. ^ https://mg.co.za/news/2024-05-11-johannesburg-heritage-foundation-warns-of-legal-action-over-continued-closure-of-city-library/
  15. ^ https://www.iol.co.za/sundayindependent/news/sa-is-besieged-by-a-reading-crises-and-it-can-only-get-worse-84d869bc-d61e-45cf-b447-e4169fcab6b7
  16. ^ https://theconversation.com/south-africas-reading-crisis-5-steps-to-address-childrens-literacy-struggles-205961
  17. ^ https://www.citizen.co.za/news/no-major-problems-with-johannesburg-city-library-closed-since-covid-says-jhf/
  18. ^ https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/fm-fox/2023-11-02-joburg-city-library-quiet-please-were-closed/
  19. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20240709105607/https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/closed-johannesburg-city-library-how-many-books-are-the-public-being-deprived-of/ar-BB1nwUhH
  20. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20240709114118/https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/fire-suppression-concerns-mean-joburg-library-remains-closed-until-2025-2024-07-08
  21. ^ https://joburg.org.za/media_/Newsroom/Pages/2024%20News%20Article/May/City-committed-to-reopening-the-Joburg-Library.aspx
  22. ^ https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/3652/
  23. ^ Nyoka, Jeff B. (2022), Asamoah–Hassan, Helena (ed.), "Digital Transformation in City of Johannesburg Library Services through the Provision of e-Learning Services", Digital Literacy, Inclusivity and Sustainable Development in Africa, Facet, pp. 63–86, ISBN 978-1-78330-513-1, retrieved 2024-07-16
  24. ^ "Cojelearning". Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  25. ^ https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-imiesa_v47_n11_a19
  26. ^ https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/digital-literacy-inclusivity-and-sustainable-development-in-africa/digital-transformation-in-city-of-johannesburg-library-services-through-the-provision-of-elearning-services/FCA2E792523BB030B32F5C6C5D4F177D
  27. ^ "Unisa Library news - LibGuides at University of South Africa (UNISA)". libguides.unisa.ac.za. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  28. ^ "International Literacy Day 2024 | Research | North-West University Libraries (LIS)". web.archive.org. 2024-09-07. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  29. ^ https://www.eifl.net/eifl-in-action/responding-covid-19-innovation-award
  30. ^ Westerdale, Jarryd (2024-05-16). "City of Johannesburg capital expenditure budget nothing but a 'cut and paste'". The Citizen. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  31. ^ https://repository.ifla.org/handle/123456789/2691
  32. ^ https://mybroadband.co.za/news/wireless/144175-where-you-can-find-joburgs-free-wi-fi-hotspots.html
  33. ^ https://repository.ifla.org/handle/123456789/2691
  34. ^ https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/city-joburg-tracks-service-delivery-record
  35. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20160512075802/http://vulindlelejozi.co.za/
  36. ^ Lisoos, Rael (2016). "MOOV making education more accessible, Eldos". https://www.citizen.co.za/. Retrieved 16 July 2024. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  37. ^ https://www.citizen.co.za/soweto-urban/uncategorized/2016/11/01/moov-making-education-more-accessible-eldos/
  38. ^ https://www.bbc.com/storyworks/inspiring-new-ways/meeting-south-africas-challenges
  39. ^ https://mtc.joburg.org.za/
  40. ^ https://joburg.org.za/media_/Newsroom/Pages/2022%20News%20Articles/August/City-connects-more-people.aspx
  41. ^ "City of Johannesburg budgets R40m for free WiFi | ITWeb". 2024-07-16. Archived from the original on 2024-07-16. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  42. ^ https://mybroadband.co.za/news/wireless/144175-where-you-can-find-joburgs-free-wi-fi-hotspots.html
  43. ^ https://joburg.org.za/departments_/Pages/City%20directorates%20including%20departmental%20sub-directorates/Library/Programmes-and-projects---the-big-five-.aspx
  44. ^ "City of Johannesburg Library Services - OverDrive". City of Johannesburg Library Services. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  45. ^ "KKR to pay $30M for years of wrongly charging investors". 2015-06-30. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  46. ^ https://x.com/CityofJoburgZA/status/1824331677214114082
  47. ^ https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-03-07-read-this-and-weep-embattled-public-libraries-are-being-squeezed-out-of-existence/
  48. ^ https://www.nelsonmandela.org/news/entry/freedom-through-reading
  49. ^ https://www.cojelearning.org.za/
  50. ^ https://joburg.org.za/departments_/Pages/City%20directorates%20including%20departmental%20sub-directorates/Library/Libraries-and-Information-Services.aspx
  51. ^ Masenya, Johannes; Ngoepe, Mpho; Jiyane, Veli (2020). "Determinants of turnover intentions of librarians at the City of Johannesburg libraries in Gauteng province, South Africa". South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science. 86. doi:10.7553/86-1-1890.
  52. ^ https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/fm-fox/2023-11-02-joburg-city-library-quiet-please-were-closed/
  53. ^ https://cojlibrary.overdrive.com/
  54. ^ https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/digital-literacy-inclusivity-and-sustainable-development-in-africa/digital-transformation-in-city-of-johannesburg-library-services-through-the-provision-of-elearning-services/FCA2E792523BB030B32F5C6C5D4F177D#
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