Morula Community Library: Empowering Through Knowledge

1. Morula Community Library Esther Retief, Unisa Library Johanna Mogale, Morula Community Library

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

3. Morula Community Library Mabopane Section A

4. Morula Community Library • The library was launched on 11 June 2005

5. Main reason for developing a community library

6. Morula Community Library • Situated on the premises of Morula Sun Casino & Hotel North West of Pretoria in Mabopane

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

9. The library • The floor area of the library is 115 m2.

10. The library • The library has a reception area, Librarian’s office, a library room divided by bookshelves, and a separate reading section.

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

12. Number of regular clients About 250 clients per month

13. Age

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

15. Bulletin board

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

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

18. Immediate needs • Children’s 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

19. Success factors Section B

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

21. 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 community’s future is in the hands of those who live there

22. 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

23. Accessible library • Busses • Taxis • Train station (6.5 km) 

24. 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

25. Meet the need • Know your community and their information needs • Provide reference and other information resources in demand

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

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. Meet the need • Provide information technology, e.g. Internet, word processing facilities, etc. • Provide training

30. Make use of volunteers • Train volunteers to help in the library • Treat them with respect • Give them a special position and responsibility

31. The end