Speaker
Mr
Francois Hendrikz
(South African Library for the Blind)
Description
The South African Library for the Blind (SALB) is the only organization of its kind on the African continent. The Library established itself as a leading library for the blind not only on the African Continent but also internationally over a period of 92 years. The development of the SALB over the years is the result of the efforts, dedication and hard work of many people.
Although the SALB delivers services to one specific market only it is a highly dynamic environment in terms of technology, accessible reading material and unique service delivery strategies. It is not possible to be responsive to the needs of our market if the SALB does not assume a leadership role.
In order to render services and products that meet the requirements of the members of the library two broad focus areas are applied. The one focus is on internal initiatives to ensure maximum staff commitment and buy-in to deliver on the mandate of the Library. The paper will highlight initiatives taken by the Library such as its Staff Wellness Program and the involvement of staff in developing the Organizational Culture of the Library.
The second focus is on service delivery initiatives. Three initiatives will be highlighted, i.e. the innovative Tele book reading club, the Library’s service expansion program through the establishment of digital mini-libraries in public libraries and the SALB’s involvement in the International TIGAR project to address Copyright and the exchange of local and internationally accessible reading material across borders.
The SALB may not be the one-eyed King in the land of the Blind but it is one of the main role-players. The Library applies unique and innovative strategies to render the kind of products and services required. This is done in partnership with other libraries and organisations and to be as responsive to member needs as possible.
Primary author
Mr
Francois Hendrikz
(South African Library for the Blind)
