21 Apr 2014

Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) has drafted a vision to become an agricultural university of international repute that produces quality graduates for the agricultural sector through innovative teaching and research.

Speaking during a panel discussion and library awards in Sebele, Dean in the Faculty of Agriculture, Professor Elenimo Khonga said they were transforming the library to accommodate and service a prospective capacity of 8 000 students both graduate and undergraduate.  

One panelists, senior librarian at the University of Botswana, Ms Boipuso Mologanyi said libraries were reinventing themselves shifting from the traditional conceptual model of library as a place, to a vision of library that defies physical and geographic boundaries.

Ms Mologanyi said libraries are not static institutions. “The shared traditional understanding or definition of ‘library’ has developed over time and will continue to evolve shifting from traditional to digital,” she said.

The BCA library, she said, was challenged to have information literacy that could support faculties, emphasising the need for collaboration with the academic staff in research.

Librarians should be part and parcel of the development of the academic curriculum and a library should be a hotspot for information savvy people.

Professor Priti Jain of the department of library and information studies from the University of Botswana said that the BCA library could bring change to the community.  

She said the library should be in a better position to support the community in the advancement of knowledge and being in the forefront of innovation.  She said nations have moved into the digital era adding that social media has a major role to play in academics, and in reaching out to their clientele as a new strategy to keep everyone on board for inclusive education.  

For her part, the Botswana Library Association executive member, Mrs Lynn Jibril said there was need to have a strong association to avail their services and resources to users.

She said librarians were often criticised for the relevance of their profession and encouraged them to be reputable professionals who are effective and efficient. 

Librarians should build upon their image and provide quality services tailored to the needs of their clients and adapt to the changing learning styles.

Professor Othusitse Madibela, lecturer of Animal Science and Production at BCA said that the quality of education depends on the quality of resources, laboratories, and the library inclusive. 

He said that the heartbeat of every institution is the library hence the need for libraries to facilitate learning and academic success.  “It should not be a depository of books but lead in research,” he said. 

Professor Madibela said libraries should be environment friendly and a hive of activity where the librarians engage with their clientele and also have periodic reviews on the services they provide to establish where improvements could be made to meet the needs of their clientele.

The awards presented for the day were in recognition of the BCA library ambassadors. 

Thato Seiso, one of the award recipients said that the BCA library has helped him in his research and also in making informed decision in his profession. 

Botswana College of Agriculture held its second annual library week under the theme, “re-alignment of BCA library services and facilities to meet the emerging university needs.” Ends