06 Dec 2016

The level of compliance to records management standards and procedures across ministries has improved with an increased transfer of records to the records centres, President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has said.

In his State-of-the-Nation-Address on Monday (December 5), President Khama said there had also been a 10 per cent growth in acquisition of archival collections.

To increase uptake and access to the nation’s documentary heritage, he added that a social media platform, linked to BWgovernment, was developed and had been well received.

On library and information services, President Khama indicated that public use of libraries had risen to an annual average of 280 000 visitors.

He also noted that an attraction had been the provision of free public access to computers and Internet within libraries, which had bridged the digital divide for many.

Again, he said studies indicated that 12 per cent of library users in rural areas first accessed the internet through libraries, while 33 per cent of users with a disability first used the internet in a library.

Currently, he said, 66 public libraries have internet and a total of 67 089 members of the public have been trained on Basic Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills.

He also indicated that the 24/7 availability of Wi-Fi access within a radius of 300 metres of libraries had been a success.

Meanwhile, he said the Robert and Sara Rothschild Family Foundation continued to support the construction of local libraries.

He said the programme’s 14^th library was under construction at Charleshill and should be operational by the end of this financial year. ENDS