12 Aug 2021

Review of the National Library Service Act of 1967 is in progress,Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development Mr Tumiso Rakgare has informed Parliament.

Responding to a question on Wednesday, the minister said the review followed consultations with relevant stakeholders, including communities.

Mr Rakgare also said the first draft of the National Library Service of 2020 was submitted to Cabinet earlier this year and feedback thereof was being processed before being resubmitted to Cabinet.

He pointed out that following the restructuring of the ministry in 2014, library services did not operate as a department but rather as a service within the ministry.

“That notwithstanding, library services is allocated an annual budget of P3 million which covers procurement of books and related programmes.

This budget is insufficient given the fact that it has to be distributed between the 104 outstations, including public libraries and village reading rooms, across the country, therefore some of the other library programmes cannot be adequately funded,” he said.

He added that part of the r library services budget was used to equip new libraries built by Robert and Sarah Rothschild Foundation who, he said, had been instrumental in assisting government to provide vital service to rural communities.

The minister also thanked the foundation for its gesture to the nation.

He also indicated that writers were not covered by the COVID-19 relief programme that was largely given to performing artists since they could not earn a living through performances due to COVID-19 restrictions, adding ‘it is our considered view that writers could still do their creative work even during the challenging period.’

He further told Parliament that the ministry had come up with a proposal of the Literary Works Grant which aimed to facilitate the growth of creative writing sub-sector to enhance its contribution to the development of the country.

The grant, he said would cover book production, e-resources, capacity building workshops, fairs or exhibitions or shows, readers and writers competitions, translations or adaptations and literary works campaigns.

He added that implementation of the programme had, however, been delayed by financial constraints.

Gaborone Bonnington South MP, Mr Christian Greeff had wanted to know why the National Library Service was operating with an archaic legislation or act and whether there were any plans to review it.

Mr Greeff also wanted to know how much of the ministry’s budget was allocated to the library service and if it was adequately.

Further he asked whether writers were given any assistance of COVID-19 relief which artists were given and if so, how much was disbursed to them. ENDS