The Department of Library Services at the University of Pretoria marks National Book Week and Heritage Month

A diverse group of people consisting of students, alumni, secondary school scholars, book club members and representatives of various cultural groups gathered to celebrate two key events in South Africa, the National Book Week and Heritage Month. on Saturday, 28 September 2019. This initiative, facilitated by the executive team of the Department of Library Services at the University of Pretoria, was led by Mr. Robert Moropa with the theme: “The dynamics of Heritage Preservation in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.” It was an important and critical initiative in encouraging the nation to value reading and in demonstrating how we can advance the efforts of shared heritage, nation building and social cohesion.

The program started with a warm University of Pretoria welcome by the Vice Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Tawana Kupe. The first keynote address was delivered by Prof Pitika Ntuli (sculptor, poet, writer and an academic who has contributed to the political and artistic discourse of South Africa) who shared his wisdom as a world-renowned scholar and expert in issues of heritage, culture and the arts. His address reflected on how we can preserve our rich heritage and make sure it is not lost as our landscape changes in the face of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

The second keynote address was delivered by the Chief Director: Libraries and Archives (representing the Director-General of the Department of Arts and Culture), Mr. Vusumuzi Mkhize. His address focused on government investment in indigenous knowledge systems and Pan-African history. Two young authors, Lindiwe Hani (daughter of Chris Hani and author of “Being Chris Hani's Daughter”) and Hlumelo Biko (son of Steve Biko and author of “The Great African Society”) as well as Prof.Vasudhevan Reddy, the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, spoke about their books and reflected on what they have learnt from their forefathers.

Part of the programme of the day was the debate on the impact of the 4IR on heritage preservation. It was therefore critically important and exciting for the high scholars to experience and interact with Libby, the library’s service robot. The Vice Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Tawana Kupe said Libby was “the flagship ambassador for the dawning of a new and exciting era in South Africa and we at UP are ahead of the pack in terms of embracing opportunities that are rapidly evolving in line with the 4IR. In this specific instance, Libby has redefined client-interfacing applications at academic libraries. The impact of Libby has been hugely positive not only within the library environment but also on a national level, highlighting that UP is serious about embracing and leading with the 4IR.”

The Vice Chancellor thanked Mr Robert Moropa and his team, for continuing to transform the University of Pretoria students’ experience of the library. He concluded that “as custodians of the information and knowledge sphere the library has exposed the academic environment directly to the world of AI, robotics and our future way of life. Students and staff that have never interacted with robotics or AI now have the opportunity to do so by visiting a library. In addition to the external exposure towards our clients, the library also embraced the adoption of these new technologies to enhance their own internal processes and services, paving the way for new skills and knowledge for this new and futuristic era. With the addition of Libby, the Library made its mark about being serious towards UP’s commitment in the 4IR.”

Panel interviewed by Patience Dlamini (SABC1 Anchor)

Learners from Sir Pierre Van Ryneveld High School