Department of Library Services visitors from September to December 2019

On 19 September 2019, Mr Sidima Mnengi, Senior Librarian of Client Services and Research Support at the Walter Sisulu University, visited the Merensky 2 Library for two days to learn more about our best practices. He spent time with staff members from UPSpace, our institutional repository, the Research Commons on postgraduate research support and the MakerSpace and Libby.

Mr Freeman Zulu, Deputy Library Director Regional UNISA Branch Libraries, met the MakerSpace manager, Mr Sean Kruger on the 11 October who showed him around the facilities, demonstrated equipment and guided him in potentially establishing an innovation hub.

On the 3 October 21 delegates to the Biodiversity Heritage Library Africa Bi-Annual Meeting toured the Merensky 2 Library.  These delegates represent libraries from Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. They learnt more about data research management, UPSpace, postgraduate research support, Special Collections, the Learning Centre, digitisation and the MakerSpace. Here they are photographed meeting Libby, our first service robot.

Dr Clifford Nxomani, Deputy CEO of the NRF's National Research Infrastructure Platforms met with the Executive team members and staff members from the Digitisation Unit on 5 November 2019. Seen here from left to right are: Ms Lidia Swart, Dr Nthabiseng Taole, Director of Research and Innovation (DRI), Dr Clifford Nxomani, Mr Robert Moropa, Mr Lazarus Matizirofa, Mr Siyabulela Zitame, Ms Marguerite Nel, Dr Johann Van Wyk and Mr Isak Van Der Walt.

Dr Neema Mosha, head of the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania, visited the Department of Library Services from 6-8 November 2019.  The Institute is planning to establish a research data management (RDM) service and Dr Mosha was keen to learn how UP had set up its RDM offering. Her visit focused mainly on discussions about our RDM service, on finding out how UP facilitates data management plans and curates data, on exploring the UP research data policy and on gaining information about the data repository platform (Figshare Data Repository) that UP is rolling out, as well as the storage of data. She also had discussions with Lidia Swart, Head of the Digitisation Unit and with Suzy Nyakale on the focus area “Creating specialised services for researchers”. In addition she had discussions with Marguerite Nel who is driving the Library’s focus area for “Digital self-service” and with Sunette Steynberg on the services rendered through the Research Commons. Dr. Mosha was also introduced to our new staff member, Libby the service robot, and was quite thrilled with her!

On 27 November 2019 the Department of Library Services had special visitors all the way from the Seychelles National Library come to learn more about what kind of products and services we offer in the Merensky 2 Library! From left to right is Celia Matsoma (National Library of South Africa), Guiditta Omath, Nathasia Volcere and Tracy Radegonde from the Seychelles National Library.