Meet the Four Winners of The South African Library Week Competition

Students and staff were encouraged to write a short entry answering the question: “How did the library change your life?”. We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to the four winners: Ivainashe Earnest Nyamutsamba, Kulani Chauke, Nsuku Mathosi and Paballo Motsau! 

Thank you to all students and staff members who participated! We loved reading all the submissions and it made our hearts melt to hear the inspiring stories of how the library has changed your life for the better. A special thank you to our sponsors, Cozy Coffee, and Bookmark, for allowing us to reward the winners for their beautiful stories. 

Here are the winning responses:

Ivainashe Earnest Nyamutsamba: “My Library has been my home away from home. In 2020, I was battling financially, and being away from campus I began interacting with the virtual gateway of the UP Library. I interacted with various platforms around the topics close to my heart and learnt as much as possible, despite the difficult circumstances I was in. I would like to give credit to my library and above everything else, to my God. ‘A journey of a million miles begins with one tiny step’ and this is what inspired me to persevere. When you visit the library, age is just a number and what matters is what lies in your heart. You might make lifelong friends there as it is not just a building but a watering hole that is open to all. My journey with my library is just getting started.”

Kulani Chauke: “Having access to the library has changed my life because it opens doors to chances, resources, and knowledge. It is like possessing the key to the biggest brain on the planet! I have access to books, databases, and other resources and I can learn new things and improve my abilities as an Information Science Undergraduate. The library also offers a friendly and secure environment where people can learn, study, and interact with others in our UP community. For instance, I use the library to access materials and resources to learn a new skill, pursue a pastime and enhance my information and literacy skills.

Nsuku Mathosi: “I am an education student, living in student accommodation that is a sharing unit. I sometimes get distracted, procrastinate and lack motivation when I am studying at home. However, when I get to study at the UP Library, I always find myself rejuvenated, motivated and productive. Last year, I was in my first year and I was struggling a lot with my Geography module, but I managed to change that with the help of the UP libraries. They helped me find study buddies, who were very helpful and gave me motivation during exam season. Some of my favourite experiences of my first year were studying at the library and because of this, I am now a second-year student that has passed all their first-year modules.”

Paballo Motsau: “The library has truly exposed me to knowledge and wisdom with its variety of books. With my prescribed books, I can have more than enough access to them, even if I can't afford to buy them at that moment in time. The library has changed my life for the better. I am grateful for the opportunity to have unlimited access to the library. I am most honoured to also be part of the student assistants in the library department and to have the opportunity to accommodate all the students, it is truly fulfilling.