Wikipedia

South African Librarian's Day

South African Librarians’ Day is an annual observance held on 10 July to mark the founding of the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) and to celebrate the vital role that librarians and information professionals play in nation building, literacy and equitable access to information in South Africa.

South African Librarians’ Day
Official nameSouth African Librarians’ Day
Also calledSALD
TypeObservance
SignificanceCelebrates the contributions of librarians and information professionals to literacy, education and equitable access to information
Date10 July
FrequencyAnnual
Related toLibrary and Information Association of South Africa, South African Library Week

History

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LIASA was formally launched on 10 July 1997 as the professional body uniting all sectors of the library and information services (LIS) profession in South Africa.[1] In 2014, on its 17th anniversary, LIASA declared 10 July as South African Librarians’ Day (SALD), setting aside that date each year to honour the profession and its contributions.[2][3]

Following LIASA's accreditation by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) in February 2015, the inaugural government‑endorsed South African Librarians’ Day was marked on 10 July 2015, with a media advisory emphasising librarians’ commitment to the fundamental right of access to information enshrined in the Constitution.[1]

Purpose and Objectives

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South African Librarians’ Day seeks to:

  • Raise public awareness of librarianship as a dynamic profession essential to developing an informed nation through equitable access to information.[1]
  • Celebrate the value added by librarians as information specialists, knowledge managers, research facilitators and community educators.[4]
  • Promote libraries as inclusive community spaces that advance literacy, learning and social cohesion.[5]

Observance and Themes

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Each year, LIASA selects a theme that reflects current priorities in the sector. Notable recent themes and commemorations include:

  • 2022 (25th anniversary): Held on 11 July (10 July fell on a Sunday), the virtual event featured over 220 attendees and presentations on the future of librarianship, including a keynote by Dr Peter Lor outlining LIASA's milestones .
  • 2023: Institutional celebrations across university libraries emphasised staff recognition, with the University of Pretoria serving cupcakes to all library staff and partners to acknowledge their service.[6]
  • 2024 (30 years of democracy in LIS): The National Library of South Africa (NLSA) and LIASA co‑hosted a panel discussion at the NLSA's Pretoria Campus, featuring reflections by Ellen Tise (LIASA's first president) on sector achievements since 1994.[7]

Institutional and Provincial Celebrations

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  • National Library of South Africa (NLSA): Issues a media advisory each year, inviting stakeholders to events recognising librarians’ contributions to literacy, education and access.[8]
  • University of Pretoria (UP): The Department of Library Services honours staff annually with muffins (2022), cupcakes (2023) and social‑media features encouraging reflection on “Why did you become a librarian?”.[9][10]
  • North‑West University (NWU): The NWU LIS, in collaboration with the LIASA North‑West Branch, hosts seminars (e.g., on AI and the future of librarianship), hybrid workshops and community‑oriented “Sip and Paint” sessions.
  • Northern Cape branch: Celebrated on 20 July 2022 at the Africana Research Library in Kimberley, with branch officers and interns sharing career motivations and local librarians’ history (e.g., Bertram Dyer as South Africa's first qualified librarian).[11]
  • City of Cape Town Libraries: Commemorated 10 July 2024 with statistics noting 268 librarians accounting for 3 743 years of collective service, underlining the profession's demographics and community impact capetowngreenmap.co.za.[5]

Government Involvement

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Since 2015, the South African government has recognised SALD as a commemorative event, with media advisories and event listings on gov.za emphasising librarians’ roles in upholding citizens’ constitutional rights and supporting the National Development Plan's Sustainable Development Goals.[1]

Significance

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SALD not only honours individual and institutional achievements but also highlights ongoing challenges in the LIS sector, such as funding constraints, fragmented governance and legislative reform. It calls on all librarians to reflect on their societal impact and advocate for cohesive, well‑resourced library services.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 "South African Librarians Day, 10 Jul | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  2. ↑ "SALD 2022 - Library and Information Association of South Africa". www.liasa.org.za. Archived from the original on 2023-04-06. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  3. ↑ "Librarians' Day celebrated". News24. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  4. ↑ "South African Librarians' Day". Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  5. 1 2 Todres, Philip (2024-07-10). "National Librarian's Day 10 July - Librarians, take a bow!". Cape Town Green Map. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  6. ↑ "South African Librarians' Day celebrated in our libraries | University of Pretoria". www.up.ac.za. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  7. 1 2 Content, Print (2024-07-13). "Librarians celebrated for 30 years of service". Rekord. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  8. ↑ https://www.nlsa.ac.za/media-advisory-librarians-day/?
  9. ↑ "The DLS honours its staff on South African Librarians' Day | University of Pretoria". www.up.ac.za. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  10. ↑ "Celebrating South African Librarians' Day: Why Did You Become a Librarian? | University of Pretoria". www.up.ac.za. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  11. ↑ Barnard, Helena (2022-07-27). "Librarians laud their profession". Noordkaap Bulletin. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
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