Librarians are the architects of accessible knowledge! This South African Library Week, Lindani Sikhakhane, a Randburg Library Librarian, explains the diverse roles librarians undertake, from serving the general public to supporting academic research and more.
Randburg, South Africa (19 March 2025) – It is South African Library Week and this marks an annual celebration that highlights the important role libraries play in fostering knowledge, promoting literacy, and preserving our cultural heritage.
Libraries are more than just buildings filled with books, they are gateways to knowledge, learning, and opportunities for all.
At the heart of these invaluable institutions of knowledge, literacy and wonder are the amazing professionals who run them: librarians.
Exploring the topic of librarianship is Randburg Library Librarian, Lindani Sikhakhane who shared how librarianship is a multifaceted and rewarding profession which focuses on acquiring, organising, preserving, and providing access to information and resources within libraries and other information centres.
“Librarians serve as information specialists, educators, and facilitators of knowledge to support learning, research and community development.
“We work in different types of places and it is our responsibility to develop our communities wherever we are placed,” said Lindani.
He further broke down what different types of librarians do in their assigned institutions.
“Public librarians serve the general public, providing access to books, information and community programmes. Academic librarians support students and researchers at the tertiary level, school librarians help teachers and pupils access educational materials and develop reading habits.
“Special librarians work in corporate organisations and government institutions. They manage specialised information of the organisation. Digital librarians manage the digital connection and provide visual services in particular organisations,” Lindani explained.
So the next time you see a librarian, it is well worth recoginising their value and understanding that they play a vital role in building an informed society, significantly building bridges between information and those who seek it!
Sources: Joburg Libraries
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