Higher Education minister Blade Nzimande says the newly-extended multi-million rand library at Rhodes University has the potential to benefit the whole province.
Higher Education minister Blade Nzimande says the newly-extended multi-million rand library at Rhodes University has the potential to benefit the whole province.
Addressing guests during the library's official opening ceremony, he said the four universities in the Eastern Cape do not have equal access to resources and teaching and research focus. "A well established library in the area can benefit the staff and students of all these institutions and it is imperative that these four universities collaborate and share resources wherever possible."
The high profile event was attended by Makana mayor Vumile Lwana, Eastern Cape Education MEC Mahlubandile Qwase, members of the university's Board of Governors and council, representatives of the South African Library and Information Sector and representatives of foundations, donors and businesses.
"In embarking on this upgrade in 2008, questions were raised about the need for expansion in the age of digital resources and virtual libraries," explained Nzimande. "Such questions, however, fail to take cognisance of the changing nature of libraries."
He said modern university libraries require adequate space for student reading, extensive book collections and increasing access to online journal resources. Nzimande said the expansion aims at providing the space needed for a growing student body and book collection as well as access to computer terminals and electronic resources.
"The multiple purposes of the library in the electronic age have therefore been taken into account by the university," he said. He noted that users with disabilities have been provided for when designing the expansion of the library building and said the needs of disabled students and staff should be taken into account when universities embark on new building projects.
The university received R80 million from the higher education department to help finance the library expansion and the building of two new residences.
Rhodes Vice-Chancellor, Saleem Badat, told the guests that R50 million of this grant was spent on the library expansion. Despite its small size, Rhodes University contributes almost 4% of total output in the higher education sector as the university has a high per capita research output.
Nzimande said the performance agreement he signed with president Jacob Zuma commits him to produce "certain key outcomes". "This includes improved teaching and learning outputs and larger numbers of postgraduate students getting through the university system," he said.
The university's library services director, Gwenda Thomas, said the library building project owes its success to the combined efforts of the former Library Building Committee, significant government and donor funding and the determination of the university's library staff.
"The new library building provides a range of facilities and services that benchmark our academic library against the finest in South Africa and internationally," she said. She added that the library has a crucial role to play in supporting all students, academics and researchers in their quest for and use of information.
She named and thanked most of the people who were involved in making the building project a success. Nzimande unveiled the new building's plaque and guests of honour were taken around the library while other guests were treated to a cocktail dinner in the library basement floor.
Meanwhile, Nzimande later told Grocott's Mail that he does not have time for people who object to the Protection of Information Bill as this is the standard law in all countries. "No country in the world doesn't protect its information because [not doing so]will endanger the state; we cannot be a naked state," he emphasised. He conceded that the bill, in its current form, may need some changes but that it was generally good for state security.
He added that the proposed media appeals tribunal will be one of the many ways of addressing sloppy journalism. He argued that there is a need for a mechanism to regulate print media which is "independent" of the media.
