Stakeholders to discuss important matters at Library Service seminar

On Thursday, 29 September 2022, Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais handed over funding of R820 000 to George Municipality at the Western Cape Library Service Seminar, which will go towards the establishment of the Touwsranten modular library.

The Library Service seminar is being hosted across two days and brings together stakeholders from municipalities across the province to discuss important issues around the funding, promotion and growth of library services in the Western Cape. Head of Department Guy Redman opened the first day, with the Chief Director: Cultural Affairs, Carol van Wyk, delivering a message of support.

Minister Marais delivered the keynote address at the event. “My hope is that we can establish libraries as the most important central space in our communities, and that we can partner with stakeholders to bring bundles of services to people through these spaces. Libraries have long been seen as centres of knowledge and information and we can expand on that to include many more areas of interest. I am very happy that everyone is here today to further facilitate conversations on inter-governmental relations so that we can ensure that we use our library spaces to their full potential.” she said.

After the address, Minister Marais symbolically handed over the funding to the municipality and emphasized the importance of bringing library services to all communities:  “These kinds of projects continue bringing library services closer to our communities who do not have a library centrally available in their area. In many of our regional communities, people have to travel far, often by foot, to access basic services and it is crucial that we look at ways of bringing services closer to them.” she said.

The seminar will conclude tomorrow, 30 September 2022.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport continues to support library services across the province as they provide safe spaces for communities to access information, to connect via the broadband project and to access opportunities for future employment.