Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Library and Information career and Social Media

Through RSS feeds I get a regular update of what is happening in the Library and Information world. The Library and Information Specialist (LIS) is in a field of expertise where the fast pace of information and change effect their role and duties constantly. LIS professionals are lucky that they are in constant barrage of new information, and actually thrive on the new technologies and new information. But it is also a fact that LIS career options are diminishing worldwide because of budget constraints, and dare I say: that same “new technologies”.

It is up to the LIS profession to constantly look at ways of reinventing themselves and their professional careers. One of the new ways of doing that is through social media technologies and building up a social media presence. It is difficult for old school LIS professionals who are by nature introverted (a generalization, I know) to “convert” to the idea of selling themselves and their expertise and their “business” through an active online presence. We need to change our thinking and our way of working to incorporate social media into our daily work/networking activities.

A subgroup of the American Library Association on LinkedIn has been formed, called LIS Career Options which discuss topics such as:
The discussions demonstrate the need to build up a social media presence, albeit personally, but the presence of the person linked to a service/company is always inclusive. We work within a certain framework of business.

As archivists, information specialists and record librarians we are still in infancy in our company with regards to social media presence. We are beginning to notice the importance of being actively engaged online. Our recent endeavours on social media have opened up our eyes to the possibilities. We are getting more feedback, more requests and more awareness of our services.

Check us out:
SABC Media Libraries Blog
SABC Media Libraries site
Twitter:
SABC Media Libraries
SABC Radio Archives
SABC Music Library
SABC Record Lib
SABC Information Library
SABC Audio Restoration

We also started with Facebook presences, but that's for another post.

Karen du Toit
Senior Afrikaans Archivist
SABC Radio Archives

Friday, June 18, 2010

Francois en Lucille se gesamentlike sangloopbaan strek sedert 1968.


As sangpaar en as soliste verskyn in die tydperk 9 langspeelplate: hulle tree byne 3000 keer op die verhoog op en onderneem ook twee Europese konsertreise. Plaaslik het hulle in drie televisiereekse opgetree en in 1991 verskyn hulle eerste opname van geestelike liedere.

Hiervan sê Francois en Lucille:

“Dit is voorwaar ‘n voorreg om na soveel jare ons talente op die wyse te kan gebruik uit erkentlikheid teenoor ons Skepper vir geleenthede deur die jare en vir ‘strome van seën’ in ons private sowel as ons professionele lewens. Ons dank ook aan die duisende luisteraars wat deur die jare aan ons bly glo het en in besonder aan Johan Coetzer wat hierdie plaat geinisieer het”.

Regisseur/Programmering/Akoestiese klavier: Harold Schenk
Opname-ingenieur: Cesar D’Almeida
Musikante: Tromme en perkussie: Stef Kruger (kitaar); Blackie Swart (trompet)
Ondersteunende stemme : Coleske-broers.
Opname datum: Junie 1991

Maryna Barnard, SABC Audio Restoration

The African Music and Dance Expo


The SABC Media Libraries are part of The African Music and Dance Expo at Daphne Kuhn’s Old Mutual Theatre on the Square (Sandton).

Press Release:

Mzansi Traditional Orchestra, The African Cultural Heritage Trust, The Zindala Zombili Festival, Moving Into Dance Mophatong, SABC, CIOFF SA, and IOV (UNESCO)

Present::

THE AFRICAN MUSIC AND DANCE EXPO
15 JUNE- 11 JULY 2010

Celebrating our story through the history of indigenous music and dance

In a unique effort to promote South African indigenous music and dance, Johannesburg’s forefront cultural organizations join forces to bring you The African Music and Dance Expo at Daphne Kuhn’s Old Mutual Theatre on the Square.

For the first time ever in South Africa, Mzansi Traditional Orchestra, The African Cultural Heritage Trust, Zindala Zombili African Music and Dance Festival, Moving Into Dance Mophatong, SABC, CIOFF SA, and IOV (UNESCO) are collaborating and establishing a central hub for arts and culture.

Starting from the 15th of June, and supporting Drum Cafes Drumstuck which runs at the theatre from June 8th, these groundbreaking and internationally renowned South African organisations will offer their resources to the public in an effort to create awareness and preserve our cultural heritage. The expo will offer South African’s and all foreign visitors the opportunity to:
  • See traditional South African instruments used within many African tribes
  • Listen to one of the greatest collections of South African music, sounds, and voices from the archives of SABC’s media libraries
  • View an exhibit and learn about the 11 African tribes of South Africa and their influences on our music, dance, and cultural identity
  • Attend talks about the development of traditional music and dance in South Africa
  • See excerpts from mainstream performances by Moving Into Dance, Zindala Zombili, Mzansi Traditional Orchestra, and Matsamo
  • Learn to play a Marimba
The project is being spearheaded by South Africa’s leading names in the field of arts and culture, namely: George Mxanda, Warren Lieberman, Cian Mc Clelland, John Sithole, Sylvia Glasser, and Jan Lombard

Each a pioneer in their own right and deeply dedicated in the promotion of authentic African music and dance throughout the world, these influential figures have marked our South African artistic identity with radical and contemporary styles. In their commitment to nurturing professional talent, empowering communities through their outreach programs, and providing educational centers for disadvantaged and unemployed youth, these leaders have established companies renowned for their originality and diversity.

Together, these Johannesburg based organisations have broken the cycle of poverty for hundreds of people in South Africa, created a range of possibilities for our future in arts and culture, and produced work of international acclaim.

Indeed, there has never before been such an occasion to witness the coming together of such expertise. Now, for the first time, these premier organizations bring you, The African Music and Dance Expo, a touching and informative experience which sets out to rediscover Africa’s unique musical and dance legacy in a celebration which is less about the past and more a vote of confidence in our future.

Lieberman says, “The aim is to set up a centre of information where people from all over the world can learn and ask questions about our music and cultural heritage. We want to show what these vital companies have done to preserve our South African roots and develop our cultural identity. In this way we hope to generate support for our arts industry and sustain its future”.

Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to explore the power, range, depth, and rhythms of our people’s ethnicity.