Category: General

On 03 April 2024 Special Collections received a group of 14 visitors to view the documents from the James Walton Collection (MS 247) housed at Special collections, SU Library. Some of the documents are also available on SUNDigital  https://digital.lib.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.2/312

James Walton was born in Yorkshire in 1911 and died in Cape Town in 1999. He is well-known for his pioneering studies of the vernacular architecture of many countries in Africa, Europe and the Far East. He had authored more than 200 papers in journals, chapters and several books on vernacular architecture, including homesteads and villages, and mills in South Africa.

James Walton was honoured on various occasions for his outstanding work.  In 1992 he donated his valuable collection to the University of Stellenbosch for research purposes. To enable access to the documents the collection was indexed and catalogued in 1993. The complete collection consists of manuscripts, drawings, photographs, newsletters, lectures, portfolios, albums, plans, newspaper clippings, pamphlets and brochures.

The visitors included five family members of James Walton: His granddaughter, Jennifer Trewin, her husband (Pete) and their two daughters (Connie and Georgia) and George Todd (Son-in -law to James Walton) who are visiting South Africa from the UK.

Nine members from the Vernacular Architecture Society of South Africa (VASSA) accompanied the James Walton Family. They visited the Special Collections in celebration of their 60^th anniversary this year and to also commemorate James Walton as the founding member of the organisation.

The purpose of the visit was:

• • for Research and publication opportunities
  • to view the different Vernacular Architecture collections available at Special Collections e.g. James Walton, Andre Pretorius and Johanna Marx collections.

The visit was organised by Antonia Malan and Pat Kramer. Members that attended were (Joy Woodward, Avis Fisher, Alex Dodge, Raph Malan, Anton Roux, Roshan Bhurtha and Elliz Maritz.

Staff of Special Collection welcomed the visitors by showcasing some of the James Walton authored books (housed in Africana), documents, manuscripts, drawings and slides kept in specially made boxes in the Manuscript section, Special Collections.

The Index & Catalogue of the collection was placed on display for them to showcase what is in the actual collection.

See below feedback from the visitors after the visit:

Dear all,

“A huge heartfelt thank you for making us all feel so welcome today. I know Grandad would be utterly delighted that we all gathered – he was happiest when folk about him were happy. To see his collection was quite something! Thank you for all you are doing to maintain it. Aren’t we lucky to have Stellenbosch University Library taking such good care.  Our love and thanks to you all”  George, Jen, Connie, Georgia and Pete

By Special Collections staff

Xabiso Xesi, SU Library

Xabiso Xesi joined the Library as the Manager: Research Data Services  on 01 February 2024. Before joining us, Xabiso served as a Digital Scholarship Specialist at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Libraries. However, he is no stranger to SU having previously worked as an Information Systems Coordinator at the University’s Division for Research Management. He brings extensive expertise in research data management, scholarly communication and information systems management which was gained during his time at the CPUT and SU. Armed with a Postgraduate Diploma in Knowledge and Information Systems Management from Stellenbosch University and a BCom Honours in Information Systems, he is completing an MPhil in Digital Curation at the University of Cape Town. If Xabiso is not exploring new academic tools in his spare time, he is on Spotify enjoying South African jazz music and old-school deep house.

 

Sakhile Mngomezulu, SU Library

Sakhile Mngomezulu joined the Library as the Manager: Scholarly Communications and Open Access on 01 February 2024. Previously, he served as Senior Librarian: Institutional Repository and Systems Support at North-West University following a role as Librarian: Scholarly Communications at the same institution. Sakhile also worked as an Information Specialist at Varsity College IIE and at the Management College of Southern Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Information Studies degree from the University of Limpopo and a Master of Information Science Degree from the University of South Africa. He is presently enrolled for a Ph.D. in Information Science at the University of South Africa. In his spare time, Sakhile enjoys playing football and was a member of the North-West University staff soccer team.

 

The excited anticipation of the library orientation could be heard and felt throughout the University of Stellenbosch Library from 5 February 2024. The theme of the program, which lasted until 7 February was Let’s library together! Our dedicated staff, dressed in the University’s branded t-shirts, eagerly awaited to welcome and guide hundreds of newcomers on their journey through the vast sea of knowledge.

The students, representing various faculties, enthusiastically embraced the discovery journey. They were treated to a brief yet insightful tour of the library’s key spaces, including the innovative Makerspace, the Learning Commons, and quiet study areas.

After the tour, an engaging video was shown, showcasing the library’s numerous services and resources. But the excitement didn’t end there! On 5 February, the library tours came to life with the surprise appearance of the University’s mascot, Pokkel, who delighted students with freebies and led them in an enthusiastic Mexican wave in the library auditorium. Students enjoyed the opportunity to capture memories with Pokkel, immortalising this joyful occasion.

The enthusiasm among library staff for the year ahead is palpable. They are committed to guiding students on their academic journey and have invited students not only to meet their faculty librarians but also to participate in GetSmart@URLibrary from 12 to 16 February — a valuable opportunity to enhance their information literacy skills through one-on-one drop-in consultations with library staff. This initiative aims to empower students to effectively navigate the vast landscape of information and equip them with the tools necessary for academic success.

Amidst all the activities in the library, we warmly welcome all students. We are delighted that they embrace the library as their space and are committed to ensuring that their journey at Stellenbosch University is enriching and rewarding. As Albert Einstein allegedly said, “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library,” and we stand ready to be their compass on this journey of discovery.

So, as you navigate the corridors of academia, remember that the library is not just a physical space—it is a gateway to endless possibilities and opportunities. We invite you to explore, discover, and find your favourite spot in the library—a sanctuary where knowledge knows no bounds.

Welcome to Stellenbosch University Library—where every question finds an answer, and every student finds their path to success.

Theresa Schoeman

Retirements

Niel Hendriksz, Stellenbosch University Library (SU Library)

Niel Hendriksz was appointed as assistant librarian in 1979 where he worked in the Carnegie Library. He was promoted to librarian in 1988. Niel retired in December 2023 after 44 years of excellent service to the clients of Stellenbosch University Library (SU Library). Niel’s view on client service, is a welcome return to solid human values. Niel also had an uncanny way of always finding the source the client was looking for. Niel possessed a rare and admirable quality that went beyond mere “getting the job done”. Niel made it a personal mission to prioritise the needs of clients by making them feel welcome in the SU Library. With an unwavering commitment to putting clients first, he has left a large footprint on the SU Library’s landscape. Niel’s client service was almost a way of life and should be standard procedure for any aspiring librarian. “Going the extra mile” was Niel’s motto. Always professional, but with a smile and humorous quip close by.

By Pieter du Plessis

 

Marié Theron,  SU Library

Marié attained her Honours degree, B.Bibl., from Stellenbosch University (SU) in 1981. Following the completion of her Honours, she dedicated her professional career to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) until 2001. Subsequently, she transitioned to Pretoria University, contributing her expertise from 2001 to 2014. In June 2014, a significant milestone marked Marie’s return to Stellenbosch University Library, representing a momentous reunion with her alma mater. In December 2023, Marié has chosen to embark on a well-deserved retirement, thereby completing a full circle by concluding her distinguished career where it all began, at Stellenbosch University. This journey encapsulates a rich tapestry of academic and professional experiences, reflective of her enduring commitment to higher education and research. Marié’s ability to deliver excellent information services has not only met but exceeded the expectations of our users. Her knowledge, professionalism, and friendly approach have undoubtedly contributed to the overall success of our library services. In a fast-paced environment like ours, her attention to detail and responsiveness have played a crucial role and positively impacted the academic experience of our university community. Her passion for excellence and commitment to our users made her a valuable asset.

By Theresa Schoeman & Hendra Pretorius

 

New appointments

Lise-Marié Hattingh,  SU Library

Lise-Marié Hattingh was appointed as Assistant Librarian in the Acquisitions Division at Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service in January 2024. She obtained a BCom degree in Financial Accounting at UCT, followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, and more recently a Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies. She has more than 5 years’ academic library experience, which she gained in her previous position as a Principal Library Assistant at UCT Libraries.

 

Galiema Parker, SU Library

Galiema Parker joined the Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service on 1 October 2023 as a Junior Librarian: Acquisitions. She has over 23 years’ work experience in higher education and has worked at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the University of Cape Town (UCT). Galiema has a background in human resources, academic administration, and public library service, as well as more than 4 years’ academic library experience, which she gained in her previous position as a Principal Library Assistant: Acquisitions at UCT Libraries. Galiema graduated with a Master’s in Library and Information Studies from the Department of Knowledge and Information Stewardship at UCT in December 2023.

 

Theresa Schoeman, SU Library

Theresa Schoeman joined Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service on 1 October 2023, as the Head of Marketing and Communication. With more than 13 years’ experience in an Academic Library, Theresa, previously a Marketing and Communication Specialist at the UCT Libraries, brings expertise in digital marketing, photography, strategic planning, social media, and graphic design. Holding a B Tech Degree in Library and Information Studies and multiple marketing qualifications, Theresa is a dynamic addition to the SU Library team.

The Lund-Stellenbosch Professional Administrative Support Staff (PASS) Blended Mobility Programme is a comprehensive programme over some months that comprises not only site visits to the two universities but also several online and in person presentations. Topics of these sessions include South African and Swedish history and cultures, internationalisation, equality, intercultural competencies, and communication. As one of the ten Stellenbosch University (SU) participants in the programme, I visited Lund University (LU), Sweden from 11-15 September 2023.

Two of the five days I spent divided between the LU Library and the Social Sciences Library, two of the 26 libraries serving their 8 000 employees and 45 000 students. In line with their open access and open science focus, their eight developers mainly support open-source systems. They have reorganised their library staff responsible for e-resource management, open access, open science and research support into one Scholarly Communication department. Transformative agreements with publishers and open science are addressed not from a research support perspective but strategically with conversations with the library and other role players at university level. There are as many similarities as differences between the LU and SU libraries, and we share many of the same challenges. The SU Library and Information Service compares well internationally and in some cases is ahead.

One of the many highlights of the trip was a visit to the Uppakra Archaeologica Centre, two kilometres north of Lund. Now farmland, the forty hectares used to be the largest and longest lasting Iron Age settlement (c100 B.C. and 1000 A.D.). From 1996 it became a focus for archaeological research and LU researchers are hard at work on site, working through cultural layers several metres thick to uncover traces of the earlier inhabitants. My general impressions of the Swedes are that they are honest, open, willing to share and very hospitable. They cycle and recycle on a large scale. They are law abiding with a focus on efficiency. I learnt that cyclists ringing bicycle bells behind you as a warning and reminder to stay on the right, out of their way, can be just as daunting as taxis hooting.

We are looking forward to hosting the ten LU participants in Stellenbosch from 13-17 November. Thank you to my fellow SU delegates for the opportunity to get to know you and learn about your areas of work and expertise. Thank you to SU International, Human Resources and the Library’s Senior Management for the chance to travel, experience a different culture, make contacts and build relationships, learn, benchmark, and apply what I have learned in my personal and professional capacity.

 

Natasja Malherbe

 Photographs: Provided by Natasja Malherbe

The thirteenth Manuscripts Section Lecture was presented during the SU Woordfees on 9 October this year as part of the discourse series, From the library archives.  The lecture, with the title “Words that grow”, focused on the JJ Smith collection.

The three speakers were outstanding and highlighted various angles of the Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (Dictionary of the Afrikaans Language), commonly known as the WAT as it has grown and developed over the years.

The first speaker, Ms Mimi Seyffert-Wirth, gave an overview of the JJ Smith collection (Ms 333), highlighting some of the interesting documents that focus on the history, orthography, and spelling of the Afrikaans language.

JJ Smith (1883-1949) was not only the first editor of the WAT, but also became the first professor in Afrikaans and Dutch at Stellenbosch University in 1919 and was the first editor of the Afrikaans magazine, Die Huisgenoot.

The second speaker, Dr Willem Botha, joined the editorial staff of the WAT in 1988 and retired in 2022 as Editor-in-Chief and Executive Director. He gave an overview of the history, growth, marketing, and move to the digital platform of the WAT.

The last speaker was Dr Gerda Odendaal, Co-editor of the WAT since 2016. Her talk focused on the expansion and inclusion of the variants of Afrikaans.

This talk also linked to other talks in the discourse series such as:

• Die rol en gelykstelling van variëteite in Afrikaans – ’n toekomsperspektief
• Die WAT by ’n T-aansluiting: ’n Toekomsblik
• Hoe het Afrikaans se dice geval?

Although the auditorium had to be evacuated due to a fire alarm, the audience returned for an interesting discussion.

An exhibition of related books, documents and photos was displayed digitally and in the display cabinets in Special Collections.

 

Marieta Buys

Editing: Naomi Visser

 Photographs: Bronwyn Bruton

The annual Congress of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML) was hosted by the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, from 30 July – 4 August 2023.

Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service will host IAML 2024 and in preparation for the congress four members of the local organising committee (LOC), Ellen Tise, Beulah Gericke-Geldenhuys, Santie de Jongh and Wilhelm Delport (University of Cape Town), attended IAML 2023 in Cambridge. The congress hosted approximately 350 delegates.

The main purpose of attending the congress was to gain knowledge of how an IAML congress is structured and organised, and to talk to organisers, sponsors, board members and delegates.

IAML programmes in general consist of a professional and social programme for delegates and accompanying persons. The Programme Officer takes responsibility for the programme and liaises with the LOC regarding local content. At IAML 2023, paper and poster topics included open access, teaching and learning, histories, technologies, and music collections.

The social programme included the opening ceremony and reception, concerts, Wednesday excursions and the congress dinner.

The opening ceremony, the concerts and the farewell dinner were in different locations in Cambridge. As no transport was provided we had to walk everywhere – which was not a problem as Cambridge is beautiful and finding our way to all the venues was no effort at all!  We in fact used every opportunity we had to explore this picturesque university town.

We were spoilt for choice when it came to Wednesday excursions and punting on the River Cam was a definite highlight!

Except for the more informal conversations with sponsors and organisers, the LOC members had lunch with IAML Board members and attended the Forum of Sections meeting where the organisers of IAML 2023 shared their experiences with us. Technical support was one of their biggest challenges as expectations of presenters differed from what the organisers were able to provide. Their feedback and our observations will be of great value when it comes to organising IAML 2024.

It was a very busy week, but definitely a very successful fact-finding mission!

Beulah Gericke-Geldenhuys and Santie de Jongh

 Photographs: Beulah Gericke-Geldenhuys and Santie de Jongh

The Library and Information Service is pleased to share its Annual report 2022 with you. In this year’s report, you will find out about the activities that the Library undertook to fulfil its strategic objectives that align with SU’s Vision 2040 and Strategic Framework 2019–2024. You can read about our many successes including our quality review, upgrading the SU Library spaces and infrastructure, Library Research Week, the launch of the Edwin Cameron Collection and Reading Room, Open Access Week, promoting digital scholarship, our services, resources and partnerships, and the visitors we hosted. Our agile staff continue to make great strides in national and international fora.

For more information contact Bronwyn Bruton e: bronwynb@sun.ac.za | t: +27 21 808 9528

All Rise! (A popular term used in South African courts to announce a judge entering or leaving a courtroom.) On 22 July 2022, the Library and Information Service (faculty librarians for Law) had the privilege to host Masters students from Hasselt University in Belgium. The students were working as interns at the Stellenbosch University Law Clinic. The opportunity is the result of an existing relationship between the SU Faculty of Law and Hasselt University.

The students attended a library training session which aimed to introduce them to South African legal resources (both online and in print). During a break from the session the students were taken on a library tour showcasing the different spaces within the library: the Law section; Client Services; the Carnegie Research Commons and the Makerspace. During the training session, the interns showed great enthusiasm.

Sanda Nyoka

Photograph: Bronwyn Bruton

This article was originally published on the Stellenbosch University website on 13 December 2022. It is authored by Corporate Communication and Marketing Division, SU.

The launch and opening of the Justice Edwin Cameron Collection and Reading Room took place in the Stellenbosch University (SU) Library on Tuesday 6 December 2022. The collection, received in 2021, is housed in the Special Collections area of the library and is now ready to be used by researchers.

This comprehensive collection contains publications and lectures by Cameron as well as material on his voluntary community service. Importantly, it also contains material on his career and his years as Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. This includes court cases, speeches, journals, videos, newspaper clippings and photographs.

Ellen Tise, Senior Director: Library and Information Services, said the collection is the culmination of a conversation she started with Cameron in December 2020 and is the 461^st collection to be curated by the manuscript section of the Special Collections division.

“This very special collection offers researchers a glimpse of what our future could look like by looking at the past and also what is currently happening in the country,” she said.

Prof Nicola Smit, Dean of the Faculty of Law, expressed similar sentiments.

“This collection by one of South Africa’s foremost jurors and activists for justice will help researchers and our students to better understand South Africa’s history and our past. It is a precious gift to present and future generations of students and scholars. It will help them gain a deeper understanding of how individuals like Justice Cameron took a courageous stand against the injustices of their time in solidarity with others. It will also hopefully inspire them to forge pathways to justice in their own time.”

Cameron, who has been Chancellor of SU since January 2020, said he is touched and deeply grateful for being honoured in this way, but reiterated that the collection is not about him.

“It is about history and memorialising the issues that I have been permitted to grapple with and bring to the fore. I hope that this collection will contribute to greater understanding of those issues.”

The retired Constitutional Court judge is well known for his HIV/Aids and gay-rights activism. President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed him as Inspecting Judge of Correctional Services from
1 January 2020.

In 2015, SU conferred an honorary doctorate on Cameron in acknowledgement of his “unstinting professional and personal advocacy for the recognition of every person’s dignity, freedom and equality – foundational values he has helped entrench in our legal system and beyond”.

He has helped develop South African law so as to truly reflect the fundamental values of the Constitution. Moreover, his role in securing the inclusion of sexual orientation as a prohibited ground of discrimination in the Bill of Rights, as well as his advocacy for persons with HIV/Aids, has made him a key player in South African and international law.

Cameron studied at the Universities of Stellenbosch, Oxford and South Africa. He started out his career at, among others, the University of the Witwatersrand’s Centre for Applied Legal Studies before he was appointed as senior counsel (SC) in 1994, and as an acting judge of the High Court by former President Nelson Mandela later that same year. He was appointed a judge of the High Court in 1995, judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2001, and justice of the Constitutional Court in 2009.

As the first South African in a high-profile public office speaking openly about his HIV status and experience taking antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), Cameron has made a credible and crucial contribution to more accessible ARV treatment for all HIV-positive South Africans.

The Cameron Collection takes pride of place next to other collections of SU Chancellors such as Frederik van Zyl Slabbert. The collection has been sorted and indexed and an inventory for the collection is available here.

 

Photograph of Ms Tise and Justice Edwin Cameron: Corporate Communication and Marketing Division, SU