Author: Marié Roux (Page 1 of 11)

​The International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML) is a global organisation that fosters the activities of music libraries, archives, and documentation centres. These efforts support projects in music bibliography, music documentation, and music library and information science at both national and international levels. A key component of IAML’s work is its annual international congress, which rotates among different countries each year, offering a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and the celebration of musical heritage.

This year the congress was held for the first time on African soil and it was organised by the Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service, in collaboration with representatives from the University of Cape Town. The programme included sessions on cataloguing and metadata, user experience and service development, historical and composer collections, church music, radio archives, digital collections, and the use of AI and machine learning in libraries, among other topics. The programme strongly emphasised African content, reflecting the continent’s diverse musical traditions and contemporary innovations. Sessions also covered colonial and post-colonial impacts, digital collections, music institutions, music encoding, indigenous and folk music and instruments, and popular culture in Africa. This thematic emphasis celebrated African musical heritage and fostered dialogue and collaboration among international and African scholars and practitioners.

Herewith some highlights of presentations presented by Stellenbosch University:

• Bridget Rennie-Salonen
  Illustrating transdisciplinary research innovation: Music, health, and wellbeing

• Ingrid Gollom
  An overview of the life and career of South African concert pianist Lionel Charles Bowman (1919-2006) as compiled from the primary source material in the Lionel Bowman Collection (Stellenbosch University)

• Anita Breckbill (University of Nebraska, Lincoln), Mnukwana Ncebakazi (Stellenbosch University)
  Freedom: Anders Nyberg and the Spread of Songs from South Africa

• Jürgen May, Inge Engelbrecht, Anke Froehlich
  The Genadendal Music Archive (GMA): A Challenging Affair

• Esther Pauw
  Curating a colonial archive: The Tamássy-Pauw flute and chamber scores collection

• Amy Rommelspacher, Isabel Murray
  Tracing the history of a 1919-hymnbook in Malawi – a new reading of the DRC archival music collection

• Prof Lizabé Lambrechts (Africa Open Institute for Music, Research and Innovation, Stellenbosch University) and Ms Saskia van der Want (Stellenbosch University)
  Making the invisible visible: Investigating the hidden life of fungi in the archive

• Mieke Struwig
  The South African Music Encyclopedia: Perspectives from the Archive

• Siviwe Bangani ( Library and Information Service)
  Demonstrating scholarly impact: acknowledgement of music libraries in students’ theses and dissertations in South Africa

• Jonathan Hughes
  Settler Artefacts as Political Currency: Percival Kirby and a Chamber Organ by William Hill (c.1832)

• Pakama Sbongile Ncume (Library and Information Service)
  Bringing the ‘hidden’ to the ‘public’: The case of Hidden Years Music Archive

Source

The Fay Singer South African Jewish Music Centre collection at the Music Library’s Documentation Centre for Music (DOMUS)

The SA Jewish Music Centre (SAJMC) was established by Fay Singer, teacher Stuart Serwator and Cantor and teacher Ivor Joffe and inaugurated on 17 December 1992 in Cape Town. They were encouraged by Geraldine Auerbach, who, during her annual visit to Cape Town, noticed a lack of Jewish music sources in Cape Town. The Centre became affiliated to the Jewish Music Institute (JMI) at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London in 1993. Geraldine Auerbach MBE, Director of the JMI, was the Honorary Patron from the beginning.

Supplemented by documentation in the collection, the SAJMC newsletters inform on the activities and events of the SAJMC. These activities included concerts, choir festivals and lectures on Jewish music. Annual events included the choir festival presented jointly by the Union of Orthodox Synagogues and the SAJMC in honour of Cape Town cantors Max and Philip Badash (in different synagogues in Cape Town) and the Leah Todres Yiddish Song Festival, organised by Philip Todres. The festival was established in 2000 in honour of his mother and took place annually until 2009. Every year there was a different theme, for example: Ba mir bistu sheyn: Songs of life and beauty (2001 – based on the song), L’ Chaim: Songs to life (2004), Ich Zing! Let us sing (2008) and A naye velt: Songs bridging oceans. Fay Singer was involved in selecting the music, while Matthew Reid was the music director. Reid and his Simcha Klezmer Ensemble also performed at the festival, which was a main fundraising event for the Cape Jewish Seniors Association. The image on the programme (below) depicts Leah Todres and her cousin Teddy Ruch (approximately 1918) and has become the logo for the Yiddish Song Festival. The festival included music, film and Yiddish language courses.

The main aims of the SAJMC were to collect, preserve and promote Jewish music through lectures and performances, and the urgency of preservation is illustrated by the following extract from a draft newsletter of July 1996:

The SAJMC collection reflects the activities of a specific community within a specific geographical location and time. Their materials were collected for their activities and generated from their activities.

The SAJMC collection was donated to Stellenbosch University by Mrs Fay Singer in 2011, thus the Fay Singer South African Jewish Music Centre Collection. This collection consists of items donated by synagogues, cantors and other individuals and includes work documents of the SAJMC, certificates, brochures, newsletters, periodicals, programmes, artwork by Fay Singer, sheet music and sound recordings. Items from the SAJMC collection are available on the Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service’s digital collections platform, SUNDigital.

Author: Santie de Jongh

SunDMP Wednesdays: Empowering SU researchers with effective data management skills

Following the successful launch of SunDMP, Stellenbosch University’s official data management planning tool, during Library Research Week on 13 May 2024, we have seen remarkable engagement from our research community. SunDMP is designed to assist researchers in creating comprehensive data management plans (DMPs) and easily navigate the complexities of research data management.

Weekly training sessions

To support our researchers in making the most of SunDMP, we introduced weekly training sessions starting on 5 June 2024. These sessions, held every Wednesday from 13:00 to 13:45, provide an invaluable opportunity for researchers to develop robust DMPs tailored to their specific needs.

Recent uptake and engagement

Since its launch, SunDMP has attracted many users and facilitated the creation of numerous projects. Our training sessions have seen encouraging participation, with a growing number of researchers registering. This increasing interest highlights the importance of effective data management and underscores the value of SunDMP in helping researchers achieve their goals.

Training outcomes

Attendees of SunDMP Wednesdays have expressed positive feedback, noting significant improvements in their understanding and application of data management practices. The sessions cover various topics, including:

1. Introduction to SunDMP: An overview of the tool’s capabilities and benefits.
2. Creating Comprehensive DMPs: Best practices for developing thorough data management plans.
3. Navigating SunDMP: Step-by-step guidance on utilising the platform’s tools and resources effectively.

Participants have found these sessions particularly beneficial in ensuring compliance with funder requirements and adopting best practices in research data management. The training enhances their research efficiency and promotes a culture of responsible and transparent data stewardship within our academic community.

We encourage all SU researchers to use these training sessions to streamline their research processes and enhance their data management skills.

Contact

For more information or any other training requests, please contact Xabiso Xesi or Sizwe Ngcobo, telephone numbers: 021 808 9489/9978

The more well-populated ORCID records and integrated systems there are, the more value research communities will get from participating in ORCID. For the researcher, this might mean less administrative burden and time saved managing research outputs.

Here are a few tips for researchers to improve the content of their ORCID records:

1. Add a biography to your record. 
   It is possible to add a brief biography to your ORCID record to provide a narrative description of you and your research career and interests. This might be helpful to distinguish yourself from other researchers with the same name. In this way it enables you to add more information about yourself than only your employment and publications.
2. To make your data discoverable, set visibility to “Everyone”
   You are in complete control of the visibility of each section of data in your ORCID record. If it is important to you that your work is discoverable, check to see that your data is visible to Everyone.

   

3. Create connections
   One way to allow your trusted organisations to link with and make updates to your record—so you can get credit for your work — is by including your iD when you submit to publishers, apply for grants, or in any other research workflows. Another way is to import data from integrated systems via any of the  Search & link tools integrated into the Works and Funding sections of My ORCID.
   
   
4. Take advantage of auto-updates from Crossref
   Crossref is currently the only system that uses the ORCID Inbox to send auto-update requests. The request is sent to your ORCID Inbox after a publisher submits a new work to Crossref, as long as you have provided your ORCID iD to the publisher on submission. If you do not want to grant permission to update your record with the new work, simply ignore the notification from Crossref. Learn more about granting permissions to trusted parties from your ORCID inbox here. Learn more about Crossref auto-update here.
5. Designate a Trusted individual
   Did you know you can grant permission to one or more trusted individuals to update your ORCID record? Some researchers may wish to delegate someone —a Trusted individual—to help them edit information on it or make connections with external systems. A trusted individual does not need to be another researcher, but must have their own ORCID iD. Find out more about Trusted individuals here.

Read more here.

Contact your faculty librarian or Marié Roux for assistance.

Re-examining the Democracy Exhibition: Addressing Historical Imbalance at Stellenbosch University

By Moegammad Tahier Kara

27 May 2024

The Democracy exhibition at Stellenbosch University draws heavily from the extensive collections housed in the university library. While these collections are rich in historical content, they predominantly reflect a more white-centric perspective of South Africa’s past. This inherent bias within the library’s archives poses a significant challenge to presenting a balanced and inclusive narrative. Despite efforts to curate a comprehensive exhibition, the reliance on these collections has inadvertently led to an imbalance. A more concerted effort is needed to incorporate diverse voices and perspectives to truly capture the multifaceted history of the nation’s democratic journey.

Stellenbosch University’s exhibition in the university library on Democracy aims to reflect South Africa’s complex political history. The exhibition includes documents and multimedia displays that chart the nation’s journey towards democracy. However, it predominantly focuses on the white history of South Africa, which I will argue overshadows the crucial contributions and experiences of marginalised communities during the apartheid era and beyond. Despite this, the exhibition endeavours to provide a comprehensive overview of the socio-political landscape, emphasising the importance of acknowledging all facets of the country’s past.

While the exhibition’s foundation might appear skewed due to its emphasis on white history, it is not entirely out of touch or wrong. It captures significant historical milestones and figures that played vital roles in South Africa’s democratic evolution. To address the imbalance, the exhibition curators could consider incorporating more narratives and perspectives from non-white communities, highlighting their resistance, resilience, and contributions to democracy. By doing so, the exhibition can offer a more balanced and inclusive portrayal of South Africa’s journey, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the nation’s diverse heritage.

In the exhibition, there are some questionable choices in highlighting key figures in South Africa’s democratic journey. The exhibition points to seven individuals as crucial players, yet their contributions are far from significant by any stretch of the imagination. Alarmingly, four out of these seven individuals are white, which skews the representation of those who genuinely fought for and contributed to the nation’s democracy. This misrepresentation diminishes the roles of the many unsung heroes from marginalised communities who played pivotal roles during the apartheid era and in the struggle for democratic freedom.

The inclusion of PW Botha as a significant figure in this exhibition is particularly egregious. Botha, as the Prime Minister and later the State President of South Africa during some of the darkest years of apartheid, was a staunch defender of the apartheid regime. His policies and actions were instrumental in perpetuating racial segregation and oppression, making his portrayal as a key player in democracy not only preposterous but also deeply offensive to those who suffered under his rule. Elevating such a figure in the context of an exhibition on democracy is a gross distortion of history and undermines the genuine sacrifices made by those who fought tirelessly for equality and justice.

The timeline presented in Stellenbosch University’s exhibition on Democracy also suffers from significant bias, reflecting a predominantly white-centric perspective over the past 30 years. Key dates and events that are emphasized tend to highlight the achievements and milestones associated with white political figures and institutions, often overlooking or underrepresenting the critical contributions and experiences of non-white communities. This skewed portrayal not only fails to accurately capture the breadth and depth of South Africa’s democratic evolution but also marginalises the voices and struggles of those who were at the forefront of the fight against apartheid and the push for genuine democratic reforms. A more balanced timeline should include the pivotal moments and actions led by activists, community leaders, and ordinary citizens from all backgrounds, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive historical narrative.

Following its official release to the SU community on 13 May 2024, SunDMP, the Stellenbosch University (SU) Data Management Planning Software Tool, has been warmly received by researchers across various disciplines. Since then, about 48 researchers have been assisted in developing their DMPs using SunDMP.

SunDMP represents a significant step forward in facilitating efficient and effective data management planning for researchers at Stellenbosch University. By providing a user-friendly platform for generating comprehensive data management plans, DMPs, the tool also empowers researchers to easily navigate the complexities of research data management.

Building on the momentum of the launch, the Library is excited to announce weekly training sessions designed to help researchers in developing DMPs. The training sessions started on the 5^th of June and will occur every Wednesday from 13:00 to 13:45. To register for upcoming training sessions visit the Library training calendar. Alternatively, researchers can register for our data management planning sessions during the #SmartResearcher workshops.

Whether you’re new to data management planning or seeking to enhance your existing skills, the SunDMP Wednesday sessions offer a valuable opportunity to harness the full potential of the tool. Topics covered will include:

1. Introduction to SunDMP: An overview of the software’s capabilities and benefits.
2. Creating Comprehensive DMPs: Best practices for developing robust data management plans tailored to your research needs.
3. Navigating SunDMP: A step-by-step guide to utilising the platform’s tools and resources effectively.

We encourage all SU researchers to take advantage of these training sessions to streamline their research processes and ensure compliance with funder requirements and best practices in research data management. Your participation not only benefits your research but also contributes to advancing the culture of responsible and transparent data stewardship within our academic community.

For more information or any other training requests, please contact Xabiso Xesi or Sizwe Ngcobo, telephone numbers: 021 808 9489/9978

Hennie Aucamp (1934 – 2014) was a well-known contemporary Afrikaans poet, short story writer, cabaretist and recipient of various Afrikaans literary and theatre awards. He was also a lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch from 1964 to 1994 and received an Honorary Doctorate in Literature from the University in 1999.

Hennie Aucamp called himself an obsessive keeper of diaries as he started from the age of 14 and kept a diary till just before his death at 80 years old. He donated his valuable collection of documents in 2014 to the Special Collections division of the Library and Information Service. This collection (MS 147) spread over 13 meters of document material consisting of correspondence, cabaret material, manuscripts, photos, and newspaper clippings.  The documents include original manuscripts of his work and examples of different genres of Afrikaans literature. Some of the documents and the index to the material are available on SUNDigital : Finding aids.

This collection is often used for research, from questions about the title of a book, cabaret, song, and translations of his poems, to peer-reviewed articles, books, and masters and PhD studies.

For more information visit his collection and Special Collections library guide.

Author: Marieta Buys

Suppose you are a researcher who has decided to embark on a review study. Be it a systematic or scoping review, umbrella, meta-analysis, or any other type of review,  the Library and Information Service offers in-depth support to assist researchers. Faculty Librarians can assist you in understanding the systematic review methodology, including the structured and reproducible approach used to identify, assess, and critically appraise relevant studies. They will guide you in creating a robust, well-documented protocol, emphasising best practices for search strategies and database selection. Whether helping with comprehensive literature searches or advising on inclusion and exclusion criteria, your faculty librarians will help ensure that systematic reviews are rigorous and evidence-based. Librarians offer training on literature searching techniques, database usage and the navigation of various information resources, helping to ensure that the review process is thorough and replicable.

The Library also offers specific workshops on conducting systematic reviews, literature searching techniques and the use of citation management tools like EndNote that can assist researchers with conducting systematic reviews. Consult the training calendar to register for these sessions. In addition to this support, the Library also has a library guide dedicated to assisting with conducting systematic reviews. Through the support offered in the preparation, retrieval, appraisal, and synthesis of information, the Library contributes to the successful completion and eventual publication of high-quality systematic reviews. So make sure to consult your librarian today!

Author: Elizabeth Moll-Willard

Since Stellenbosch University subscribed to Elsevier’s research evaluation tool, SciVal, in 2023, it has been used productively for evaluating research for the University as a whole, for departmental groups, and for individual researchers. The following training will take place in June to further enhance research administrators’ and researchers’ skills in using the tool to their advantage. Both training sessions will be hosted online.

 Introduction to SciVal for research evaluation

Thursday 20 June, 11:00-12:30, presented by Marié Roux

An overview of SciVal will be presented, including the following:

• The underlying data of Scopus
• Overview of the different modules and entities
• An overview of all the different metrics and some example reports for individuals
• Customised template for a researcher at Stellenbosch University
• Measuring contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals
• Benchmarking with colleagues internally and externally

Register here

 Introducing SciVal’s next-generation Topics

Tuesday 25 June, presented by Elsevier

This is a global webinar on Scival Topics. A SciVal Topic is a collection of publications with a common intellectual interest, as determined through citation patterns. They are used to enrich strategic planning through a portfolio analysis to see which research fields you and your peers are active in, which research fields appear to be fast-moving, and who are key contributors. In this webinar, Elsevier will look at the next-generation SciVal Topics, talk about the benefits, as well as the functionality made available to help you transition to the new-generation Topics, and answer any questions you may have.

There are two sessions to choose from in different time slots:

• Session 1, Tuesday, June 25, 2024, 08:00-09:00  Register here for Session 1.
• Session 2, Tuesday, June 25, 2024,16:00-17:00 Register here for Session 2.  

Enquiries: Marié Roux

Themed Let’s Achieve Research Excellence, the 12^th annual Library Research Week will be launched on 13 May 2024 by Professor Sibusiso Moyo from 15:30 to 17:00. This year’s event will also see the launch and introduction of the first University’s Data Management Plan (DMP) software, SunDMP, a DMP tool powered by Fair Wizard. To ensure wider access, the launch will be in a hybrid format, allowing guests and speakers to attend in-person or online. However, due to the small size of the physical venue, only invited guests will be given a choice to attend in person. In line with the tradition of the Library Research Week, during the launch, there will be a guest speaker who will focus on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.  

After the launch, there will be events each day from 14 May until 17 May 2024. These seek to empower researchers on many aspects of the research process including proposal writing, literature reviews, research methods, academic writing skills, scoping reviews, research data management, publishing and many more.

This year’s event has an inspiring lineup of speakers who will conduct these workshops and discussions on research best practices. Check out the programme on the library’s website: Library Research Week Page.