NWU Library and Information Service News

The North-West University (NWU) Library and Information Service (LIS) proudly celebrated South African Library Week (SALW) 2025 under the theme, "Libraries for Sustainable Communities." Held from 17 to 23 March 2025, this week-long celebration unified all three NWU campuses—Mahikeng, Potchefstroom, and Vanderbijlpark—through a series of engaging, educational, and community-focused activities that showcased the library’s commitment to supporting academic success and building sustainable communities.

A wide range of interactive events and innovative initiatives were hosted across NWU LIS, including:

• Library Amnesty Week, encouraging users to return overdue books without penalties
• "Ask and Win! – Got a question? Need support?" A LibChat-driven campaign where users asked library-related questions for a chance to win a R200 Takealot voucher, promoting the use of virtual support tools.

• A pilot curbside book delivery service, offering convenient access to books for staff in their offices and students in nearby residences, improving service accessibility.

  

Among the week's highlights were:

• Information Literacy Outreach, including a training session at Mahikeng Nursing College, aimed at equipping students with critical information-seeking and evaluation skills.
• Interactive Learning Activities, such as a Scavenger Hunt using QR codes to locate e-resources, Library Scrabble, and Q&A quiz competitions testing users’ knowledge of library services.

• Collaborative Community Engagement, including a visit to Rebatla Thuto Secondary School in Koppies, where over 150 books were donated, and a partnership with Flavius Mareka TVET College. In the interim, NWU LIS donated 115 academic books and committed to offering training in referencing, research, and plagiarism across both Sasolburg and Kroonstad campuses.

  

Entertainment and engagement were central to the week, with Eagie, the NWU mascot, energising the crowds, and support from partners like Red Bull, Standard Bank, the Writing Centre, and the Golden Key Student Chapter, who added to the atmosphere with giveaways, drinks, and academic support.

The LIS staff were also featured on various radio stations, reflecting on the importance of library services in advancing literacy, innovation, and academic excellence.

South African Library Week 2025 at NWU LIS was a resounding success. It not only celebrated the power of libraries in shaping sustainable futures but also reaffirmed NWU LIS's role as a hub for knowledge, innovation, and community empowerment.

Hybrid Colloquium

Join the NWU Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences in collaboration with the Library and Information Service in commemorating International Open Access Week.

Theme: Community over Commercialisation
This year's theme continues from last year: "Community Over Commercialisation," highlighting the importance of prioritising the public good over profit in producing and disseminating knowledge.

Purpose of this colloquium:
International Open Access Week is a global, community-driven week that promotes the benefits of open access and related topics to the academic research community and scholarship.

The event aims to foster discussions that explore how open access can empower communities, improve educational outcomes, and facilitate equitable access to information. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, we seek to generate actionable ideas that leverage open science and open data initiatives to benefit society. Through shared knowledge and collaboration, this event will underscore the importance of making research freely available and accessible, ultimately advocating for a more inclusive and community-focused approach to knowledge dissemination.

Date: 22 October 2024
Time: 09:00 - 13:00
Venue: Potchefstroom Campus, Building C7, Room G01 (De la Rey Hall)
Online: MS Teams
RSVP here: https://nwu.libcal.com/event/13155960

Click here for the programme and more information regarding the speakers.

NWU Library highlights role in social cohesion and agricultural advancement

The Taung Agricultural College recently celebrated Library Week under the theme "Library Fostering Social Cohesion," an event highlighting the library's critical role in uniting communities through knowledge sharing. As part of the celebrations, the North-West University Library was invited to engage with students and staff, highlighting the importance of agriculture and research in driving sustainable development. The collaboration underscored the importance of agricultural research in addressing global food security challenges, fostering innovation, and advancing rural economies by promoting access to valuable academic resources. Libraries were placed as essential facilitators of social cohesion, education, and agricultural advancement.

The event saw an enthusiastic gathering of secondary school students, agricultural college students, and employees, all united by a common appreciation for the transformative power of libraries. Among the distinguished presenters was the North-West University's Learning and Research Manager (Mahikeng Campus), Ms N Madikane, who contributed her insights and experiences to the day's proceedings. She mostly touched on the issue we are currently facing with primary school children who cannot read properly, and on ways we can deal with this problem.

Mr Dire, an Irrigation Specialist, emphasised the crucial link between food security and water, highlighting that water is fundamental for food production, processing, and preparation. Effective management of water resources is essential to ensure long-term food security, particularly as climate change and population growth increase the pressure on these resources. To address this, the speaker highlighted the need for sustainable practices, policy interventions, and technological innovations to help balance the growing demands for water and food.

"In some areas of South Africa, food insecurity is not due to a lack of resources; rather, it comes from the construction of houses on land that should be used for agricultural production". This statement points to the issue of land use, where urban expansion and housing development encroach on fertile land that could otherwise be used to grow food, thus exacerbating food insecurity despite the availability of natural resources. This highlights the challenge of emphasising how land use decisions impact food security.

Contributors: Mr Emilio Stuurman and Ms Nomzingisi Madikane

Invest in women and accelerate progress

Mahikeng Local Municipality, in collaboration with the Department of Arts, Culture, Sports, and Recreation, successfully hosted a Women’s Month celebration at Lomanyaneng Library on August 29, 2024. The event, themed “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” was graced by Executive Mayor Cllr. Tshepiso Mphehlo, Director for Community Services, Dr. Kesolofetse Lefenya-Motshegare, Cllr. Mpho Phuthego, Library Staff, Angels of Tomorrow, pastors, community members, dignitaries, and local school learners. The celebration honoured the achievements of women and their vital roles in their communities.

A key message from the keynote speakers emphasised that addressing global challenges such as geopolitical conflicts, rising poverty, and climate change requires empowering women. Investing in women can drive progress toward a healthier, safer, and more equitable world for everyone.

It was emphasised that the time to act is now, and to ensure that women are not left behind, librarians and all attendees should focus on five critical areas:

• Gender equality is a fundamental human right and key to building inclusive societies that benefit everyone.
• Implementing gender-responsive financing.
• Supporting feminist change-makers.
• Transitioning to a green economy while fostering a care-oriented society.
• Eradicating poverty.

In conclusion, prioritising these areas will accelerate progress and promote equality for women in all aspects of life.

Contributors Ms Maake and Ms Nani