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18 March 2020

With the University of the Free State (UFS) academic programme suspended and following guidelines by the UFS Coronavirus (COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2) Task Team to minimise the gathering of people in one place, all UFS libraries will be closed from Friday 20 March to Monday 13 April 2020.

During this time, staff and students will not have any access to the following campus and branch libraries of the UFS Library and Information Services:

•    Sasol Library (Bloemfontein Campus)
•    Neville Alexander Library (South Campus)
•    TK Mopeli Library (Qwaqwa Campus)
•    Frik Scott Medical Library (Bloemfontein Campus)
•    Music Library (Bloemfontein Campus)

The university community is advised as follows:

•    Use Wednesday (18 March) and Thursday (19 March) to borrow books you might need during the long recess. During these two days, students are advised to take precautionary measures and avoid sitting in groups that might compromise their health.
•    During this time, all due dates for borrowed material will be automatically extended, no late fines will be charged, and patrons can return material when libraries reopen.
•    Please make use of the ‘Ask-a-Librarian’ service for any assistance you might require (go to the UFS Library and Information Services website – click Library Services – click Ask-a-Librarian); OR use the UFS Library social media.
•    The UFS Library and Information Services will also be available on a new ‘LiveChat’ service accessible here (listed under Resources – LibGuides). With this service, you can connect ‘live’ with your information librarian.
•    All planned activities for the South African Library Week are postponed until further notice.




News Archive

Johann swims his way to Olympics
2016-05-18


Johann van Heerden from the University of the Free State has qualified for the Paralympic Games in the swimming pool, and is now waiting to hear if he will be included in the South African team. Photo: Nadya van Heerden.

In the past couple of months, Johann van Heerden has been swimming his way to the Paralympic Games, and is still preparing as if he will be going to Rio de Janeiro.

The Kovsie swimmer, who will know whether he has been included in the Paralympic team in July 2016, feels his training is progressing well. The Olympics will be held in Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. If all goes well, this could be the first of several Olympics for the 20-year-old second-year Education student from the University of the Free State (UFS).

Dream year for Education student

Van Heerden (cerebral palsy), whose hero is the former Paralympic superstar Natalie du Toit, has had huge successes in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics. Among others, he was named the best senior swimmer at the Nedbank National Championships for the Physically Disabled in Bloemfontein in March 2016. At the South African Senior Championships in Durban in April 2016, he qualified for the Olympics in the 100 m breast-stroke with an A-qualifying time, and in the 50 m and 100 m freestyle with B-qualifying times.

Only three male swimmers to Olympics

However, he has to wait until the announcement of the South African Paralympic team, since only three male and three female swimmers will be selected. He will not be competing in another major event before the Olympics. “My short-term goal is to compete in this year’s Games, and, in the long term, I would like to reach even greater heights at the 2020 Games,” he said. Du Toit is an inspiration to him because “she was hard-working, and she had a lot of drive”.

Other students from CUADS also excel

At the above-mentioned National Championships, Van Heerden won a total of five gold medals (200 m medley, 100 m breaststroke, 50 m freestyle, 50 m breaststroke, and 200 m breaststroke) and one silver medal (100 m freestyle). Other students from the Center for Universal Access and Disability Support at the UFS also excelled.

Dineo Mokhosoa (cerebral palsy) won three gold medals (long jump, shot-put, and discus), while the athlete Louzanne Coetzee (blind) shattered the world record in the 5 000 m, as well as the Africa record in the 1 500 m. Juanré Jenkinson (cerebral palsy) won two silver medals (discus and shot-put) while Danie Breitenbach (blind) won two gold medals (800 m and 1500 m).

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