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08 June 2021 | Story Legopheng Maphile | Photo Charl Devenish
Nthabiseng Kotsokoane in front of the Sasol Library on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State. She is wearing a pink blouse with floral patterns and leaning with her left elbow against a ledge whilst looking into the camera.
Nthabiseng Kotsokoane is a renowned library professional whose passionate efforts to advance library and information services in Africa and beyond are widely acknowledged Photo: Charl Devenish

The University of the Free State is proud to announce the appointment of Nthabiseng Kotsokoane as chairperson of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) new Regional Council and member of the IFLA Governing Board 2021 – 2023.

IFLA is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. It is the global voice of the library and information profession.

Nthabiseng Kotsokoane is currently the Assistant Director at the University of the Free State Library Information Services. She previously worked at Monash University for 10 years as a director of the library services. Ms Kotsokoane is a renowned library professional whose passionate efforts to advance library and information services in Africa and beyond are widely acknowledged. She has vast experience in serving at various committees regionally and internationally. She served as a member of the IFLA women information Libraries Special Interest Group. She was later elected by LIASA into the IFLA IT committee. She is the current IFLA Africa section Chair 2017-2021.

 

Serving the international library community

Nthabiseng is not only active in IFLA but on the African continent as well, she is the past chair for the African Library & Information Associations & Institutions (AfLIA) academic library section Chair and a member of the AfLIA Governing Board.

As IFLA’s Regional Chair her key role will be to in increase the presence of world regions in IFLA and IFLA’s presence around the world focusing on advocacy and building capacity. She will lead efforts to provide input on IFLA advocacy work and review success in developing the regional dimension of the IFLA Strategy, as well as work to promote IFLA membership and fundraising in the regions.

This will include coordination and development of Regional Division action plans, review Regional Division activities in the following regions Regional Council and Regional Divisions for Asia and Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America and Sub-Saharan Africa. With her passion of developing and mentoring new library professionals we are certain that this new role will be of benefit to the international library community.

News Archive

UFS commemorates life and legacy of Bram Fischer
2013-04-26

 

26 April 2013
Photo: Stephen Collett

  • Speech - Bram Fischer Memorial Lecture (Pdf)

The university celebrated the life and legacy of the struggle icon Bram Fischer – the Kovsie Alumnus who helped shape the landscape of South African history. The university paid homage to the anti-apartheid stalwart on 26 April 2013, hosting the first Bram Fischer Memorial Lecture with well-known academic and human rights lawyer Prof Barney Pityana as the guest speaker. Prof Pityana was joined on the Bloemfontein Campus by Fischer’s daughters Ruth Rice and Ilse Wilson and his nephew Peter.

Early in the day, the Fischer sisters honoured their father’s legacy speaking at a critical conversation hosted by the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice. They later joined Prof Pityana in a discussion with students where Prof Pityana spoke about the history of the South African Students Organisation (SASO) and the role of student leaders.

In his memorial later in the evening, Prof Pityana highlighted Fischer’s contribution in the struggle for justice, notably his role as lawyer in the Rivonia trial. He gave a critical evaluation of South Africa’s legal system speaking at length about accessibility and transformation of the system.

In his thank you speech Prof Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty of Law, reminded the audience of the prominent role the Fischer family played in the history of the UFS. Fischer’s father Adv Percy Fischer was the very first law academic and founder of the Faculty of Law at the Grey University College, now the UFS. One of his earliest students was CR Swart, the first LLB graduate at the UFS. Fittingly, the inaugural lecture was hosted in the CR Swart Building, home to the Faculty of Law.

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