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UFS staff member Nambitha Manqola scoops national Librarian award

18 October 2022 | Story Tsholo Maleho

UFS librarian Nambitha Manqola received top honours at the 2022 Library and Information Association of South Africa conference, scooping the association’s Emerging Librarian Award.

The University of the Free State Library and Information Services (UFS LIS) continues to deliver world-class services, with its staff members receiving national accolades.

Highlighting the library’s positive contributions, Nambitha Manqola, Chief Officer in the UFS LIS on the Bloemfontein Campus, recently scooped the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) - Nevada LMS Emerging Librarian Award at the association’s national conference hosted in Gauteng from 4 to 7 October 2022.

A role model for the Library and Information Services community

This award is given to someone who demonstrates characteristics indicating that they are a role model for the library and information services community, someone whose contributions could have a long-term impact on the sector, and someone who will be an ambassador for LIASA, Nevada LMS, and librarianship in the coming years, including embracing the post-modern digital landscape.

This accolade recognises the achievements and accomplishments of emerging, inspiring, and exceptional public, academic, school, and special librarians who have earned their LIS qualification within the past five years.

Manqola is known throughout the UFS LIS and Free State library community as a well-rounded individual who is gifted and skilled in a variety of areas, particularly technology. She is based in the UFS LIS Digital Scholarship Centre and is responsible for research data management, and library systems.

Her contribution to the UFS library's growth and marketing, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has left a lasting impression, making her an ambassador for how library professionals should embrace change and technology.

News Archive

Discourse on statues and symbols puts transformation questions in the spotlight

2015-04-12

Amid various protest actions against historical statues across the country over the last two weeks, the University of the Free State’s Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice presented a three-day discussion session the past week about the role and place of statues, symbols and signs in the transformation attempts of universities.

During these lunchtime sessions, various speakers from different contexts had expressed their opinions about this issue that has become a focal point, not only for universities, but also for the country as a whole.

Thus speakers not only gave their opinions about whether there is a place in present-day South Africa for statues and symbols from colonial and apartheid-South Africa, but also highlighted the cultural-historical values and the more deep-seated issues and symbolism of the statue-debate.

UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Jonathan Jansen, said on the first day of the session that the discourse was not about only one person’s memories, but about everyone’s in the country. He proposed that similar sessions should be held at each university campus.

He also said that, instead of breaking down, people should learn to live together, and everyone should be involved for transformation to occur.

Speakers who served on the panel, included academics from the UFS and Stellenbosch University as well as representatives of the Student Representative Council and of historical and heritage foundations.

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