Abstract
The author assesses rural community libraries' cultural strategies for the provision of online services. This chapter details social justice strategies in rural library settings to reduce the inequitable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this chapter will give context to rural South Africa following apartheid legislation and connect this context to library services. Effectiveness of the social justice library strategy improved in South Africa Libraries of the former Bantustan state from the apartheid system to a democratic system in 1994. A Social Justice library strategy was developed to change the mindset of rural communities to adopt information communication technology to disseminate information. Libraries and information services are provided to communities irrespective of ethnic group, belief, or culture. Furthermore, the author will also analyze the transformation after the transition. The role played by the National Department of Arts and Culture department in the establishment of the recapitalization program as a strategy to empower rural libraries is discussed.
TopIntroduction
Historical Development of Libraries in South Africa
The National Party came into power in 1948 and introduced the apartheid system. The apartheid policies segregated people based on culture, tradition, and values. The homelands states included Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda, Ciskei, Gazankulu, KwaZulu, Lebowa, KwaNdebele, KaNgwane, and QwaQwa. Rural libraries were situated in the former homeland’s states. Libraries in these areas are underdeveloped because of a lack of infrastructure (Netshakhuma, 2021). The apartheid system created inequalities in the distribution of infrastructures, libraries, and Information communication technologies. This implied that rural communities lack access to information. Urban areas were in the position to receive resources from urban areas (Jimenez, Vannini, & Cox 2022) . This paper discussed the role of rural libraries, resources, and infrastructure, the role played by the South African national department of Arts and Culture in funding rural libraries. Rural libraries technology and librarians. State of rural communities’ experience with libraries.
Rural Libraries Resources And Infrastructure
There was inequality in South Africa among the races in several areas of human endeavor- education, wealth, and resource allocation, etc. This inequality was further exhibited in the limited resources and library infrastructures between rural and urban libraries located in white, black, and colored neighborhoods. Some rural libraries lacked the resources to establish online systems that would help in the easy dissemination of information to patrons. This was shown by limited resources and library infrastructures. Some rural libraries lacked the resources to establish database systems. This lack of development of rural areas' libraries was affected by limited budgets allocated for infrastructure development Cox & Eddy (2016). Research data management leads to a re-evaluation of how libraries support a research program. A limited budget to develop a strategy in library communities to adopt an online library system is a challenge for rural community libraries.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Rural Communities libraries: These are libraries established in the formed TBVC State of South Africa.
Social Justice library strategy: A strategy developed to change the mindset of rural communities to adopt information communication technology to disseminate information.
Information Communication Technology: It is referred to all communication technologies: including the internet, wireless networks, cell phones, computers, software, middleware, social networking, and other media applications and services.
LIS Transformation Charter: This is a Library charter introduced in 2004 in South Africa to transform South African libraries.
Apartheid: It is the racial legislation introduced by the National party of South Africa in 1948 when they came into power.
Online library system: This is a platform to provide library services via the social medial platform.
COVID – 19: Defined as an illness caused by a novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 first identified amid an outbreak of respiratory illness cases in Wuhan City, China.
Recapitalization library program: It is the program introduce after 1994 in South Africa to reconstruct rural libraries ins, South Africa, through a grant. The purpose of the conditional grant is to ensure rural library services are transformed and to mainstream the policy framework for the public library sector.