8. RESOURCES

This section will be added to the report following the submission of a report by a management consultant or firm of consultants. The consultants are to consider inter alia:

• The relative costs of various structural proposals (see par. 7 above).
• Links to (a) the other legal deposit libraries, (b) the provincial library services, and (c) the SA Library for the Blind. (Presumably links to SABINET and the various coalitions that are currently developing (Calico, Gaelic, Frelico) should also be considered.)
• Tax incentives for companies and individuals to make donations to the NLSA
• Generation of income by the NLSA - how to ensure that:
• These funds are retained for the use of the NLSA.
• Own income does not lead to decreased state subsidy.
• Human resources, including recruitment and affirmative action.
• Physical accommodation.

9. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The role of information technology in libraries is referred to par. 10.1.2 (p.52) of the White paper on science and technology:

"An important issue is the degree to which the libraries will be able to invest in modern information technology. As more information becomes available in electronic form, both the technical and general library services should develop a long-term plan to take full advantage of these developments. The existence of SABINET... is a good start in this regard. Provision of such facilities in deprived rural and urban areas can be an important tool in capacity building and in increased access to resources in these areas."

The Working Group decided that one or more consultants be engaged to advise on the "information technology platform" that would be required to make possible the optimal functioning of a NLSA. The draft brief prepared for the consultants is attached as Annexure C. It has already been submitted to and discussed with two prospective consultants, with whom the Department is currently negotiating.

10. GOVERNANCE (LEGISLATION)

This refers to the legislation that has to be drafted for submission to Parliament by the second half of 1997, following adequate consultation with stakeholders. This topic has not yet been discussed by the Working Group, but the following consensus has emerged from discussions between the two existing national libraries.

• The new Act should provide for the establishment of a single, new national library (provisionally referred to in this report as the NLSA) incorporating the two existing national libraries and possibly one or more other existing institutions.
• The NLSA should be a statutory institution associated with the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology on approximately the same basis as the present national libraries.
• The Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology should appoint a Board to oversee the effective administration of the NLSA in terms of the new Act and to report to him or her on this at least once a year.
• Democratic and transparent procedures should be applied in making appointments to the Board.
• The composition of the Board requires further study, but there should be members chosen to represent the principal stakeholders. They would include:
• a representative of the Government, through DACST
• a representative of a national association of the library and information profession
• a representative of the national body representing higher education
• the National Librarian (the chief executive officer of the NLSA)
• the senior executive officer of each campus
• an elected representative of the staff of the NLSA.

In the new National Library Act, the functions of the NLSA should be set out in terms broad enough not to restrict the institution to a set of activities which will soon be overtaken by technological and other developments, but specific enough to give it a clear mandate within the South African library and information services sector . The structure of the institution should not be laid down in the Act, but should be left to the discretion of the Board.

The new Act should contain the usual provisions concerning the appointment, term of office, remuneration and disqualification of members of the Board, its powers and duties, the powers and duties of the National Librarian, the assets and staff of the NLSA, and the drafting and approval of conditions of service and regulations under the Act. There will have to be transitional measures relating to the transfer of personnel and assets from the existing national libraries to the new institution .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Only works cited in the report are listed.

• Aje, S.B. (1977) National libraries in developing countries. Advances in librarianship 7:105-143.
• Arts and Culture Task Group (1995) Report of the Arts and Culture Task Group as presented to the Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology on 31 July 1995. Pretoria: Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology.
• Behrens, S.J. (1996) National bibliographic services in South Africa: final report for the Committee for Bibliographic Control of the South African Institute for Librarianship and Information Science (SAILIS). Pretoria.
• Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (1996a) Draft report of the Interministerial Working Group on the Library and Information Services (LIS) Function (National Level). Pretoria: Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology.
• Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (1996b) White paper on science and technology. Pretoria: Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology.
• Expert Seminar on Bibliographic Control in South Africa (1994) Proceedings... Pretoria: State Library.
• Fokker, D.W. (1993) Final report on investigation into bibliographic tools. Pretoria: Committee for Bibliographic Control, South African Institute for Librarianship and Information Science.
• Finland's way to the information society. World-wide Web URL: http: www.tieke.fi/tieke /tikas/indexing.htm#Contents 1996-08-11
• Line, M.B. (1989) National library and information needs: alternative means of fulfilment, with special reference to the role of national libraries. Paris: General Information Programme and UNISIST, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (PGI-89/WS/9.)
• Lor, P.J. (1995) Overview of the current state of LIS in South Africa. In: Arts and Culture Task Group. Library and Information Services Subcommittee. Report on libraries and information services... Pretoria: State Library for the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, p.135-149.
• Lor, P.J. (1996) Guidelines for legislation for national library services; draft prepared by P.J. Lor with the assistance of E.A.S. Sonnekus. Provisional version. Paris: General Information Programme and UNISIST, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
• Lounasvuori, E. & Vattulainen, P. (1996) Internet and the Finnish public libraries. In: NIT'96: 9th International conference on new information technology...November 11-14 1996, Pretoria, South Africa. Proceedings; edited by Ching-chih Chen. West Newton, Massachusetts: MicroUse Information, p.177-186.
• Raseroka, H.K. (1994) National library policies of select African countries. Unpublished report prepared for the Library and Information Services Task Team of the Centre for Education Policy Development, Johannesburg.