Interview with a Record Librarian at the SABC Record Library: William Rapabi

William Rapabi
SABC Record Library

This is part of a series of blog posts to gain a better understanding of the SABC Record Library, as well as part of a series of blog posts about the SABC Media Libraries. It is a way of generating  a better understanding of what we do in the different sections that we belong to.
The interview this week is with William Rapabi, or Raps, the Record Librarian in charge of the check-out counter at the Record Library.

The SABC Record Library houses recorded music, previously unavailable, as well as all genres of recorded music, including Jazz, Gospel, Kwaito, Rap, Rave, Classical, World, Light, Mood, Sound Effects and others. The music is regularly accessed by staff and made available to internal clients.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. (Where you grew up, where and what you studied and your work experience before you joined the SABC Record Library)

My name is William M. Rapabi, and I was born in Soweto (Molapo location) where I started primary schooling. In 1976 I went to Witsieshoek now called Qwaqwa to do high school studies. Having completed high school, I then attended college in Johannesburg doing a mixture of courses that included switchboard, office administration, typing …… aag I have forgotten the others, and please don’t ask me what the diploma was called. While still in college the SABC came looking for workers and I got my employment.

Please tell us about a normal day in your office. What music do you give priority to?

My job mainly entails signing in and out of music(CD’s) to compilers, dj’s, producers, to mention but a few doing different programmes on radio or television.  Naturally their choice of music would differ according to content required. Reminders are always send to users to check in what they loaned from the library because if after 6 weeks CD’s are still outstanding, deductions from their salaries is done to replace those CD’s.  The packing slips and audit trails are filed daily to keep record of what went out and came back.

Tell us more about your collection and the scope of material you need to preserve in the record library.

The collection and scope of material we have has already been elaborated on by Justice Muthakhi. I would specifically want to talk about the indigenous music that only the SABC has on transcriptions that really needs preserving. It is gold to this company.

Do you struggle with technical difficulties, and if so, what?

Talking about technical difficulties Here I don’t wish to do deductions on the same day that salaries are done because then I have time frames and unfortunately we both tap into main-frame and the system becomes very slow.

Tell us why you enjoy doing the work that you do.

Why I enjoy doing the work: I love working with music and enjoy listening to music. Whatever circumstances I’m in, music will always pull me through. Thank you.

Related posts:
Interview with a Record Librarian at the SABC Record Library
Interview with a Systems Administrator at the SABC Record Library

Questions and post by Karen du Toit, Afrikaans Archivist in the SABC Radio Archives.