Interview with a student at the SABC Polokwane Media Library

SABC Polokwane has acquired the service of student Surprise Phadu, busy with a Bachelor of Information Science (BINF).
The student will be here for five weeks to acquire valuable skills, but also to help with the workflows at SABC Polokwane Media Library.

Questions are asked to understand the type of skills that she has to offer, but also to get a better understanding of what she is doing at SABC Polokwane.



Please tell us about your personal history as well as your studies. How did you become a student working here at SABC?

My name is Surprise Phadu, a registered student of the University of South Africa. I am a final year student in the field of Information Science. I came to SABC to observe the working environment within the media library and to know what is happening within the profession.

What does your job as student entails here at SABC?

My position was to observe the processes with regards preservation and acquisition of the SABC material. I rotated through all the sections within the Media Library; from Archives, Acquisition, the Book Library to the Circulation desk. I have also made use of various systems and have increased my knowledge in the field of technology.  Now I know the responsibilities of the information librarians and archivists within the profession and  I am hoping to come back for an internship in the future to get hands-on training within the field. 

What have you learned already while you have been there?

I have learned what is required from an Archivist and an Information Librarian, and how to work with different library users; the internal and the external clients. I had gained priceless experience within the Media Library and the knowledge I acquired I will not get  anywhere else. It has encouraged me to build on it in the future.  

Tell us of any interesting anecdotes with regards to working at SABC Media Library in Polokwane?

The interesting part of working within the Media Library comes with the use of various systems and the technical part of it.

What are you planning to do after this?

I am planning to visit the SABC in Auckland Park to broaden the knowledge I have at present and I am hoping they won’t deny me an opportunity. I told myself that this is the beginning of a long journey to the profession in Information Management. 



Blog post and questions by Karen du Toit.