Ask An Archivist Day!

What do you want to know about the SABC Radio Archives?

Follow the questions on Twitter @SABCRadioArc

⚡️ “Ask an Archivist Day 2017”#AskAnArchivist #AskAnArchivistDay https://t.co/O36hakj1mD

— SABC Radio Archive (@SABCRadioArc) October 4, 2017

How to spot fake news - Infographic by IFLA

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has compiled the "How to spot fake news"- infographic based on FactCheck.org’s 2016 article How to Spot Fake News.

As librarians, information professionals and archivists we need to be vigilant with regards media literacy and critical thinking. Especially when working in the broadcasting industry where the facts should be reliable.

IFLA encourages downloading, printing, sharing and crowdsourcing this Infographic.

The more we crowdsource our wisdom, the wiser the world becomes.

#AskAnArchivist Day on Twitter

Today is the perfect day to ask the questions you have always wanted to ask about the Archives on Twitter:
Just add the hashtag #AskAnArchivist and the specific archives you want to know more about.

The SABC Radio Archives is available here: @SABCRadioArc

More info: What is #AskAnArchivist Day?

Tomorrow is #AskAnArchivist Day? What do you want to know about the archives? pic.twitter.com/vrpgIaWL8P

— SABC Radio Archive (@SABCRadioArc) October 4, 2016

Happy #AskAnArchivist Day!
📻💿📀🎙
Any questions for the Radio #Archives ?

— SABC Radio Archive (@SABCRadioArc) October 5, 2016

Free professional development through peer mentorship - apply now at ILN

Photo: ‘Globe post card sample 1’ CC-BY-2.0 by Михаил Чуркин

The International Librarians Network is a great opportunity to enhance your own professional development through contact with a global peer mentor. A round is in a 4 month cycle, with two facilitated discussion points each month!

Even if you don't get a very responsive peer mentor, you will still be able to gain valuable global insight through the discussion points, social media updates and Twitter chats.

Want to build your professional network and learn about librarianship around the world? Love the idea of professional travel but just don’t have the budget? The International Librarians Network (ILN) is for you. We are pleased to announce the next round of this popular program will commence in early March 2016. 

The ILN peer mentoring program is a facilitated program aimed at helping librarians develop international networks. Participating in the ILN brings wider professional awareness, an international perspective to your work, new ideas, and increased professional confidence. We know this because many of our participants tell us – and we’ve had over 3500 librarians from 120+ countries take part so far. 

Applications for the next round of partnerships will open in mid January and close at midnight on Monday 15th February 2016. Numbers are limited, so apply early to ensure you don’t miss out. 

The ILN is open to anyone working (or studying) in the library and information industry around the world. The program is free and the only requirements to participate are an internet connection, fluent English skills, an hour each week and a desire to build professional connections and learn from colleagues.  

Get involved now! Find out more about the way the program works, or apply online.

Read more:

- 5 reasons to join the ILN peer mentoring program

- 5 reasons why you need to be a peer mentor

by Karen du Toit, ILN Ambassador for South Africa

International Librarians Network - Infographic

Want to build your professional network and learn about librarianship around the world? Love the idea of professional travel but just don’t have the budget? The International Librarians Network (ILN) is for you. We are pleased to announce the next round of this popular program will commence in early March 2016. 

The ILN peer mentoring program is a facilitated program aimed at helping librarians develop international networks. Participating in the ILN brings wider professional awareness, an international perspective to your work, new ideas, and increased professional confidence. We know this because many of our participants tell us – and we’ve had over 3500 librarians from 120+ countries take part so far. 

Applications for the next round of partnerships will open in mid January and close at midnight on Monday 15th February 2016. Numbers are limited, so apply early to ensure you don’t miss out. 

The ILN is open to anyone working (or studying) in the library and information industry around the world. The program is free and the only requirements to participate are an internet connection, fluent English skills, an hour each week and a desire to build professional connections and learn from colleagues.  

Get involved now! Find out more about the way the program works, or apply online.

The Annual Archives Lecture - Prof Julie McLeod

Open data and information: opportunities & challenges for the records profession
Annual Archives Lecture, Dept of Information Science, UNISA, Pretoria, 5 Nov 2015

Dr Julie McLeod
Professor in Records Management
iSchool, Department Mathematics & Information Sciences

The SABC Radio Archives personnel attended this lecture on 5 November this year. It is a thought-provoking piece on the impact and expertise needed as presented by open data on archivists and records professionals!

Audience

Dr Julie McLeod

The lecture and slides are available here: Northumbria

"This invited lecture considers some of the opportunities and challenges that the open data and information movement presents for records professionals – the role they can play in bringing our principles and practice to bear; the new knowledge and partnerships that they will need to develop in order to contribute; and the potential difference they might make.
It begins with an examination of the concept of open data and information, its ideology, motivations and aspirations; moves on to examine some of the key challenges that open data presents in the digital world, and consider the role of the records professional in this space. This leads to two key opportunities for the records profession and what records professionals will need to be if they are to grasp the opportunities and make a difference.
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Lecture)
Uncontrolled Keywords: open data; big data; access; trust; ethics
Subjects: P100 Information Services
Department: Faculties > Engineering and Environment > Mathematics and Information Sciences
Depositing User: Julie McLeod
Date Deposited: 16 Nov 2015 11:14
Last Modified: 17 Nov 2015 09:14
URI: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/24484"

PDF: Lecture text 
Official URL: 05 November 2015: Department of Information Science Annual Archives Lecture

Casual Day in the SABC Media Libraries in support of Woodside Sanctuary #CasualDay

The SABC Media Libraries supported the Woodside Sanctuary on Friday 4 September with the Casual Day campaign. They bought the Casual Day stickers through the Sanctuary for mentally and physically disabled "children". As a beneficiary organisation they receive R4 on each R10 sticker sold.

The photos are shared on Storify: Casual day in the SABC Media Libraries 

Applications for the next round of international networking and peer mentorship closes on 26 July - International Librarians Network

"...participants at the end of each round [evaluates]what impact the ILN had on their professional activities. Based on that feedback [...] the number one outcome for participants in the ILN is developing a  wider professional awareness and an international perspective on their work.
The reason: The ILN is an incredibly diverse global community, with volunteers from nearly 30 countries and participants from over 110.
By participating in the next round of the ILN’s peer mentoring program, you will not only be matched with a peer mentor from another country, but you will receive discussion topics and guest posts from librarians all over the world." 

                                               ILN- Apply now to grow your international network

The International Librarians Network is a free and a  three month opportunity to connect with an international peer from wide-ranging careers in librarianship. The programme asks that the participants connects with their mentors on a regular basis. It happens mostly through email contact, but the participants themselves can decide how much and in what way they want to connect. There are also themes in that period that are being run on the International Librarians Network blog page that enhances the experience, and helps participants to focus their discussions.

The applications closes on 26 July 2015 for the next round.
Apply here.

I have been signing up for each round of the ILN, and I have met great librarians from across the world. I now can say that I know librarians in Spain, Bangladesh, Australia and England. There is also a wider community that I have met through my contact on social media with the ILN! It has been an eye opening experience, and to realize that we have the same issues, career challenges and love for the work that we do!


Here's some more reading material about the advantages of joining a round of ILN:

Apply now to grow your international network!

5 Reasons to apply now to be a peer mentor

Applications now open for the next round of the ILN



Blog post by Karen du Toit, South African ILN Ambassador.

International Archives Day #IAD15

One of the oldest reel tapes in the SABC Radio Archives - from 1926

1926 Speeches by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick & Gen JBM Hertzog
from SABC Radio Archives

This year International Archives Day focus on democracy and rights, but also sharing photos from Archive collections worldwide.

Spanish archives are celebrating with the hashtag #NoSinArchivos (#NotWithoutArchives)

The SABC Radio Archives shares the following from the audio archives - with the focus on democracy.

Shared for International Archives Day #IAD15 #democracy - the voice of Nelson Mandela at his release on 11-... https://t.co/kaPRjIEZ2y

— SABC Radio Archive (@SABCRadioArc) June 9, 2015

The top five reasons why archives are awesome are a great way to celebrate this day!

1. Archives are history!

2. Archives are evidence!

3. Archives are vital for democratic accountability!

4. Archives are about us, our stories, or lives!

5. Archives document the environment!
                                 Read here for the in-depth discussion: Archives Outside




Related posts:

- International Archives Day on 9 June 2015 - Celebrate democracy and rights #IAD15

- World War 1 content from SABC archives shared on Twitter via #WW1archives

International Archives Day on 9 June 2015 - Celebrate democracy and rights #IAD15

Reblogged from followanarchive and AskArchivists

Photo from the SABC Radio Archives 

International Archives Day

This year's activities on 9 June will concentrate on democracy in many ways.

The National Archives of the United Kingdom has come up with this topic, suggesting that we make June 9th. a "Twitter day where archives share stories and records within their collection showcasing democracy and rights in different ways". 

It is a subject, that most archives can relate to and tell stories about. No matter if you are a large, national archive, a municipal institution or a community archive, we all have records and other material, that can be used to tell the story of democratic development, and people who have stood up for their rights. 

Ideas about what to share, could be records that: 

• have established fundamental rights in your country 
• tell the story of individuals, who played a part in establishing democratic conditions 
• relate to rights of specific groups ( indigenous, ethnic, LGBT, women, children...) 
• show the history of the right to form trade unions and political or religious communities 
• picture election and election days, both national and local 
• sound archives with important speaches, interviews etc. 

Your contribution 

And finally your contribution could naturally also be constitutional documents of huge importance and great archival beauty. It is your choice, and we look forward to your contribution. 

#IAD15 #democracy : register on blog Ask Archivists 

If you wish to join, make a comment on the same blogpost on the weblog of Ask Archivists. And on June 9th. post your content to relevant platforms - blogs, flickr, instagram, your website, etc. - and tweet about it using the combination of two tags: #IAD15 #democracy. 

Join International Archives Day on Twitter! 

We hope a lot of archives will join, and help show the world, how archives play a vital part in documenting the history of democracy.

South Africa had a National Archives Week here last week, and The Archival Platform published ten reasons to celebrate archives. It slots in perfectly with International Archives Day.

TEN REASONS TO CELEBRATE ARCHIVES 

* Our national archival heritage is held safe in many hands, providing us with the resources that we need when we reckon with the past, try to understand the present and plan for or imagine the future. 

* The passionate and hard-working archivists who do their best to preserve and promote our archival heritage even though they often work under very difficult circumstances. 

* Records managers who work to keep the records of government safe so that they can be used by the state and civil society and honour the constitutional commitment to transparent and accountable governance. 

* Active citizens who use records to hold government to account – as citizens in a democratic state should. 

* The officials who process Promotion of Access to Information (PAIA) requests promptly to honour the constitutional promise of freedom of access to information. 

* Archive activists who collect and preserve the resources that complement the records of government and fill the gaps in the historical record. 

* Individuals and families who hold the records of their personal pasts safe for future generations. 

* Universities who make a significant but often unacknowledged contribution in building our national archival heritage. 

* Museums and libraries, though often not thought of as archives, who hold collections that people can draw on to understand the past. 

* The positive signs that tell us that government is beginning to take responsibility for ensuring that the national archival system is adequately resourced and capacitated to meet its important mandates!

Photo: From the Archives:
Record Cover of "Die Wêreld van Pierneef", a well-known painter of South Africa, with a tribute audio package compiled by J.F. Marais, for the radio service, Afrikaanse Diens. It was produced in 1963.
The painting reflects the South African landscape. 

The Kalahari Desert Festival 2015, Andriesvale

By: Moshe Maghundu
Archivist and Librarian, Platfontein, Northern Cape

On Thursday, 19 March, the X-K FM broadcast team got the privilege again to do the Kalahari Desert Festival 2015 (KDF 2015).

Left: Simon Hasjenda (Programme producer); Moshe Maghundu (Archivist);
Reinhardt Kampunda (Presenter)
Right: Jeta Manuel (Presenter)
[Camera: Rena Maghundu (Technical producer)]

It is an opportunity to do stories, interviews and oral history for SABC Platfontein Archives, but it does not come easy due to budgetary constraints.

This is the third festival that Moshe Maghundu attended where he could gather a sizeable amount of material for broadcast and for the Archive. Speaking to people around the festival is easier than speaking to them at home where they are asking for monetary compensation before telling their stories. He is appreciative of the fact that the people came to talk to him for free.

The broadcast location was centred right in the middle of all activities It was very easy getting hold of people for interviews.

They got hold of Andries Steenkamp on the first day. He is a respected leader from the area and he is one of the organisers of the Kalahari Desert Festival 2015. He has a very strong vision of the KDF and how he want the festival to survive in future.

The tent was used as a lecture venue for the three San languages; !xun, Khwe an !khomani. It was amazing to observe how encouraged the young people were in learning these languages.

The beauty of the Kalahari: dry, with grasses and plants
which can only grow in the Kalahari

One of the challenges they had was the booking of Telkom lines. Telkom could not give them any lines because of birds making their nests on these poles which became heavy and breaks the poles.

Thanks to technology, they used the mobile devices Comrex for Broadcast.

















At the festival there were many activities which kept the youth entertained, with drama performances, poetry and music.

There were young ladies modelling for the crowd.

The ladies team from Platfontein also took part in the traditional dance performances. This was very encouraging seeing the young people interested in the cultural affairs.

Moshe Maghundu arranged for an interview with one of the organisers of the Kalahari Desert Festival. She spoke on issues of the San people being exploited. Researchers and film crews do not compensate fairly for research and visual material being shot in the area.

Police and medical crews were on standby in case of emergencies.

Day 2 of the broadcast by X-K FM

They managed to do a number of interviews with Andries Steenkamp. Moshe Maghundu helped out to make sure that everything went well with the broadcasts before going off  "sound hunting".

Children were also given the opportunity to enjoy the festival with jumping castles. The day was cloudy with some drops of rain, but the wind was one of the main challenges. They were thankful that the Gazebo was not blown away.

There was also a session of storytelling around the fire where by all San groups came together to tell their stories. It was a very exciting experience for all!

-------------------------

Thanks to the following people for believing in the work that's been done:
- Regina Beregho, the station manager of X-K FM - for taking the initiative to arrange for this trip for Moshe Maghundu. It would not have been possible without her and he would not have been able to do his work in the Kalahari.
- Hennie Swart - for all the financial support. Thanks for believing  in the development of the San people by supporting the X-K FM Archives: "Baie dankie Hennie, ek waardeur alles!"
- Colleagues: Simon Hasjenda, Rena Maghundu, Reinhardt Kampunda and Jeta Manuel - "Thanks for the co-operation you gave. I really enjoyed working with you all.You all are hard-working and we all had one mission to accomplish, and that was to do our best for our station X-K FM".


Related posts

- The Kalahari Desert Festival 21 - 23 March 2014 > "Sound Hunting" for archival purposes

- X-K FM archivist at the Kalahari Desert Festival

SABC Polokwane celebrating South African Library Week 2015 - photos #SALW2015

SABC Polokwane Library and Archive are taking part in the South African Library Week celebrations this week. They are sharing their collections in the exhibition as well as showcasing the importance of the library/archive.

World Radio Day on 13 February 2015 #WorldRadioDay

World Radio Day

World Radio Day is on 13 February 2015.

The SABC Radio Archives supports this day each year by showcasing our collections from all the SABC Radio Broadcast Services.
We have a duty to preserve this rich heritage, as well as make this collection available for research, re-broadcast and re-use.

Celebrating Radio 

From news and public debate to music and entertainment, radio continues to inform, captivate and inspire us in a way that no other medium can. 

But radio is so much more than a forum for information and entertainment. It reaches more people in more places than any other medium. It’s a bridge of communication for remote communities, developing regions and vulnerable populations, sometimes with no other connection to the outside world. Perhaps no other platform can have the real-time reach between people and across cultures. 

Radio is also the medium best-adapted to navigate the new digital frontiers that are pushing the media and communication into unchartered waters. Technologies such as the Internet, mobile communication and geolocation have shifted the traditional dynamic in which the media operate, with young people at the fore-front of these converging trends, at the same time embracing radio as enthusiastically as ever. 

So let’s come together on 13 February not only to celebrate the importance of radio in our lives today, but to ensure it lives up to its huge potential in the future.

World Radio Day Message: UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova 



Related posts:

 - The importance of radio – on World Radio Day 2013 #WRD13 #worldradioday

- World Radio Day 2013 Press Release


Blog post by Karen du Toit, Archivist, SABC Radio Archives. 

How to ruin a date with an archivist in five words - Storify

"The hashtag #FiveWordsToRuinADate is taking the Twitterverse by storm. It topped the trending list in both the United States and the United Kingdom. This new hashtag game has something for everyone -- from big corporations to regular folks."

Twitter archivists also uses the hashtag #RuinADateWithAnArchivistInFiveWords since last week to highlight most of the annoying things that are being said to them. We have heard most of them, but some are still a surprise!



Compiled by Karen du Toit, Archivist in the SABC Radio Archives, on Storify

Librarians: Connect for free with international peers and beef up your professional networks

International Librarianship @thelibrarykim

Librarians, and also archivists! This is a great way to re-ignite your professional life and networks for the new year! 

The International Librarians Network: new round begins March 2015

Want to build your professional network and learn about librarianship around the world? Love the idea of professional travel but just don’t have the budget? The International Librarians Network (ILN) is for you. We are pleased to announce the next round of this popular program will commence in March 2015. 

The ILN peer mentoring program is a facilitated program aimed at helping librarians develop international networks. Having connected over 1500 librarians from 103 countries, participating in the ILN brings wider professional awareness, an international perspective to your work, new ideas, and increased professional confidence.  

Applications for the next round of partnerships will open in January 2015 and close at midnight on Sunday 15th February 2015. Numbers are limited, so apply early to ensure your inclusion. 

The ILN is open to anyone working in the library and information industry around the world. The program remains free and the only requirements to participate are an internet connection, fluent English skills, an hour each week and a desire to build professional connections and learn from colleagues.  

Get involved now!
Find out more about the way the program works, or apply online.

Blog post by Karen du Toit, ILN South Africa coordinator (Contact here: southafrica.ilnetwork@gmail.com)
Signing up for her fifth round!


Related posts:

- Connect with archivists and librarians from around the world 

- The International Librarians Network: new round begins Seeptember 2014

Archivists of SABC Radio Archives being interviewed about World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2014 #wdavh2014

Three of the archivists of SABC Radio Archives were interviewed by SABC Radio stations about the importance of World Day for Audiovisual Heritage that is celebrated yearly on 27 October 2014.

The interviews are uploaded on SoundCloud.

Morongwa Mokwena, English Archivist, on 26 October on Media@SAFM on SAFM




Karen du Toit, Afrikaans Archivist, on 27 October on Loslip, on RSG. (interview in Afrikaans)




Peter Raseroka, Ikwekwezi Archivist, on 27 October on Ikwekwezi FM (interview in isiNdebele)





Related posts:

- World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2014 today

- World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2014 on 27 October

International Association for Sound and Audiovisual Archives Conference 2014 #iasa2014

Centre for the Book, Cape Town

The IASA annual conference was this year held in Cape Town, from 5 - 9 October 2014.

The theme of the conference was: "Connecting Cultures: Content, Context, and Collaboration"

"It was an inspiring, exciting event informed by the dynamic and diverse, natural and cultural landscape of South Africa and the Southern African region. It supported the connection of  cultures and open many new ways for collaboration to ensure the safeguarding of our valuable sound and audiovisual heritage.
It was hosted in the heart of multicultural literacy and publication -- the National Library of South Africa's Center for the Book -- the venue for the conference.
It was a week of discussions, debates and sharing of ideas with local and international experts on matters of sound and audiovisual archives.

Conference themes:Content and technologiesConnecting dataContextualisation and CurationCurators and creatorsCustomer-driven services issuesCrowd-sourcing, cataloguing and content managementCollaborative learning"  - IASA

The Storify compiles some of the social media engagements during the week of the conference.

Blog post and Storify by Karen du Toit

SABC Cape Town Principal Librarian Marlene Ungerer training at the SABC Radio Archives in Auckland Park

Marlene Ungerer and Cate Jele

The Principal Librarian of the SABC Media Library in Cape Town, Marlene Ungerer, was this week in Auckland Park at the SABC Radio Archives.

SABC Cape Town is planning to appoint a Radio Archivist for the first time, and the archivist will be expected to report to the Principal Librarian in Cape Town. SABC Cape Town Media Libraries provides services to the following radio stations: Good Hope FM, RSG, SAFM and Umhlobo Wenene. A need was identified for training for Marlene to be able to understand the role and complexities of the post.

Cate Jele, the Acting Manager and Team Leader of the request team, trained her on the in-house cataloguing system, Natural Document Management (NDM), as well as all the processes, systems and procedures of working in the Radio Archives.

Marlene expressed her delight in being able to learn so much in one week, as well as walking away with a new understanding about the work of the radio archivists.


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

Scratched acetate 1943 record sound saved in the SABC Radio Archives

A 1943 acetate record with a large scratch was fixed by the SABC Radio Archives' sound engineer, Obakeng Phiri.

It is a 1943 song about "Generaal De la Rey" (composed by C Lamprecht) and sing by Betsy de la Porte. On the 15th of September it is the 100 year anniversary since the South African Boer War general died, and the material is needed from the archives for a tribute programme.

The scratch

This is the original sound.

As archivists we do not always have the specialised skills of the sound engineers, and we sometimes struggle to fix the formats when they are damaged. It became very apparent when the sound engineer was called in and he could do his digital magic.

Obakeng Phiri working his magic on Wavelab

The fixed sound that was sent to the journalist to use in her programme for News Actuality.




Thanks to specialised skills!

The archivist could now update the catalogue, and save the fixed version electronically for future use as well!


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

LIASA EXCO and branch members visiting specialist libraries, including the SABC Media Libraries

The SABC Media Libraries had the pleasure yesterday in welcoming a delegation from the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), including the following EXCO members: Ms Ujala Satgoor - LIASA President; Ms Segametsi Molawa - LIASA President Elect; Mr Mandla Ntombela - LIASA National PRO; Ms Therese Els - LIASA NAtional Secretary and Ms Annamarie Goosen - LIASA Manager.

The LIASA delegation's road-show included visiting different types of libraries, and they wanted  to include a specialist library like that of the SABC! Their aim is to form an idea of the state of libraries and information services in South Africa. They would also like to share information with their staff members on burning issues.

The LIASA delegation was shown the the SABC Radio Archives, the SABC Record Library and the SABC Information Library. Because of time constraints the delegation was not shown the SABC Music Library or the Audio Restoration Section.

The delegation expressed a sincere interest in how the SABC Media Libraries give access access to their content, which includes audio (radio programmes and clips), as well as commercial music and information contained in books, magazines, newspaper and electronic.

It means a great deal to the SABC Media Libraries to be able to form connections with Information Professionals from across South Africa. As members of LIASA they appreciate the interest that was shown in their services. The specialised nature of the SABC Media Libraries' services contribute to a perceived isolation from their peers in the librarian and archivist fields.

The significance of the visit has highlighted the worth of the services once again, and gives an appreciation of the specialist services that are rendered at the SABC Media Libraries!

LIASA delegation in the SABC Radio Archives

Team Leader of Cataloguing and Sport Archivist
Johann Greyling addressing the meeting 

LIASA delegation with Ujala Satgoor

Justice Leshilo welcoming the delegation in the SABC Information Library

Monica van Deventer (Principal Librarian) with Justice Leshilo

Themba Mtshali demonstrating the Newbase scanning system in
the Newspaper Clipping Section (SABC Information Library)

LIASA delegation in the SABC Information Library 

Ujala Satgoor in the SABC Information Library

The SABC Media Libraries feel honoured to have shaken hands with the LIASA EXCO, as well as meeting some of the LIASA Gauteng South branch executive members.

Blog post and photos by Karen du Toit, Archivist in the SABC Radio Archives.