Library love from the SABC Information Library

The SABC Information Library went big on Valentine's Day this year!

SABC Information Library on Facebook

SABC Information Library on Twitter

This #ValentinesDay 💐💐💞💞💕💕💞💞❤️❤️❤️💘💘💘💘💘💘😍🙂🙂 pic.twitter.com/B8Mq129jq3

— SABC Info Library (@sabcinfolib) February 10, 2017

We are Cupids this #ValentinesDay 💘💘💘💘 💞💞💕💕❤️❤️❤️ 😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/0BG9PjJlaC

— SABC Info Library (@sabcinfolib) February 10, 2017

Blind date with a book #ValentinesDay
So cool! @sabcinfolib pic.twitter.com/cx7d9OkPRO

— SABC Media Library (@SABCMediaLib) February 14, 2017

Closer look at our table #ValentinesDay pic.twitter.com/Kjo8mjPBZV

— SABC Info Library (@sabcinfolib) February 14, 2017

Library love from @sabcinfolib Books are like a box of chocolates... #quote #valentinesDay #librarylove pic.twitter.com/clvYvLMLsB

— SABC Media Library (@SABCMediaLib) February 14, 2017

"Book lovers never go to bed alone! -@sabcinfolib #librarylove #quote on #ValentinesDay pic.twitter.com/7xrS13sQ3e

— SABC Media Library (@SABCMediaLib) February 14, 2017

Valentine's Day @SABCInfoLib #valentinesDay #librarylove #blinddatewithabook Repost from @lawrence.jacobs

A post shared by SABC Media Libraries (@sabcmedialib) on Feb 14, 2017 at 12:23am PST

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

Follow a Library Day 2014 #followalibrary

The rest of the tweets and story can be seen here: Follow a Library Day 2014
Also check it out for great libraries to follow!


Storify by Karen du Toit

Time again for Follow a Library Day tomorrow on 1 Oct #followalibrary

Tmrrw is #followalibrary Day! We’ll tweet about innovative, out-of-the-box #library programs, resources, & work practices. #librarysurprises
— Followalibrary (@followalibrary) September 30, 2014

The yearly Follow-a-library campaign with the hashtag #followalibrary is on again for tomorrow.
The campaign was reignited by the International Librarians Network which posted about Library Advocacy & Lobbying: #FollowaLibrary Day (International)

David Green (@dpgreen), Children's and Youth Librarian from Australia, posted a guest post about the Twitter campaign on ILN: Libraries and Social Media: Follow a Library Day

"Join Us for #followalibrary Day on October 1st! 

Are you passionate about promoting your library? Do you need to escape the echo chamber and reach people from other industries, and non-users? Does your library do or have something that may surprise people? Make sure you get behind #followalibrary Day! At a minimum, you and your library service will get more followers.

This online event runs all day on October 1st. 

It’s a marketing, advocacy, networking free-for-all; a drop-in, casual twitter chat that feels like a group hug. Everyone everywhere can participate, and with steering committee members from South Africa, the Netherlands, and Australia, it’s truly an international affair. 

How to play:
• Add #followalibrary to your tweets
• Follow @followalibrary for discussion topics and questions
• Watch the stream by searching #followalibrary 

This year we’ll tweet topics and questions from the @followalibrary account with a #librarysurprises focus.

 The idea is to spread the word about innovative, out-of-the-box library programs, resources, and work practices, that users and non-users may be surprised to learn we do."

Follow the SABC Media Libraries here!

@SABCMediaLib

@SABCInfoLib

@SABCRadioArc

@SABCAudioRest

@SABCMusicLib



Related posts:

- #Followalibrary with #myfavoritebook - Report from a lone tweep from Africa

- Follow a Library day today #followalibrary

- Follow a Library Day 1st October 2011


Blog post by Karen du Toit.

Social Media for Libraries - Storify: presented at the Information and Library Management Africa 2013 Conference

This Storify is a compilation of the social stories for the presentation as part of the Information and Library Management Africa 2013 Conference.
The first day of the conference, 26 September 2013, was at the Crowne Plaza, Rosebank.

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

Social Librarian Infographic #sociallibrarian - by Elsevier's Library Connect Newsletter and Joe Murphy

Social Librarian Infographic

"Social today means so much more than sending a tweet or posting to Facebook. The social librarian is enmeshed in the fabric of the Internet of Things as curator, educator, filter and beacon. In this complex, dynamic and demanding environment, librarians are extending themselves and empowering library users. 

In recognition of this, Elsevier's Library Connect Newsletter (@library_connect) and Joe Murphy (@libraryfuture), Librarian & Technology Analyst/Trend Spotter, offer up a visual portrait of The Social Librarian, and invite you to download and post, share on your social streams, and discuss with your library stakeholders."
- See more at: http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/articles/supporting-users-organizations/2013-08/i-am-social-librarian-infographic-free-download#sthash.2PgIP9Hx.dpuf

This Infographic is available through The Social Library - 2013, Elsevier's Library Connect Newsletter, Vol 11, no 2 of 2013.

It reflects the future of Librarianship, and the way forward for all librarians (and archivists as well!)
Do you have any thoughts on this?


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

SABC Media Libraries Twitter Bio video via Vizify

Just made a movie of my twitter: https://t.co/e4aghsjeTy Let me know what you think, then make your own. #FollowMe #Vizify
— SABC Media Library (@SABCMediaLib) June 18, 2013

A very easy to get a great animation of our Twitter activity, is through the Vizify application.

Anyone who is ons Twitter, can get a quick and easy video which can be customized and updated as required!

Please let us know when you have made yours!

The Vizify Twitter video can be made here: https://www.vizify.com/twitter-video 

 We will check it out!

23 Mobile Things - There is always something more to learn

For those who are interested to use their mobile smartphones or their tablets optimally, or who wants to know how to get into the world of social media, this is your chance!

The Australian and New Zealand librarians have teamed up to make it possible through the 23 mobile things course by Jan Holmquist.

ANZ 23 Mobile Things 

The best news! You don't have to be from Australia or New Zealand to take part in this initiative.
You can sign up from anywhere in the world!

It is also a free course!

They are starting this week with introductions and with a quick survey to measure what is being learnt.

It is also never too late to start participating in this course.

All that is needed is to sign up with a name, email and country. As easy as that.
You can also follow the course on your computer or laptop.

The course will run from May to November 2013, and each week will cover a mobile Thing to master as set out in the original 23 Mobile Things blog

23 Mobile Things

1. Twitter
2. Taking a photo with a mobile device:  Instagram / Flickr app / Snapchat
3. eMail on the move
4. Maps and checking in
5. Photos + Maps + Apps: Historypin / What was there / Sepia Town
6. Video: YouTube and screencasts
7. Communicate: Skype / Google Hangout
8. Calendar
9. QR codes
10. Social reading: RSS / Flipboard / Feedly / Goodreads / Pocket
11. Augmented reality: Layar
12. Games: Angry Birds / Wordfeud
13. Online identity: FaceBook and LinkedIn
14. Curating: Pinterest / Scoop.it / Tumblr
15. Adobe ID
16. eBooks and eBook apps: Project Gutenberg / Kindle / Overdrive / Bluefire / Kobo, etc.
17. Evernote and Zotero
18. Productivity tools: Doodle / Remember the Milk / Hackpad / any.do /  30/30
19. File sharing: Dropbox
20. Music: last.fm / Spotify
21. Voice interaction and recording
22. eResources vendor apps
23. Digital storytelling

Your most pressing questions about the course are addressed here: FAQ.

The timetable is available: Timetable

Like on Facebook:    ANZ 23 Mobile Things

Follow on Twitter:   @anz23mthings

RSS posts:                 ANZ 23 Mobile Things  

Sign up here!

(Graphic: Courtesy Micosoft Clip Art: "Mobile")

Blog post by Karen du Toit, Archivist in the SABC Radio Archives, who will be taking part from South Africa.

InfoBuddy and inFundi function - SABC Media Libraries rewards & social media

 The Manager of the SABC Media Libraries, Ilse Assmann, announced a new InfoBuddy internal reward system for the Media Libraries. An internal reward system is used to recognise excellence in the Media Libraries when it is not possible to recognise it by monetary means.

The previous reward system called InfoBuddy has evolved. A new committee has been formed to address the previous issues of subjectivity as well as buddies voting for buddies. A new name will possibly be selected, as well as a new way of rewarding internally. The issue of merit in the different departments will be looked at by looking at core job functions... (One of the possibilities being investigated.)
It is a work in progress. ..

See the history of InfoBuddy in the SABC Media Libraries here.

The SABC Media Libraries are constantly trying to expand their social media awareness and digital footprints. One of the ways flowed from the Knowledge Café called LibCafe of the previous year where we started an inFundi mentored programme.
Certain criteria were set when we set out to determine "What do we need to start using social media in the SABC Media Libraries?"

The person who achieved all the criteria for an inFundi in the Media Libraries is Vickey Steyn. She was congratulated on Friday for her efforts.
Manti Grobler, the facilitator of our Knowledge Café, sponsored the awards of the day. A big thank you to her!

The SABC Media Libraries also acknowledged the work done by our colleagues for being active on social media for the SABC Media Libraries.


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

Libraries with social media X-factor

Libraries with Social Media XFactor

View more presentations from Judy O'Connell


Judy O'Connell presented the keynote presentation at Wollongong City and Branch Libraries to drive their social media campaigns for the libraries forward in Australia.
They have decided to take charge of the future and embrace social media as part of their library services.
The blog post for further reading: Libraries and social media X

This is an in-depth look at the challenges and strengths as well as how to proceed when starting out with a social media campaign in the libraries.

Libraries with an X-factor do the following, according to Judy O"Connel - quoted from the Slideshare presentation:

"- You can have an unlimited number of fans (Facebook users who “Like” your page)

- Facebook Pages are public—anyone can find and view your page whether they are logged into Facebook or not 

- All content posted on your Facebook page gets indexed on Google

- Create and promote events

- Communicate and share

- Connect or “like” other organizations

- Send notifications and messages

- Collect fans by promoting “Like”

- Feature discussions

- Create and share media

- Run competitions & polls

- Make sure to get a custom URL

- You can add additional admins (highly recommended)

- All admins have equal rights to administer your page, including adding and removing other admins (choose with care!)

- Select your page title and category carefully as they cannot be changed once set

- Bookshare widgets

- Catalogue search widgets

- Libguides Ebsco...and more

- Three C’s • Community • Collaboration • Communication

- Free Marketing & Advocacy

- Starting and sharing conversations

- Answering questions

- Breaking down barriers to information

- Serving as an interactive resource

- LISTEN!

- Google+

- share •communicate •participate •and more..."

These points helps us to see where we are in our own social media  strategies.
Thanks Judy!

Tweets from SABC Media Libraries @SABCMediaLib

@SABCMediaLib on Twitter

A compilation of some tweets and retweets (RTs) on the SABC Media Libraries Twitter account @SABCMediaLib for the month of February. 

It gives a good insight in what happened here during the month of February.

                                                  ______________________

@SABCAudioRest prepared Uma Casa Portuguesa by Jorge Costa Pinto and the SABC Radio Orchestra. 

@SABCRadioArc All 2012 Orange Afcon soccer matches from the opening to the final, broadcasted by SABC Radio, is catalogued... http://fb.me/1LTXR5qt4

A real love story of Steve Biko & Dr Mamphela Ramphele in the radio #archives #loveheritage - "part of South... http://fb.me/ZzurSavF

@AskArchivists Our search for love blog post has only gone up now #loveheritage http://sabcmedialib.blogspot.com/2012/02/love-in-radio-archives-loveheritage.html > in the #archives it is never too L8

Love in the Radio Archives #loveheritage: I went in search of real love stories in the SABC Radio Archives for V... http://bit.ly/xWjJax

@SpringbokRadio [...] listen to a special Springbok Radio Digital stream for Valentine's week! http://ow.ly/8ZkK5" #loveheritage

It is not too late to search for #loveheritage in the archives. Share the love via @AskArchivists on Valentine's... http://fb.me/AXM0cC6l

Happy Valentine's Day to all #archives #libraries & #museums! What love have you discovered? #loveheritage

"@AskArchivists: a little video to warm-up for #loveheritage on #valentinesday tomorrow http://bit.ly/zaLUdM - getting in the mood!"

It's #worldradioday!! Let's get this trending. Post on twitter, Facebook etc. and ask your friends to do so as well. the power of #radio

World Radio Day today #WorldRadioDay: Today is World Radio Day, a celebration of the role and function of radio ... http://bit.ly/ycEOo9

#archives #libraries #museums only one day to search for love in your collections! Tomorrow #loveheritage on Twitter http://ow.ly/90UOX

QR code for SABC Media Libraries mobile blog http://yfrog.com/ob6n5daj

SABC Radio to celebrate #WorldRadioDay on 13th Feb 2012

SABC Springbok Radio @SpringbokRadio digital stream uploaded for Valentine's Day #loveheritage - the radio station... http://fb.me/Xik4k3Vr

#ff @archivesinfo on new trends in digital opportunities for cultural institutions; @SABCRadioArc for news on SA #archives

World Radio Day upcoming on Monday 13 Feb 2012 - "raising awareness about the importance of radio, facilitate... http://fb.me/1vMt0RK6o

Demo recording by Iggy Madalane @iglett - photos http://nblo.gs/tCHzb

Wordless Wednesday - Stocktaking in the SABC Media Libraries http://nblo.gs/tHf3K

Picasa album of demo recording by Iggy Madalane, former colleague from SABC Music Library @SABCMusicLib http://fb.me/1EPH3WmfI

@SpringbokRadio "...was the first commercial radio station of the SABC. It sadly closed down in 1985, but the memory is kept alive!"

Valentine's Day invitation 2012 #loveheritage

InfoBuddy & Care Bear Awards - Picasa web album uploaded http://fb.me/18b9zxrfT"

Demo recording by Iggy Madalane:  A former colleague, Ignatia Madalane, made her first demo recording here at M2... http://bit.ly/xx5O6L

SABCMediaLib.li is out! http://bit.ly/reoAlh ▸ Top stories today via @yura_toole @mcmlxxvi_ad @direthoughts @titteryenot1 @childbookevents

The Daily Knowledge Cafe is out! http://bit.ly/nMz526 ▸ Top stories today via @michelemmartin @md_santo @jlearn20 @idbnews @sahana2802

                                                        ________________________

Please follow us. We love connecting with libraries and archives!

Also follow:

SABC Radio Archives: @SABCRadioArc

SABC Information Library: @SABCInfoLib

SABC Music Library: @SABCMusicLib

SABC Record Library: @SABCRecordLib

SABC Audio Restoration: @SABCAudioRest

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

What do you do when you see a QR code?

QR Code for the SABC Media Library's blog on mobile

You scan it! That's what you do!

Why? Because you want to know what it is all about!

How? By using your smartphone and a QR Code Reader.


Steps on how to scan a QR code:


1. Download a QR Code Reader for your phone.
    Try QR Code Scanner Pro for Blackberry (free). I have it on my phone.
    It looks like this:

QR Code Scanner Pro

 Or Kaywa Reader:
 It looks like this:

Kaywa Reader

Or Neo Reader:

There are countless QR Code Readers that are available for free.
You are welcome to let us know what you are using?

2. Open the Code Reader application on your phone when you spot a QR Code.

3. Align the code with your scanning screen on your phone.
I see that I have to keep my phone very stable and ensure enough light.

QR Code Scanner Pro screen shot

But other applications such as the Neo Reader immediately recognises the code and tells you which link has been recognised:

Neo Reader being used by Obakeng Phiri, our intern

4. If it does not automatically opens up in the link on the Internet, you are asked to click on the link to go to the required information.

5. Well done! See the required information/link/info on your mobile phone! (No need to look it up elsewhere!)

SABC Media Libraries blog (mobile)

Related post:
QR code for the SABC Media Library's blog


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

#Followalibrary with #myfavoritebook - Report from a lone tweep from Africa

October 1 was the yearly Follow a Library #followalibrary day on Twitter.
This year fell on a Saturday.

I enquired about the day this year on Twitter, and got the following response:

I got included in the crew of #followalibrary day by Wilma van den Brink (@wbk500) from the Netherlands. That is what happens when you stick your neck out on social media...
You get immediate response and involvement!

#Followalibrary website

I had a great day following the hashtag #followalibrary on Twitter last Saturday! I found a large number of libraries to follow through my own account at @karentoittoit, but also for the SABC Media Libraries' accounts on Twitter.
SABC Media Libraries: @SABCMediaLib
SABC Radio Archives: @SABCRadioArc

The topic of discussion was #myfavoritebook.
Very valuable suggestions came to the fore with regards new books to explore.
See the Twubs curation tool on top for all the #myfavoritebook suggestions that is still coming through on Twitter.

I found no other libraries from South Africa or Africa participating on Saturday on Twitter.
It is possible that I could have missed them. Please give me an shout-out when you know of any libraries.
Africa is also not included in the list of #followalibrary blog: Find a library to follow.
(Wilma, will you please add us?)

The deduction can be made that libraries and librarians in Africa have still not caught on to social media.
It is something that needs urgent attention, especially since libraries worldwide are going through the same struggles with regards budgets, closures, manpower shortages, the impact of the eBook, Internet and digitization (to name a few).

Is it not time that libraries in Africa step up and connect with their peers on social platforms?
We need the connection and the wisdom from our global colleagues, but we also need the connection with our customers.

What do our customers need to still make us as libraries a valuable resource in Africa?


Related post:
#Followalibrary Day 1 October 2011

Blog post by Karen du Toit @karentoitoit, SABC Radio Archives.

LibCafé curated - SABC Media Libraries Knowledge Café

LibCafé WordItOut word cloud

The SABC Media Libraries had a very interesting and successful Knowledge Café #LibCafe last week.

We are still busy  looking at some of the results that were generated through the tools used in the LibCafé. Even the scribbles done by the participants are a valuable way in finding our way through the maze of social media.

The question that was asked: "What do you need to start using social media?"

We have curated our tweets identified by the hashtag #LibCafe in Twapperkeeper:
http://twapperkeeper.com/LibCafe

Also in Twubs:
http://twubs.com/LibCafe

We have found a strange phenomenon which happened with regards Twitter. Our main Twitter account @SABCMediaLib was not picked up by any of the curation options that we used. The account is not blocked, nor is it private. It is only the tweets that were retweeted, or that came from the other sources, such as the @SABCRadioArc account, that were curated.

If anybody has an idea about the reason, please let us know?

The story of the day is compiled in Storify, which include tweets, blog posts, links, photos and related information about Knowledge Café's as well as specifically our LibCafé.
http://storify.com/sabcmedialib/libcafe

The Prezi, the presentation tool that was used, is also available online:
http://prezi.com/nxg-6mv1cemx/libcafe/

The TwitterFountain can be seen her:
http://thefounta.in/i5nC7


Related post:
What do we need to start using social media in the SABC Media Libraries?

Blog post by Karen du Toit, and WordItOut word cloud by Obakeng Phiri (intern) (SABC Radio Archives).

What do we need to start using social media in the SABC Media Libraries?

Prezi of #LibCafe

LibCafé, our first Knowledge Café, wanted to create an environment for conversation about the use of social media in the SABC Media Libraries.

The question: What do you need to start using social media?
We used the Knowledge Café as a facilitation tool towards a better understanding and learning environment about the uptake of social media in the SABC Media Libraries.

The SABC Media Libraries have a website and a blog which feed into the Facebook fan pages of the different departments, as well as the Twitter accounts. (See below for the different accounts.) We are two people who manage these accounts for the SABC Media Libraries. Representation of all the departments are slow in uptake, not necessarily because of disinterest, but because of heavy workloads and under staffing. The issues of workload and under staffing are global phenomenons, and not only problems unique to us.

The hope is that we could get a better understanding of what is needed to get more people involved, and to see where we can address some of the issues that make it difficult for people to use social media in their daily work activities.

We are very grateful towards Manti Grobler who facilitated our LibCafé, with her experience in the method of Knowledge Cafés. She believes that it is imperative to get a measurable result out of the process, and that it does not stop with the conversation only. David Gurteen, The Knowledge Management expert, and worldwide facilitator of Knowledge Cafés, believes that conversation is the most important, and that you don't have to get a result for it to be successful. We used his theory and videos about Knowledge Cafés extensively in our preparation as well as presentation.

The collective discussion in our LibCafé came to the following conclusion of what we need to focus on in taking social media forward in the SABC Media Libraries:

What did we discover?
(See #LibCafé Prezi snippet above)

We need:

1. Skills    It includes know-how about the applications, social media etiquette, language and we need to know the pitfalls.
2. Access    Tools such as the Internet, smart phones, etc.
    Unlimited time (when; duration)
    Permission
3. Audience

4. Interest (blending social media into your daily activities)

5. Finding your own voice    Desire, motivation, passion

Where to from here?

"A social media inFundi has more eyes on the World"

We have already announced a social media empowerment plan for the SABC Media Libraries to take the issues of Skills and Interest forward.
We identify inFundi's who social buddy the next inFundi's.

The inFundi status is measurable by the following criteria:

• Open a Twitter account;
• 30 Tweets; 
• Follow 50 Twitter users;
• Need to get 20 followers;
• Facebook - make 10 Facebook fan page updates on the relevant department's fan page.

The new inFundi's social buddy the next set of inFundi's. The first set of inFundi's will be awarded surprise packets, courtesy of Manti Grobler.

The issue of access need to be taken up by the management and social media committee of the SABC Media Libraries. 

Blog post by Karen du Toit, SABC Radio Archives. 

The Facebook fan pages:

SABC Radio Archives

SABC Record Library

SABC Music Library

SABC Audio Restoration

SABC Information Library

Twitter accounts:

SABC Media Libraries

SABC Radio Archives

SABC Record Library

SABC Information Library

SABC Music Library

SABC Audio Restoration

Related posts:
LibCafé - SABC Media Libraries first Knowledge Café
The Knowledge Café via David Gurteen - start of our LibCafé
The Knowledge Café to address a PowerPoint aversion
Experience of a Knowledge Café at KMUK11 #KCafe
Twitter Twub: #LibCafe

LibCafé - SABC Media Libraries first Knowledge Café

The SABC Media Libraries had their first Knowledge Café called LibCafé yesterday.
It is identified by the hashtag #LibCafe on Twitter.
The theme was: "Diving into social media"

The question that was explored extensively is: "What do I need to start using social media?"

The photos are uploaded on Picasa: https://picasaweb.google.com/SABCMediaLibraries/LibCafe30August2011#

Manti Grobler facilitated the Knowledge Café, which helped us immensely with her advanced experience in the Knowledge Management tool of business learning.

Manti Grobler explaining what a Knowledge Café is

I will be posting about the outcomes and experiences of the day!

We got some very valuable feedback from the participants in how to take social media forward in the SABC Media Libraries.


Blog post by Karen du Toit, SABC Radio Archives.

Ask Archivists Day this week on Thursday

Poster for #AskArchivists

Ask Archivists Day is finally here this week on 9 June! The SABC Radio Archives (@SABCRadioArc) are planning to go big this year!

The Ask Archivists Day is the initiative on Twitter which is located by the hash-tag AND AskArchivists #AskArchivists.

 It is managed by Charlotte Jensen of the National Museum (National Museet) in Copenhagen (Denmark) & Anneke van Waarden-Koets of the Zealand Archive (Zeeuws Archief) in Middelburg (the Netherlands). We are very grateful that they came up with the initiative!

On June 9th 2011 archives worldwide will connect and will answer any question addressed to them on Twitter. There are over 100 archives participating (and growing) which have listed themselves on the open Google doc.See the participating archives listed.

We have a few goals for the day, which will be a working document as we go along:

• The SABC Radio Archives @SABCRadioArc will take part by tweeting about the event.
• Tweet about our participation on the day and the type of questions that we will answer. (Ask input from the whole of the SABC Media Libraries)
• The SABC Media Libraries (@SABCMediaLib) as the bigger department, which includes the SABC Record Library (@SABCRecordLib), the SABC Information Library (@SABCInfoLib), the SABC Music Library (@SABCMusicLib) and the SABC Audio Restoration (@SABCAudioRest) will also take part.
• We will try to follow as much archives as possible for the day.
• We are also using this initiative to invite personnel to familiarize them with Twitter.
• Personnel are invited to use our Facebook fan pages as status updates for the day. It automatically feeds to the respective Twitter accounts. (Especially those who do not have Twitter accounts)
• We have a short training session before the time about the use of hash tags # and mentions @.

Do you have any questions for us?

Related post:
Ask Archivist Day on June 9th 2011 on Twitter

SABC Radio Archives on Twitter – follow up on #followanarchive day

Follow an Archive

The SABC Radio Archives (@SABCRadioArc) took part in the initiative of #followanarchive day on Twitter last Friday, the 12th October 2010. This initiative with the hashtag #followanarchive was first spotted on Twitter as well.

I wrote a blog post about Follow an Archive Day before the day to encourage participation, and tweeted about it, as well as communicated it on our Facebook SABC Radio Archives pages.

It was a great day seeing the tweets coming in from all over the world, and all the Archives taking part.
We had an exceptional response. I have been checking back every day, and keep on following the archives through the #followanarchive initiative.

Since last Friday we got 30 followers, and we are now following 54 more Archives or related Tweeters.

It was not only very informative about the types of Archives that exists all over the world, but also to be able to link up with each other in this medium.

I have come to realize the rich source of information that is available on Twitter for us as Archivists. It is information that is immediate and interactive.

The best part of the day: It was great fun!

Thank you Follow an Archive project leaders: Charlotte, Bente, Poulus and Anneke! You have done a great job. I hope it will become a yearly initiative as well!

Please follow us if you have not done it yet: http://twitter.com/#!/sabcradioarc

Karen du Toit
Afrikaans Archivist
SABC Radio Archives

Follow an Archive on #followanarchive day on Twitter

Tomorrow, the 12th of November, is the yearly International Follow an Archive Day on Twitter.
The SABC Radio Archives are also on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sabcradioarc.
Please follow us and our fellow archives/archivists.

The SABC Radio Archives have a passion for preserving SA's Radio Broadcast History. We are making a difference by preserving our rich cultural audio heritage.

Archives and archivists are on Twitter. They have discovered the rich source of information that is Twitter. They are meeting their fellow archivists from all over the world on Twitter. Social media has introduced us to a whole new meaning of sharing and exchanging ideas!

The Follow an Archive project was the Twitter initiative by Charlotte Jensen of the National Museum in Copenhagen, Bente Jensen of the City Archive of Aalborg (both in Denmark) and Poulus Bliek & Anneke van Waarden-Koets of the Zealand Archive in Middelburg (the Netherlands).

I copy and and past from Follow an Archive:

Many people follow an archive on twitter.
Archives are important.
They preserve the history of mankind.
Your history!
If more people follow an archive
more people will get involved
in their own history,
in the history of their ancestors,
in the history of their town, their country,
in the history of the world and mankind!
Take part in your own history
and follow an archive!
Tell a friend about your favourite archive.
Tell a friend about the discovery you made in an archive.
Tell a friend how archives inspire you.
Spread the word about archives on 2010 November 12 and use the hashtag #followanarchive !

Click to Follow:
Follow an Archive on Twitter
SABC Radio Archives on Twitter
Please follow both!

Karen du Toit
Afrikaans Archivist: SABC Radio Archives

The collaboration side of Knowledge Management - seminar by Sharon van Biljon

We had the privilege to attend a seminar hosted by the Department of Information and Knowledge Management at the University of Johannesburg. Sharon van Biljon, Knowledge Manager of Global Business Services at IBM South Africa presented “The collaboration side of Knowledge Management”

 We found the seminar very thought-provoking, especially the fact that collaboration is seen as part of the employees’ role within the organisation. IBM has an Intranet that encourages collaboration with vast sets of tools, such as blogging, and IM (Instant Messaging). The use of social media such as Twitter and Facebook were not really discussed, and there seems to be an area where they can still improve their collaboration.

No business can survive without collaboration. No matter how you look at it, socializing has become a means by which corporations conduct their business. The more employees collaborate, the more connections are made which leads to an increased number of insights or knowledge - exactly what companies are looking for. The sheer value of connecting to knowledge sources is coming into its own after a shaky start in the early nineties. The overly formal business style of the time stifled a natural inclination among employees to find like-minded people, whether peers or mentors.   The days of doing only what you are given to do, is long past. Today, you need to fulfil given tasks, but in such a way that it will render you unique when it comes to quality and adding value to your company or organisation. Who other than your friends to help you socially and in business terms, who other than your peers, mentors and colleagues to render the same type of assistance when you need it?  Businesses are enabling business socialization as never before and reap the benefits in a number of ways, among them, financial, of course. Employees stand to gain from this, but moreover, they derive a deep satisfaction in branding themselves as experts within a collaborative network of like-minded experts. It remains a win-win all round. And who would have thought that collaboration could be fun, as well?

The following pointers were also very valid. Change is essential for progress. Only businesses that respond and change themselves through reinvention have survived. The need is there to effectively respond to social changes.

Collaboration is crafted with a governance framework, where there is

• No need to ask approval
• Self-regulatory
• Openness is crucial.

It extrapolates back to the SABC Media Libraries which has embarked on a Web 2.0 campaign to effectively collaborate with our colleagues as well as our audience and users of our services. We started on the project last year when no clear mandate was available of how to proceed. A year later and the directive were only now released to become more socially visible on Facebook and Twitter. We have been moving in the right direction, it seems.

The challenge now is to get everybody involved and excited as well. How do you get you personnel involved?

Karen du Toit
Senior Afrikaans Archivist
SABC Radio Archives