Interview with a Record Librarian at the SABC Record Library

Vickey Steyn, 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 Media Libraries. The interviews are generating a better understanding of what we do in the different sections that we belong to.

The interview this week is with Vickey Steyn, a Record Librarian in the SABC Record Library.

The 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)

I grew up in Heidelberg Gauteng, where I am residing to this day. I went to AG Visser Primary School, and matriculated in 2002 at Hoër Volkskool. After school I didn’t want to study, so I worked at Pick a Pay for a year. Following that I waitressed at Heidelberg Pub en Restaurant during the night and worked at Evermaster Int. Import and Export Company during the day.  Evermaster closed down and moved overseas. I then worked for AVBOB as an administration clerk.  In 2007 I joined the SABC as a Receptionist, and after two years I applied for the vacancy in the Record Library…  And this is where my journey began!

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

A normal day in my office is to capture music cd’s on the Record Library system.  Every Tuesday we receive cd’s from different record companies.  You mingle with different personalities at the record companies. After we’ve received the cd’s we have to listen to it so that we can give it a classification to capture it on the system.  I’m also doing the TOP 20 every week. It is called “The Top 20 sales of CD’s sold” which RSG is broadcasting on air every Saturday between 13:00 and 14:00; it’s also placed on the web on a weekly basis. 

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

Yes, but it usually get sorted out very quickly by Gary from BIT.  Didn’t come across anything yet that couldn’t be sorted out.

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

There is not a thing in my work that I don’t enjoy… Everything that I’m doing is satisfying.  Sometimes there are times that you struggle with something, but it’s not a huge thing that spoils your work situation.  I work with great colleagues. I can’t imagine a working day without them.  They make you feel like being part of a team, and with this “team” you can never have a dull moment or feel left out!


Related posts:
Interview with an assistant record librarian in the SABC Record Library
Interview with Aaron Magoro at the SABC Record Library
Interview with a Systems Adiministrator at the SABC Record Library


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

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.

Interview with a Record Librarian at the SABC Record Library

This is the first interview as 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 Justice Muthakhi, the Record Librarian and Team Leader in the Record library.

The 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)
I was born in Venda (Thohoyandou). I attended school from the beginning to standard 9. I obtained Senior Certificate while I was working. I joined the SABC straight from school.   I spent most my life in the music industry as a link between the record companies and the SABC record library. Ordering CDs and dealing with public enquiries. I also capture CD information on the record library system. 
    
Please tell us about a normal day in your office. What music do you give priority to?
Normal day?  I do not have something like that.  Each day has a different call. Although Tuesday is a day for Record companies and independent producers to sample their latest products; some of them come from as far as Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland.  I have to accommodate them any day of the week. This means I could go to the SABC foyer any time of the day.

Tell us more about your collection and the scope of material you need to preserve in the record library.
Our collection  stands at:
Light Music over               59000
Classical Music over          21 600
Transcription discs over     4 000
In our storeroom we have also a collection of LP’s and Seven Singles that are still in use because not all songs are on compact discs.

Do you struggle with technical difficulties, and if so, what?
Yes, change in technology is very fast and for me to keep up the pace is little bit difficult. I would say to have enough time to close the gap is a challenge.

Tell us why you enjoy doing the work that you do.
To work with people is a challenging situation and interesting as well. I meet different personalities every day and I learn a lot from these individuals.  Sometimes it is painful but at the end they help me to grow spiritually.

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