Social capital: a fresh vision for public libraries in South Africa
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Date
2007
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Library and Information Association of South Africa
Abstract
The article argues that the construct of social capital offers South African public
librarianship fresh vision � urgently needed if it is to fulfil its potential role in social
inclusion. Social capital refers to the stocks of social trust, norms and networks that a
community can draw on to solve common problems. A wide body of research in
Southern Africa bears witness to its role in the success of development projects.
Restrictive economic policies, coupled with new demands, have put pressure on
public libraries and research points to a prevailing low morale among their staff,
who, it is suggested, find themselves caught in the transition towards new models of
service. Government�s acceptance of social capital as a crucial tool in the
developmental state and the news of its intervention to transform South African
public libraries suggest the need to articulate the library as �a place for all�. In
reaction to neglect in the literature of social capital, internationally, librarians have
documented their building of social capital through their education, information and
community programmes. This work offers South African librarians a rich resource to
draw on in their search for new direction and vision
Description
Keywords
Social capital, South Africa, Public libraries
Citation
Hart,G. (2007). Social capital: a fresh vision for public libraries in South Africa. South African Journal of Libraries & Information Science, 73(1): 14?24