Article re-cap
- Twenty-three Cape Town librarians graduated from the SILL programme on South African Librarians Day, 10 July, bringing the total alumni to 80 over five years.
- The programme teaches design-thinking, community mapping and evidence-based advocacy to prepare librarians for the digital age.
- Councillor Francine Higham pledged seed funding and a coaching mentor to any SILL alumnus who submits a viable scale-up plan within 90 days.
- Wynberg Children's Librarian Sipho Fako is helping township youth master electrical circuitry using discarded encyclopaedias and YouTube clips streamed over the library's 5 Mbps line.
- Valhalla Park's Randal Rousseau has saved his branch R3 200 by using a refurbished 3-D printer to manufacture replacement furniture parts, and is piloting an AI plug-in to anticipate future failures.
The City of Cape Town celebrated the graduation of 23 librarians on South African Librarians Day, following their completion of a leadership development programme.
The City Library and Information Services held the graduation on Thursday, 10 July, marking the end of training conducted during May and June. This latest group brings the total number of City librarians to have completed the Strengthening Innovative Library Leaders (SILL) programme to 80 since its launch five years ago.
The SILL programme was developed by the Mortenson Centre for International Library Programs at the University of Illinois Library with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Training focused on leadership, problem-solving, project planning, communication, innovation and building community connections to prepare librarians for the future of public libraries.
The programme equips librarians with skills including design-thinking, community mapping and evidence-based advocacy, enabling them to transform public libraries into community hubs that address local needs in the digital age.
City Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham, praised the graduates for their commitment to professional development.
Higham also announced that any SILL alumnus who submits a viable scale-up plan within 90 days will receive seed funding and a coaching mentor, a commitment previous cohorts did not have.
I want to applaud our librarians for their commitment to continuous learning and professional development, in turn deepening their impact on the communities they serve.
The graduation theme, Future-Fit Librarians, highlighted the need to adapt to technological change as libraries evolve into digital learning hubs. Graduates include Sipho Fako from Wynberg Library, who will present a talk at the National LIASA Conference. Fako, who serves as Wynberg Children's Librarian, previewed a lightning talk on township youth mastering electrical circuitry using discarded encyclopaedias and YouTube clips streamed over the library's 5 Mbps line, describing his approach as turning the reference desk into a maker reception. Also graduating is Randal Rousseau from Valhalla Park Library, who has been exploring how artificial intelligence can improve library services. Rousseau has refurbished a 3-D printer that now manufactures spare parts for broken furniture, saving his branch an estimated R3 200 in replacement costs, and is piloting an artificial intelligence plug-in to predict which components will fail next.
An external evaluation by the University of the Western Cape found that every rand invested in the SILL programme returned R4.30 in measurable community benefits.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SILL programme?
The Strengthening Innovative Library Leaders programme is a leadership development initiative developed by the Mortenson Centre for International Library Programs at the University of Illinois Library, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It equips Cape Town librarians with skills such as design-thinking, community mapping and evidence-based advocacy.
How many librarians have completed the SILL programme in total?
The latest graduation brings the total number of City of Cape Town librarians to have completed the programme to 80 since its launch five years ago.
What new support did Councillor Higham announce for SILL graduates?
Councillor Francine Higham announced that any SILL alumnus who submits a viable scale-up plan within 90 days will receive seed funding and a coaching mentor, a commitment that was not available to previous cohorts.
What is the return on investment of the SILL programme?
An external evaluation by the University of the Western Cape found that every rand invested in the SILL programme returned R4.30 in measurable community benefits.
What initiatives are SILL graduates running in their libraries?
Examples include Sipho Fako at Wynberg Children's Library helping township youth learn electrical circuitry using discarded encyclopaedias and YouTube clips, and Randal Rousseau at Valhalla Park using a refurbished 3-D printer to manufacture spare parts for broken furniture and piloting an AI plug-in to predict component failures.
Source: capetownetc.com, capetown.today
