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Johnsias Mutonhori, Midlands Correspondent
Midlands State University (MSU) Vice Chancellor Professor Victor Muzvidziwa has encouraged librarians to harness new information technologies and ensure they are in tandem with new patterns of information dissemination.
The fourth industrial revolution has seen the rise of a new wave in connectivity, analytics and new forms of interaction spurred by improvements in digital technology. He said the development has confined a number of libraries in the country to the graveyard as they have failed to keep up with the pace of development as primary sources of information to researchers and academia.
He said information technologies were also key instruments in the implementation of Education 5.0 model, which seeks to promote innovation and industrialisation that are responsive to societal needs.
In a speech read on his behalf by Professor Grace Mugumbate of the Department of Research, Innovation and Industries during the 56th Zimbabwe Library Association Conference (ZIMLA) in Gweru last week, Prof Muzvidziwa said librarians have to move in their operation to new technologies in the knowledge economy.
“With the vast increase of artificial intelligence, big data, open science, heritage Education 5.0 among other key knowledge developments, the responsibilities of librarians should be related to the new skills requirement.
The changing environment presents a huge challenge for libraries and librarians in poor countries, especially those in Africa. As a result, librarians are the primary target profession for capacity building in developing countries as they play a significant role in teaching, researching, and organising knowledge,” he said.
Prof Muzvidziwa said libraries play a significant role in contributing to the corpus of knowledge and growth of diverse sectors in the country.
“The current knowledge economy demands that it is important for people who share information to be recognised as crucial sources of fuel for the growth of the knowledge economy; given the significance of information in today’s technologically evolving society.
Libraries will continue to have the responsibility to offer services that span social, political and economic barriers, and traditionally make a special effort to extend their services to socially excluded members of society. Libraries have the advantage of being all inclusive,” he said.
Prof Muzvidziwa added that there must be a conduit between libraries and national information policy to establish a common goal between information hubs and national vision.
“Librarians are also concerned about the lack of a National Information Policy on Library Development and corresponding library services. We appreciate that something in that area is being considered through consultations with relevant authorities.
There has always been a strong desire to have every school, rural community, town, or city to have access to a library. Efforts at reviving the library services are being mobilised through networking, synergies and collaborations, among various stakeholders,” he said.
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