CUT library week 2016 celebration kick started on 14 March 2016. The celebration is a commemoration of an initiative by the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), which was first celebrated in 2001. 

The main objective of the celebration is to afford libraries across the country an opportunity to market their services to communities in an effort to advance literacy, make the basic human right of freedom of access to information a reality, and to promote tolerance and respect amongst all South Africans. Prof. David Ngidi, keynote speaker and Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, said that libraries are a knowledge hub of any academic institution as they are used by students and staff to acquire knowledge and support teaching, learning and research. “At the present moment our library is being revamped to provide a more comfortable and attracting study area that will accommodate and serve our students for 24 hours. 

Postgraduate students will also benefit from having their own information literacy program that will assist them with their research.” Dr Malebo Ntsoaki, a researcher in the Department of Life Sciences said that this year’s theme #librarieslifelonglearning symbolises the library’s effort to contribute to educational and cultural enrichment of South Africa as well as addressing the social inequalities. “The purpose of having a #hash tag is to make our libraries trendy,” she said. Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and University of Lesotho visited CUT to benchmark on information literacy program offered by CUT in the quest to learn from the best. The weeklong celebration includes watching a movie on15 March @13:00, Proposal writing and research writing-16 March @ 09:00, Library cleaning-17 March @ 09:00 and library competition on 18 March @09:00. CUT continues to be part of this national initiative. 

Images 

1: Library study halls during the refurbishment process. 

2: The recently refurbished study halls at the Bloemfontein campus. 

3: Study halls are in use again, front: Ms SE Ramokhoase, 2^nd year in Environmental Health and Mr W Mokutle, 3^rd year Public Management students.