- Providing library materials to affiliated libraries
- Types of Materials
- Material Selection
- Provide and maintain an ICT infrastructure
- Professional guidence, support and training to affiliated librarians.
- Delivery of Materials
- Providing training and support to library staff
- Promoting a culture of reading and learning
- Special Events
- Providing Specialised Information Services
- Special Requests
- Interlibrary Loans
- Research on library and information services
- Research on learners / students
Libraries
Functions
Library materials
Types of materials
The following types of library materials are available in the stock of the Provincial Library and Information Services Directorate;
- Books
- CDs and sound cassettes
- Videos
- CD ROMs
- Periodicals
- Art prints are not available for lending to the public. It is used in libraries to illustrate aspects of the visual arts.
- Language courses are available on special request. Ask the local librarian to complete a special request form.
One public library does not have all the material on its shelves, but items not in stock are available through the Special Request System. Contact your local library for more information.The Central Information Services Subdivision in Bloemfontein can be contacted with queries and requests with which the local public library cannot help.
MATERIAL SELECTION
Material selection is done by a selection committee representative of different stakeholders.
DELIVERY OF MATERIALS
Materials are delivered regularly to libraries through visits by staff from the five District Offices.
Contact person
Nelisiwe Nokubonga Nodada
nodada.nn@sacr.fs.gov.za
Tel (051) 492 – 4879
Specialized information services
Special Requests
If the library material (books etc) you need is not available at your local library ask the library staff to complete a special request form. The material needed will then be requested from another library.
Inter-library loans
If the book or information you need is not available at your library or is not in the stock of the Library Service in the Free State, the Provincial Library and Information Services Directorate will try to obtain it from other library institutions in South Africa through the interlibrary loan system.
Central Lending Service
Expensive and less-used materials are kept as the Directorate’s materials in the Information Services Directorate. Central collection are available to the community via their local public libraries through the special request service. The collection is also available for use by individual officials of the FPG. The Central collection is furthermore also accessible to libraries outside the Free State Provincial library service through the Inter-lending system.
Research on learners/Students
Most learners and students visiting public libraries in the Free State use the libraries for formal study purposes. This is one of the results of a survey done in 1997 to determine the use of public libraries by learners and students.For a copy of the report or information on the survey contact
Services
INFORMATION SERVICES
Do you have any information available (free of charge) that will help or will be of interest to your community? Do you need any information about your community, e g phone numbers of sport clubs or cultural organisations? Please contact your local library or one of the Key Persons.
Bibliographies and Address Lists
The Central Information Service Subdivision compiles address lists and bibliographies. Address lists on various topics are compiled and distributed to the affiliated libraries to be used as part of the Community Information Services. The address lists mainly cover organisations and institutions in the Free State and also include some useful addresses of organisations in other provinces as well as national institutions.Information Support Service,An Information enquiry service is available for affiliated libraries and individuals. Contact the Central Information Service Subdivision with any queries and requests for which your public library cannot find the answers. We will use our extensive range of reference and information resources,
ENDING SERVICES
Membership
Ask library staff at your local library to complete a registration form
What is needed?
- ID book
- Names and telephone numbers of 2 relatives or friends
Maximum number of items that can be borrowed
If you are a member of a library you can borrow:
- 2-4 books (adults)
- 2-4 sound recordings ( compact discs)
- 2-4 periodicals (adults)
- 2-4 books (children)
Lending periods
The lending period for library material for adults and children is normally two weeks (fourteen days)