Library, documentation council appointed

The Herald
Herald Reporter
3 July 2009

A National Library and Documentation Service Council has been appointed with an audit on the current state of the country’s libraries its first task.

Harare lawyer Ms Nokuthula Moyo will chair the council. Announcing the appointments on Wednesday, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart said the council would advise him on general matters pertaining to the administration of the National Library and Documentation Service Act.

“The functions of the council will be to promote the widespread enjoyment in Zimbabwe of publications of an educational, scientific, cultural, recreational and sporting value.

“The council will also ensure, maintain and develop a high standard of library facilities, operate a documentation facility and an inter-library loan facility and to train librarians and to ensure, maintain, coordinate and develop a high standard of librarianship,” he said. Minister Coltart said the term of office of the previous council expired in 2005 but no new appointments had been made since then.

Other members of the council are the dean of the Faculty of Communication and Information Science at the National University of Science and Technology Dr Lawton Hikwa, chartered accountant Mr Tapiwa Chizana and lawyer Ms M Rusere. Also appointed were Ms A Mafukare (director in the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture), Ms Jean Kanengoni (bookshop co-ordinator) and Ms Jean Mandewo (documentation officer). Mr Berry Mushonga (library director), Ms Eunice Pfende (programme officer), Mr Ronald Munatsi (principal librarian), Ms Ann Padmore (the director of Library and Information Services), Mr Roger Stringer, Ms Deborah Barron, Ms Cathrine Shadwell, Mr J Maenzanise and a librarian Mr C Mutomba complete the list.