One of our missions was to define library related resources and to highlight the difference between SA and Swedish conditions. The main conclusions indicate a lot of common library related resources:

• Human resources – volunteer, library committee, SGB (school governing body) 
• Economical resources – funding 
• Media resources (besides general books, newspapers and magazine)- Newsletter, exhibitions, newspapers, mobile library, informative posters, songs & drama, articles, AV-media and all sort of talking books, video, CD-ROM, tapes, records etc, National Film library, picture books, ICT – resources, living history.

We observed and collected examples of networking and lobbying:

• Resource centres and info centres 
• School library + community library 
• Education library + educators 
• One Private library + school library = community 
  library to children 
• Museums and schools 
• Insight in formal networking 
  in a provincial and regional level 
• Newsletters 
• Technical equipment 
• Homework sessions with parents 
• Take advantage of visits to invite heads 
  and other "important" persons 
• Form a library committee 
• Fundraising 
• Posters and campaigns 
• Lobbying through learners 
• Contest results to promote the library 
• Media and press
• This project!

 

We looked for developing and implementing of library plans:

• Much progress is done 
• Awareness of problems: visions 
• Engagement if you feel you can use it 
• Lobbying for sponsors 
• Volunteers 
• Getting the School Governing Body (SGB) involved 
• Marketing 
• Support from other libraries and schools 
• International networking 
• Constant communication with the media advisor 
• Feedback to all steak holders 
• Networking on different levels (politicians, companies, province, national, district…)

We discussed the influence of underdevelopment and collapse of structures:

• Communication problems (language, transport, telephone etc) 
• Absence of appropriate books and other media 
• Lack of suitable equipment ( ex Tape recorders for listening to talking books) 
• Lack of staff training 
• Volunteers 
• Lack of human resources with knowledge of school libraries 
• Change of staff 
• Change in social and bureaucratic structures 
• Lack of follow up systems and practices 
• Lack of influence on materials to be bought 
• Strong engagement in questions about food, clothing…

We have learnt a lot about the history of South Africa, about SA today, about philosophy of life, development, struggle, devotion and also many things that we can use in our daily work:

• Lobbying on all levels 
• General positive thinking 
• Proudness ("A reading nation is a winning nation") 
• Take more responsibility to pass on and share information , ideas and skill locally 
• Lobbying 
• Use informal structures 
• Appeal to all senses- singing, dancing, drama – show emotions 
• Importance of input of ideas and sharing of experiences

Similarities between library work in South Africa and in Sweden:

• A lot of similarities in our work, though we start from a different level 
• Similarities in the SA and SW curriculum, OBE 
• Similarities in getting the library recognised in the administration