Diversity

An event in Macquarie University Library:

This is an event organized by Macquarie University Library to celebrate the impact libraries have in Africa, with a focus on the world’s newest nation, South Sudan. I attended this program because it was about cultural diversity.

Date: 13 August 2014

Time: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Location: Atrium, CampusHub, Building C10A, Macquarie University

Theme: Libraries in Africa – a celebration

The event was about the celebration of the impact libraries have in Africa, with a focus on the world’s newest nation, South Sudan. There was an announcement of a project which is supported by Macquarie University Library and this is to build a library in a village in South Sudan.

The program Libraries in Africa – a celebration was sponsored by the Macquarie University Equity & Diversity Unit, under the Diversity Grant Scheme. It is supported by the African Students Association and Macquarie University Library. All staff and students were invited to attend and enjoy African food and cultural performances.

The event was a joint effort between the Library staff and African Students Association. Library Services Assistant and event organiser Alex Abe Kenyi born in South Sudan previously called Sudan says the event aims to raise awareness and celebrate the impact libraries have in Africa, with a focus on South Sudan.

“The event is to acknowledge and appreciate the generosity of the Macquarie University community in welcoming the people of South Sudan,” said Alex. “The community group participated in the event were the South Sudanese Australians Initiative for Development in South Sudan-Africa who aim to build a library in South Sudan.”

I learnt Libraries in Africa is an event close to Alex’s heart. This is because he believes Libraries play important roles in a culturally diverse society such as Australia and his home country South Sudan. As an African born migrant and working in a Library, I agree that Libraries enable different groups to enjoy their cultural heritage for example the South Asians Mother group meeting in Rockdale Library monthly come to keep in touch with their homelands, practice their mother tongue, learn their new country’s language, find their way in the new society, celebrate cultural activities and educate and inform all new community members.

Cultural sensitivity and respect are important aspects in the interaction between staff and patrons. Staff from different backgrounds can also play an important role in processes like acquisition and cataloguing even if they are not trained librarians. Unfortunately, most Libraries in Australia do not want to employ people from a cultural diverse background, they prefer Asians to Africans. This is proving to be difficult for them to acquire variety of materials because of the lack of knowledge of the language expertise limits cataloguing in different languages.

Again, lack of reliable vendors, copyright-issues and limitations in budgets has made it difficult for many libraries to reach. For Australian Libraries to be culturally diverse there would be the need for the National and international cooperation to improve these processes and make them both more effective and efficient and Alex would be very happy to send more Sudanese to Australia Libraries to help in acquisition and cataloguing when needed.