Annual Report 2015-2016

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The 21st Century Library and
Information Centre: Gateway to the
Knowledge Society
Building Today for a Better Tomorrow
Report to the Annual General Meeting of the Library and
Information Association of Jamaica
for the period
February 2015 - February 2016
Presented at the 66th Annual General Meeting
Friday, February12, 2016
Prepared by
Viviene Kerr-Williams- President
Theresa Reid - Hon. Secretary
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Library and Information Association of Jamaica
12 East Street Kingston
P.O. Box 125, Kingston 5
www.liaja.org.jm
© Library and Information Association of Jamaica, 2016
The Library and Information Association of Jamaica is to be identified as the author of this work in
accordance with the copyright, designs and patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the publishers
A catalogue record for this report is available from the National Library of Jamaica
ISSN- 0799-0545
20.66’7292
Report Cover design by Erica Shakes
Planning Institute of Jamaica
Tel: 935-5064
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5
Mission & Purpose……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6
LIAJA 2015 Executive……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
Introduction .................................................................................................................................9
Highlights 2015 ........................................................................................................................... 10
Reports of Sections ..................................................................................................................... 13
SCHOOLS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 13
SPECIAL LIBRARIES ................................................................................................................................................................ 15
RETIRED MEMBERS ............................................................................................................................................................... 18
ACADEMIC LIBRARIES ............................................................................................................................................................ 20
Reports of Working Parties ......................................................................................................... 23
EDUCATION & TRAINING........................................................................................................................................................ 23
MEMBERSHIP AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE .............................................................................................................................. 24
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………………………….25
PUBLIC RELATIONS……………………………………………………………………………………………….............................................................................27
FUNDRAISING…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………28
RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………30
Reports of Committees ............................................................................................................... 31
ADVOCACY .......................................................................................................................................................................... 31
LIAJA AWARDS COMMITTEE .................................................................................................................................................. 32
Reports from Institutions ............................................................................................................ 33
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF JAMAICA .............................................................................................................................................. 33
JAMAICA LIBRARY SERVICE...................................................................................................................................................... 38
DLIS/LIBRARY & INFORMATION STUDIES TRAINING INSTITUTIONS ................................................................................ 42
Reports of International Associations .......................................................................................... 44
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF LIBRARY ASSOCIATIONS (IFLA).................................................................................................... 44
COMMONWEALTH LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (COMLA) .................................................................................................................. 44
ASSOCIATION OF CARIBBEAN UNIVERSITY AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES (ACURIL) ................................................................................ 45
THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANSHIP (IASL) ............................................................................................ 45
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 51
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Acknowledgements
The publication of this annual report would not have been possible without the submission of reports
from the various Sections, Working Parties, Committees, Institutions and Associations. I therefore
dedicate its completion to each individual who gave of his/her time, effort and other resources to
ensure its timely preparation and distribution. I congratulate the individuals, teams and organizations
who initiated, planned, coordinated and implemented the programmes shared in this publication.
I salute the Library and Information professionals in the libraries, records departments, archives,
museums and other information entities who ensured that decisions, especially those of national
interest, were made from informed positions. I thank you for providing timely and relevant
information to your clients as Jamaica progressed towards developed country status. You have
contributed to LIAJA's mission of facilitating access to, and using information for national
development.
I thank the colleagues, families, friends and supporters of the 2015 executive. Your facilitation of our
involvement in the work of the Association is greatly appreciated. Special commendations to Mrs.
Theresa Reid and Ms. Carole James for their contribution in the compilation and editing of this
report. Finally, and most importantly, I thank God for his enabling grace and countless blessings
throughout this and the previous administrative year.
Sincerely,
Viviene Kerr-Williams
LIAJA President
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MISSION OF THE ASSOCIATION
To provide leadership in the development and promotion of resources in the
library and information profession in order to facilitate access to and use of
information for national development.
PURPOSE OF THE ASSOCIATION
 To unite all persons engaged or interested in library and information
work in Jamaica and to provide opportunities for their meeting
together to discuss matters related to library and information work.
 To encourage co-operation between institutions engaged in library and
information work throughout Jamaica and to promote their active
development and maintenance.
 To promote a high standard of education and training for staff in such
institutions.
 To engage in activities that will improve the status of staff in these
institutions.
 To promote a wider knowledge of library and information work and to
form an educated public opinion on such work.
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LIAJA 2015 Executive
Mrs. Viviene Kerr Williams
Mrs. Jollette Russell
Dr. Rosemarie Heath
President
2nd Vice President & Chair,
Awards Sub-Committee
Ms. Maureen Thompson
1st Vice President
& Chair, Membership &
Conditions of Service Working
Party
Mrs. Theresa Reid
JLS Representative
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer & NLJ
Representative
Miss Chantelle Richardson
Ms. Tricia Lawrence
Mrs. Norma Livingstone-Morris
Assistant Secretary/Treasurer
Chair, Public Relations
Working Party
Chair, Fundraising Working
Party
Mr. Nicholas Graham
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Mrs. Natanya Gillard-Ricketts
Ms. Lurline Cummings
Dr. Ruth Baker-Gardner
Chair, Academic Libraries
Section
Chair, Special Libraries
Section
Chair, Schools Section
Mrs. Joan Vacianna
Mr. Karl Simpson
Mr. Dunstan Newman
Chair, Retired Members
Section
Chair, Records & Archives
Management Section
Ms. Tannique Muir
Ms. Jessica Lewis
Chair, IT Working Party
Chair, Research &
Publications Working Party
Chair, Advocacy SubCommittee
Ms. Nicola Palmer
Chair, Education & Training
Working Party
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Introduction
It is with pleasure that I present, on behalf of the Executive Committee, the Annual Report
for the period February 13, 2015 to February 11, 2016. The theme “The 21st Century
Library and Information Centre: Gateway to the Knowledge Society” and the slogan
Building today for a Better Tomorrow became the mantra that guided the 2015
administration.
The team sought to fulfil LIAJA’s mission guided by the following targets:
(1) the celebration of LIAJA’s 65th anniversary
(2) the dedication of the newly acquired property at 75 & 77 Hanover Street
(3) the redevelopment of the Building Fund and erection of a business office
(4) the collection and management of the Association’s records
(5) the continuation of the Literacy 4D @ Your Library project
(6) the continuation of the Virtual Reference Service facility
(7) the completion of the 2015-2017 Strategic Plan.
There has been steady progress towards the achievement of these targets with some being
further advanced than others. During the year, the Executive sought to improve the
administrative capacity of the Association, by appointing another Director and setting the
term limits of its Board members. There is currently a challenge in recruiting and retaining
members and in promoting and facilitating their professional development. This is
primarily due to the harsh economic climate and the sheer difficulty faced by our members
as they strove to balance their full time work responsibilities and the voluntary service they
provide to the Association. The members of the Association were given opportunities to
share their views, participate in solving problems which arose and to become the change
they wanted to see. Strategies such as training, the advocacy initiative of challenging the
proposed changes to the Copyright Act and the use of social media have been employed in
an attempt to widen the Association’s sphere of influence in collaborating and partnering
with the public.
Sincerely,
Viviene Kerr-Williams
LIAJA President
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Highlights 2015
Annual General Meeting and Banquet
The 65th Annual General Meeting of the Association was held on February 13, 2015 at the
Mary Margaret Hall, Holy Childhood Preparatory School, Kingston. The meeting featured
a presentation on Health and Well-being by Mrs. Denese McFarlane, a Registered Nurse
and a Health Specialist with the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). Exhibitors at the
AGM included Ian Randle Publishers, Emerson Paradise Villas, Ebscohost and Running
Man Products.
The following persons were elected to the executive at the AGM:
President
Mrs. Viviene Kerr-Williams (returned)
st
1 VP & Chair, Mem. & Cond. of Service Mrs. Jollette Russell (returned)
2nd VP & Chair, Awards
Dr. Rosemarie Heath
Honorary Treasurer
Mr. Nicholas Graham
Honorary Secretary
Mrs. Theresa Reid
Assistant Secretary
Miss Chantelle Richardson
Chair, Retired Members Section
Mrs. Joan Vacianna
Chair, Schools Section
Dr. Ruth Baker-Gardner
Chair, Special Libraries Section
Ms. Lurline Cummings
Chair, Academic Libraries Section
Ms. Natanya Gillard
Chair, Public Relations Working Party
Ms. Denese Pallas
Chair, Fundraising Working Party
Mrs. Norma Livingstone-Morris
Chair, Research & Publications
Ms. Jessica Lewis
Literacy 4-D Project
Mrs. Peta-Gaye Richards
The following were added to the executive at various times later in the year:
Chair, Records & Archives Management
Section
Mr. Karl Simpson
Chair, Education & Training Working Party Ms. Nicola Palmer
Chair, Advocacy Sub-Committee
Mr. Dunstan Newman
Jamaica Library Service Representative
Ms. Maureen Thompson
DLIS/Library Training Institution
Mrs. Janet Findley
Chair, Information Technology
Ms. Tannique Muir
Chair, Public Relations Working Party
Ms. Tricia Lawrence (replacement)
The LIAJA Annual Banquet was held on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2015 at the
Knutsford Court Hotel. Mcees for the ceremony were Markland Edwards and Anjell
Bryan. The guest performers were Ryan Marks and his wife Chrissy D. Our guests were
treated to a variety of prizes and surprises.
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Scenes from LIAJA 2015 Banquet
Property Dedication
The church service to dedicate the newly acquired property at 75 & 77 Hanover Street,
Kingston was held on April 12, 2016. This was held to coincide with the commencement
of Special Libraries Week. Monetary donations and pledges were received toward the
property’s development.
Scenes from the Property Dedication Service
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Library and Information Week 2015
In July 2015, the Library and Information Association of Jamaica (LIAJA) decided to
celebrate Library and Information Week during the final week of October each year. The
period October 25-31, 2015 was therefore reserved for activities used to raise the profile of
libraries and information professionals in Jamaica. LIAJA sought to fulfil its mandate of
contributing to the Post -2015 Development Agenda by encouraging Jamaicans to use
information and knowledge as important drivers of economic growth.
Library Week was celebrated under the theme "LIAJA…Partners in the Creation of a
Knowledge-based Economy.” The week was observed with a church service at the Tarrant
Baptist Church, the publication of a Gleaner Supplement and radio interviews.
Executive Meetings
The Executive met for the most part, on every second Friday of the month to administer the
Association’s business. Special thanks to those entities which hosted the meeting on the
dates indicated:
March 20, September 11 & October 9, 2015
April 10, 2015
June 5, 2015
November 13, 2015
January 15, 2016
Planning Institute of Jamaica
Main Library, UWI
NCU, Distance Education Centre
Calvin McKain Library, UTECH
National Library of Jamaica
In an effort to increase the attendance of members and to promote the use of ICT in
meeting facilitation, the May, July and December meetings were held online.
LIAJA Registration
An Extraordinary General Meeting was convened immediately prior to the July Regular
meeting and was called with the objective to pass the resolution to remove the word
“Limited” from the Association’s name and to add a new Director and Corporate Secretary.
Documentation from the meeting was submitted to the Companies Office of Jamaica by the
Corporate Secretary, Ms. Marsha-Gay Robinson to have the changes implemented.
Regular Meetings
July
The first Regular Meeting was held on July 3, 2015 at the Joyce Robinson Hall, Kingston
& St. Andrew Parish Library. At the meeting, members were informed of the resignation
of the former Commonwealth Library Association (COMLA) Secretary, Mrs. Norma
Amenu-Kpodo effective March 31, 2015.
November
The November 20, 2015 Regular Meeting was held at the Distance Education Centre at the
Northern Caribbean University Library. A presentation entitled, “Born Fi Dead” was made
by Miss Cherry-Ann Smart, Special Collections Librarian, Main Library, UWI, Mona. Her
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presentation focused on the lack of quality checks and description in digital publishing
which deemed many records lost after a short period.
At this meeting, the President also presented a proposal for a Social Entrepreneurship
project and raised the issue that there was now need for review of the constitution.
Some members of the group were provided with a tour of NCU’s media centre immediately
following the meeting.
Strategic Plan
The strategic planning process commenced in 2014 and in 2015 a draft document was used
as the launching pad for the various Sections and Working Parties to prepare their
operational plans. The Strategic Plan will be finalized for presentation at the June 2016
Regular Meeting.
Literacy 4D @ your Library
Work on this project continued in 2015. A donation of USD$1000 by the Black Caucus of
the American Library Association for the purchase of tablets for the participating schools,
Portland Cottage Primary and St. Paul’s Primary was received in May 2015.
Rennock Lodge All-Age did not receive any tablets as they are participants in the “Tablets
in Schools” project. The cheque was officially handed over by Mrs. Pauline Nicholas
under whose initiative the project commenced. eBooks were purchased from LMH
Publishers and downloaded to the devices which will be presented to the schools during the
2016 AGM.
Reports of Sections
Schools
New Executive
The year began with a change of guards, as the old executive was replaced by one led by
Dr. Ruth Baker-Gardner, lecturer in the Department of Library and Information Studies,
UWI, Mona. The other members of the executive were Mrs. Dawn Allison and Mrs.
Heather Patterson, teacher-librarians at Wolmer’s Girls and DeCarteret College
respectively.
Workshops for School Librarians
The first major event was a workshop titled “Diversifying Library Collections through
Policy Development and Implementation”. Sixty one schools (private, public, high, primary
and early childhood) were represented. The presenters were Miss Cherry-Ann Smart, Mrs.
Christina Stewart-Fullerton and Mrs. Karen Tyrell.
The workshop had three components. The first involved the presenters taking the teacherlibrarians through the process of developing a comprehensive collection development
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policy using a template which the presenters created. Miss Hopplin Thompson also shared
her journey in winning the Renweb Award. Mr. Damien Satterthwaite from EBSCO Host
concluded the session with a presentation on his company’s e-resources.
The Jamaica Library Service’s School Library Network was represented by Mrs. Patsy
Gordon and Mrs. Dionne Barnett. Mrs. Gordon shared valuable insights on the activities of
her organization in procuring and delivering books to school libraries. The Jamaica
Information Service was also present and its display of local heritage items was heavily
patronized by the attendees.
The second training session for school librarians planned for October 15, 2015 was
rescheduled for December 4, 2015. This was necessary because the date clashed with the
Ministry of Education’s Professional Development Day and some of the librarians were
assigned to attend reading workshops.
The second workshop: “Diversifying Library Collections through Policy Development and
Implementation: Part 2” was held on December 4, 2015, at the Cecil Charlton Hall,
Manchester Parish Library, Mandeville, Manchester. Thirty schools attended the session.
Activities included:
 Completion of collection development policies in progress
 Presentation on how to write a budget for the library by Mrs. Christina Fullerton
 Presentation by Miss Marsha-Gay Robinson from National Environment and
Planning Agency (NEPA) on the resources available at the agency.
 Presentation and reading by Janet Plummer (Jamaican author residing in the United
States) from her book A Long Way from Home.
 Elections of LIAJA School Section executive to serve for the 2016 – 2017
administrative year.
Ten schools completed and sent in their collection development policies. These have been
checked by the workshop facilitators and returned for adjustments.
Concerns from the Section
Several issues continue to plague this section. These include: remuneration, position title,
teachers’ and principals’ perception of the library and the librarian, and working
relationship with colleagues resulting from this perception. The challenge is now to
increase membership in the Section so that we can approach the Jamaica Teachers’
Association to make representation on behalf of the teacher librarians.
School Librarian Contact List
In order to build the connections between school libraries and librarians, 13 parish
representatives were selected. They were tasked with the responsibility of locating the
librarians in their parishes and building contact lists. These contact lists were combined to
form one national list. This will make it easier to disseminate information about the
activities of the Section. To date, contact lists for schools and school librarians have been
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completed for six parishes. Efforts will be made to ensure its completion by the end of
March 2016.
School Section Membership Drive
A membership drive is now underway to populate the Schools Section with registered
members. A 20 percent discount offered to the school librarians for the month of July was
not successful in increasing the membership. The drive was re-launched in December 2015
and January 2016, and the Section attracted eight new members.
School Section Executive 2016-2017
At our School Section Workshop held in Mandeville on December 4, 2015, a new
executive was selected to represent the Section for the upcoming year.
The members are:







Chair – Ruth Baker-Gardner (UWI)
Vice Chair - Ana-Kay Lobban (Ardenne High)
Secretary – Sandra Lee Bailey (Cedric Titus High)
Assistant Secretary - Debbion Reader (Calabar High
Public Relations Officer - Faithlyn Reader (Edith Dalton James)
Treasurer – Cynthia Hewitt (Kingston College)
Assistant Treasurer - Charlene Bryon-Riley(Yallahs Primary)
An online meeting was held with the executive on December 15, 2015 to familiarise
members with the strategic plan for the section and to clarify their roles as members of the
executive.
Prepared by: Ruth Baker-Gardner, PhD, Chair, Schools Section
Special Libraries
Special Libraries Section Executive Committee Meeting
The 2015 SLS Committee had its first meeting on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at the law firm
of Nunes, Scholefield Deleon & Co. Ltd. In attendance were Ms. Lurline Cummings,
Chairperson, Ms. Kadian Chin, Deputy Chairperson and Miss Nneka Hall.
Ms. Leleka Johnson, PRO and Mrs. Sheneico Allen-Morgan, Assistant PRO were unable to
attend.
It was a planning meeting with the immediate focus on the plans for the Special Libraries
and Records & Archives Management Week, April 12-17, 2015. These included the church
service, theme for the week and promotion of the activities. The possibility of a newspaper
supplement, use of social media, radio and television appearances were discussed.
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However, none of these materialized due to time and financial constraints. The National
Children’s Home Project was also discussed.
A major concern of the committee was how to motivate participation of the membership in
the activities of the week as well as throughout the year as involvement was generally low.
Suggestions made were that:




a survey be done to solicit from members their needs and expectations
an electronic newsletter be published quarterly
a social be held to allow interaction outside the usual formal setting
a professional or personal development activity/presentation be given at
membership meetings
 an update of the membership list to ensure communication with full membership
 a presentation given at meetings where members share their knowledge
 special celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, academic/job achievements be
acknowledged with a small token.
1st Regular Meeting
A regular meeting of the membership was held at the National Environment and Planning
Agency’s conference room on April 1. This was predominantly informational: introduction
of the new SLS committee, finalizing of plans for SLS & RAM Week and discussion of the
suggestions from the Committee meeting. In keeping with two of the suggestions from the
Committee, a presentation on Public Speaking was made to the attendees and one member
received a gift basket as it was her birth month.
Outcomes
SLS and RAM Week
 The church service & LIAJA property dedication went very well. The Section
membership was not adequately represented although the backend support from the
Section was fairly good.
Lurline Cummings brings greetings at
the SLS/RAM Week Church Service
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 The SLS/RAM workshop on Electronic Records Management was held at the UWI
Multifunctional Room on April 30, 2015.
 The SLS social event took place after the workshop in the form of a lyme/games
evening. A great time was had by those in attendance, especially DLIS students.
Membership List
 The secretary, Miss Hall reported that she had updated the membership list.
National Children’s Home
 The SLS Chairperson visited the Home on May 28 with donations of clothing, shoes
and snack food items from members of staff at Grace Kennedy Ltd. There was no
interaction with the children as planned since other members of the Section were
not present despite the reminders sent. Miss Kadian Chin reported that she also
delivered items collected at the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate
Change at a later date.
eNewsletter
 InTouch eNewsletter Vol 1 #3 September 2015 was sent out to the SLS Members on
October 8, 2015. The aim of InTouch is to keep the membership up-to-date on
matters of general interest to special librarians/information professionals within and
outside the Association. A few members commended the committee for this effort
and advised us to continue the publication which began in 2014.
Special Project: The National Children's Home
In September, a letter was received from Joan Vacianna, Chair of the Retired Members
Section asking the SLS to continue the voluntary work that they had been doing at the NCH
Library, i.e. to donate books and teach the children how to use the resources to prepare
assignments.
This matter was discussed at the SLS regular meeting. The history of the project was
reviewed and the new executive was charged with developing strategies to add value and to
keep aspects of the project alive in addition to the major donation drive held during SLS
Week annually.
The SLS Strategic Plan 2016-2017
The plan was done and submitted to the LIAJA executive in November.
Approval of Funds for LIAJA Building Fund
The SLS members present at the 2nd regular meeting, January 8, 2016 approved the
requested 25 percent of SLS income to be donated to the Building Fund and 25 percent for
the administration of the Association.
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Fundraising
There was no fundraising activity during the year.
New Executive 2016
The members of the committee were elected at the 2nd regular meeting. They are:
Mrs. Kadian Chin-Matheson - Chair
Miss Sheena Gay Senior – Deputy Chair
Miss Noreen Dennis – Secretary/Treasurer
Mrs. Sheneico Allen Morgan – Assistant Secretary
Mr. Demar Cornwall – Public Relations Officer
Miss Nneka Hall – Deputy PRO
Submitted by: Lurline Cummings, Chair, Special Libraries Section 2015
Retired Members Section
Executive
The Executive Committee elected at the annual general meeting held on December 5, 2014,
comprised:
Joan Vacianna
Chairperson
Margarette Pearce
Vice Chairperson
Hermine Salmon
Hon. Secretary
Minkey Jefferson
Hon. Treasurer
Yolanda Mittoo
Immediate Past Chairperson
Patricia Dunn / Judith Cover
Social Secretary
Condolences
Before the Committee had its first official meeting, members were called upon to pay
tribute to Pippa Fray who died on Christmas Eve, 2014. Pippa, an Honorary member of
LIAJA was remembered as the founder of the Special Libraries’ Section. An extraordinary
Coffee Morning was organized to pay tribute to her on Friday, January 16, 2015. Present at
the function was Pippa’s daughter Fran and her husband who live in Scotland. The event
was well attended and many persons paid tribute to Pippa.
Later in the year, Beatrice Anderson lost a brother who lived in England. A memorial
service was held in Kingston.
Congratulations
The nomination submitted by the Association resulted in Mr. John Aarons being awarded
the Order of Distinction: Commander Class in the Government of Jamaica National Awards
for his contribution in the field of Library, Archives and Records Management on National
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Heroes Day, 2015. Another “Special Coffee Morning” was held on November 6 to
congratulate Mr. Aarons and Mrs. Winsome Hudson who was awarded a Badge of Honour
for Meritorious Service (BH) (M) in the field of Librarianship.
Meetings
The annual planning meeting of the Executive Committee was held on January 22, 2015.
This was attended by all members of the Committee as well as Judy Rao.
The two regular meetings scheduled for the year were held at the Social Welfare Training
Centre of The University of the West Indies on March 27 and October 2, 2015. Both
meetings were well attended. The Annual General Meeting for the year 2015 was held on
December 4 at Pollyanna Caterers at Stanton Terrace. All the members of the previous
Executive Committee were re-elected, except that Judy Rao replaced Hermine Salmon as
Secretary.
Coffee Mornings
There were three coffee mornings: the two previously mentioned for Dr. Fray and the two
national awardees and another which took place on June 25 at the home of Ouida Lewis.
On this occasion, the added attraction was a lesson in Floral Arrangement presented by
Mrs. Ann Ramsay.
Outings
It is very difficult to declare which of our functions was the most enjoyable because every
event was a major success. Our outing to Black River on July 15 ranks very high on the list.
This outing was the epitome of teamwork and resulted in delicious meals at a breathtaking
venue, an extremely interesting and hilarious historical tour of the town conducted by Mrs.
Allison Francis and a soothing Safari trip up the Black River.
Fundraising
Our annual fundraising event was a benefit performance of the Basil Dawkins/Oliver
Samuels play entitled Divorce Papers which was staged at The Little Little Theatre on
February 21. This event was well supported. We use the proceeds from our fundraising
events to subsidize functions and to provide assistance to shut in members.
Shutins
We continued our programme of visits to housebound members. Actual visits were made to
Audrey Roberts and Gertrude Burke and telephone calls to Gladys Thomas and Delphine
Cupidon. During the course of this week, Norma Davis made further telephone contact with
Sheila Lampart, Barbara Chevannes, Delphine Cupidon and Gladys Thomas. Thanks to
Norma Davis and Judy Rao for the effort they continue to make in this area.
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LIAJA
The Chairperson attended many of the LIAJA monthly Executive Committee meetings and
the Section was represented at the Regular meetings of the Association. A Strategic Plan
was prepared for the Section for inclusion in the LIAJA Five Year Development Plan. The
Section acknowledges the role played by LIAJA in the early submission of the proposal for
John Aarons’ national award, to the relevant Government of Jamaica department. The
proposal was written by Stephney Ferguson. Also acknowledged is the consent by LIAJA
to hold the COMLA funds in trust.
The National Children’s Home
Members of the Section felt that the work in the library of the National Children’s Home
had been brought to the point where the children needed to be taught how to use the
resources. Consequently, the project was handed over to the Special Libraries Association.
New members
During the year, some new faces joined us at some functions. We extended welcome to
Novlette Chambers, Maureen Webster-Prince and Valerie Francis.
Conclusion
In my estimation, the year under review was a very successful year for the Section. I wish
to record my gratitude to the members of the Executive Committee and all members for
their support.
Submitted by: Joan Vacianna, Chair, RAM Section 2015
Academic Libraries
Introduction
This report reflects on the highlights of a very busy year for the members of the Section as
we continue to develop library services to meet changing demands. The academic year
2015-16 brought with it a period of progressive change, most of it positive for academic
libraries. The major and very tangible difference for some of our Library users was the
implementation of Integrated Library Systems in some member libraries. This year was
also a time of consolidation and growth for academic libraries. Many of the key services
that were offered saw significant uptake over this period. Community, Teachers, and
Theological Colleges and university librarians are no longer relying on their stakeholders’
belief in their importance. Rather, they have been demonstrating their value.
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Information Literacy
Information literacy as a course is now gradually being implemented in more and more
local tertiary institutions. Library instruction within the college and university setting has
long been recognized as an important aspect of higher education. Over the years, academic
librarians have consistently discussed the important role that they can play by partnering
with discipline-based classroom faculty to integrate library instruction programs into the
various curricula.
Portmore and Excelsior Community Colleges began offering Information Literacy as a
course to students registered to study Business Studies. Plans are being discussed to make
Information Literacy mandatory for all students within these two institutions. The HEART
Trust Library Network is currently conducting a pilot programme at three institutions
using the Moodle platform to teach Information Literacy. These Information literacy
sessions are conducted in the regular delivery mode by librarians in all institutions. Within
the Teachers’ College system, librarians are also being charged with the responsibility of
delivering formal information literacy classes to all first year students
The University libraries, namely UWI, UTECH and NCU continued to offer information
literacy sessions to their student populations on all their campuses, employing both face to
face and digital delivery methods.
Library Automation
The concept of library automation is not new, but the current situation is still not leveled
with developed nations. It is the wish and desire of local academic libraries to apply and
enjoy the benefits of emerging technologies in their libraries’ daily housekeeping routines
and future developments.
Several members of the network formed an informal group to assess some Integrated
Library Systems (ILS) on the market. The group employed the use of webinars to analyze
the ILS systems from EOS and Mandarin Oasis. After reviewing all the information
available the group opted to procure the cloud based system from Mandarin. Currently
Moneague College, Montego Bay Community College and Portmore Community College
have started using the system for: Circulation, Cataloguing, statistical Reports, Inventory
and OPAC services. It should also be noted that HEART Trust NTA has been using the
Mandarin ILS for approximately three years. Koha is being used at the Excelsior
Community College library for automating library housekeeping tasks.
RDA Workshop
The section partnered with the Department of Library & Information Studies, UWI, Mona
to organize a RDA workshop in order to create and strengthen awareness of this relatively
new cataloguing standard, especially among librarians with an interest in or currently
21
working in technical service. Miss Rosemarie Runcie, Head of Cataloguing at UWI Mona,
was the presenter. The sessions were held at the DLIS computer lab. Participants were
exposed to the theory-based component as well as a practical exercise segment that
engaged hands-on cataloguing of books using RDA Bibliographic Record Worksheets to
transcribe or record RDA elements.
Forty-six library and information professionals were in attendance for both sessions.
Various institutions types were represented spanning across vocational and/or training
schools, community colleges, university, national library, public libraries, and special
libraries. Certificates of participation were presented to all in attendance.
COLINET
The group was able to meet four times for the period under review. Sigma College of
Nursing and Applied Science in Brown’s Town joined the group as the newest institutional
member. Digital resources subscriptions for services such as Turnitin, Ebrary College
Complete, Ebscohost, and Emerald and Springer Link were maintained by the membership,
mostly via consortium type arrangements.
Several Collection Development goals were realised by the group. G.C. Foster College
experimented with ContentDM to host and build an archive for its rich repository of local
sporting information. The library at CASE received $5,000,000.00 from the CHASE fund
to aid in replacing items that were lost some years ago in a hurricane. Montego Bay
Community College became the first local institution to offer a programme in Mortuary
Sciences and Funeral Services when they partnered with Humber College from Canada to
offer an Associate Degree. In tandem with this the college’s library has started acquiring
titles to support the programme.
University of the West Indies Libraries
Dr. Paulette Kerr was installed as Campus Librarian in March, relinquishing her previous
position as Head of the Department of Library and Information Studies, UWI. The year
was one of continued growth and development for the nation’s largest academic library.
Former Prime Minister Edward Seaga donated his collection of documentary heritage,
dating back some 60 years, to the Mona library. The ceremony was attended by Prime
Minister Portia Simpson Miller, Opposition Leader Andrew Holness, top Government
officials and members of the Opposition. In a bid to improve service at the Western
Jamaica Campus, a study room and overnight reading room were added to the current
library rooms. The Hall of Residence librarian programme which was initiated last year was
maintained. The service has now been extended to commuting students via the commuting
students lounge.
22
University of Technology, Jamaica
The Calvin McKain library at UTECH maintained its thrust of digital and global inclusion
across their library services and products. University Librarian, Mr. David Drysdale was
appointed to OCLC’s Global Council. The library hosted Claudia Tostado, eBooks Solution
Sales Manager, Latin America North Research Solutions Sales for Elsevier on September
24, 2015. UTECH librarians participated in the University’s Annual Research Day and
played an active role in research workshops focusing on aspects of literature review. A new
library was opened at the Dental Auxilary School on Arthur Wint Drive and the library
facilities at Dome Street in Montego Bay were also expanded.
Northern Caribbean University
The Hiram S. Walters Resource Centre at NCU continued to provide stellar service to the
NCU and the general library community. During the course of the year Former director
Grace Carr moved on to serve as Director at the Ross University of Veterinary Science in
St. Kitts, currently another NCU librarian, Nicola Palmer is acting as Library Director.
Information literacy sessions were offered particularly to freshmen in the Spring and Fall
semesters. These sessions were also delivered by the liaison librarian via their respective
colleges to senior students as per request. The transition from print to online journals via
Ebscohost continued steadily throughout 2015. Accreditation visits were conducted by the
Adventist Accreditation Association and the University Council of Jamaica. Facilities at
both the Mandeville and extension campuses were judged with the view to prepare for
institutional accreditation. In light of this, the library created a standard accreditation
template which was used to provide the requisite information to various academic
departments being reviewed.
Submitted by Mrs. Natanya Gillard-Ricketts, Chair, Academic Libraries.
Reports of Working Parties
Education & Training
For the period under review the Education and Training Working Party formulated the
following objectives:
 to identify a lead public, academic , special and school library that can host a ‘Best
Practices’ seminar for similar libraries in the three counties
 to collaborate with IT Working Party to facilitate two (2) rural workshops on
harnessing technology to a)heighten library visibility b)increase librarian
confidence/competence in the use of ICT.
23
 solicit from membership training needs/ suggestions aimed at creating a ‘Training
Bank’ which can be used for continuing education credits
 collaborate with Research and Publication Working Party on crafting a research
agenda for members
 to identify at least three grants through the strategic tenure 2015-17, to aid training
and travel for information professionals
 to host at least one workshop each strategic year.
Due to the lack of volunteers to work with the Working Party, these objectives were not
fully implemented but will be pursued in earnest in 2016.
Extracted from Education & Training Working Party’s Operational plan by Theresa Reid
Membership and Conditions of Service
Membership drive
The drive to retain 100 percent of last year’s paid up members fell short in some areas. The
goal of increasing paid up membership by 20 percent for 2016, still stands.
 Several membership appeals were sent out for the period including the new benefits
of the LIAJA MVP programme.
 A LIAJA MVP discount programme was offered to all members until the end of
July 2015 but did not pay much dividend - this drive is still on for the Schools’
Section.
There were 132 members in 2015. One hundred and twenty (120) members renewed their
LIAJA membership, while 12 new members joined. The breakdown is as follows:
PAID MEMBERSHIP
CATEGORIES
2014
2015
PERSONAL
INSTITUTIONAL
RETIRED
STUDENTS
ASSOCIATE
CORRESPONDING
85
21
24
29
3
0
53
32
27
6
2
0
HONOURARY
SCHOOL
6
9
6
6
24
Email reminders regarding membership payment were sent to 2014 members as part of the
retention drive. A new broadcast will be sent out this week for 2015 payments.
Library Schools Social
November 24 which was set for the Library Schools Social was postponed on consensus at
the last LIAJA Regular Meeting. This was due to the number of activities scheduled during
the period which posed a difficulty to set a final date.
Membership Database
Trial of the membership database MemberPlanet is still on. Broadcasts have been sent out
to members via this tool. Responses have been growing.
Membership Directory
A membership directory was not sent out to the general membership, instead, email
renewal reminders have been sent via MemberPlanet. Members were asked to view and
update their status.
Membership Recognition
LIAJA membership wishes to congratulate Mrs Winsome Hudson, National Librarian and
CEO of the National Library of Jamaica and Mr. John Aarons Former University Archivist
on the award of national honours. Mrs. Hudson was awarded a Badge of Honour for
Meritorious Service in the field of Librarianship. Mr. Aarons was appointed a member
of the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander Class for his
“Sterling contribution in the field of library, archives, records management, preservation,
and disaster preparedness theory, policies and practice.”
Conditions of Service
A follow-up letter was sent to the Permanent Secretary’s office in the Ministry of Education
enquiring about the progress of the current discourse between LIAJA and the Ministry,
regarding concerns voiced by librarians operating in Teachers’ and Community Colleges in
Jamaica. The Association was advised that based on the information provided, the matter
would have been carefully investigated and discussions are to be held with the Senior
Human Resource Director to determine the best course of action. Mrs. Natanya GillardRicketts, Academic Sections representative, has been kept abreast of the situation as all
librarians concerned fall under her portfolio. The membership chair was asked to call back
during the week of November 16, 2015 to get an update on the progress, however this is not
yet available.
Submitted by Jollette Russell, Chair, Membership and Conditions of Service
Information Technology
Website
A website hosting proposal was developed and submitted to three vendors for
consideration. The team decided to use a hosting company in the United States. HostGator
25
is the hosting platform being considered subject to the legal revision of the company’s
hosting policies. The migration process for the website began with the UWI being alerted
and the site backed-up.
Social Media
Both FaceBook and Twitter accounts were set up and reactivated. The Association saw an
increased participation through the social media networks and posting are done frequently
to engage users. A social media policy was drafted and is being reviewed for submission.
Public Relations Support
Ecards were created using the online software CANVA.
1 – Condolence
1 – Congratulations
1 – Invitation
2 – Save the Date(s)
Virtual Reference Library Service (VRLS)
The VRLS has been limping along as many libraries are failing to subscribe to use the
platform. This has resulted in the non-payment of the subscription fee of $100,000 to the
PIOJ. A challenge being experienced by the Association is lack of proper policy
procedures for such a system and an absence of marketing. Usage statistics for 2015 are as
follows:
Ask Service Report 2015
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Total
Questions Assigned to Librarian
0
1
1
1
0
1
8
0
1
0
0
0
13
Questions Claimed by Librarian
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
Number of Patrons Logon
0
0
0
1
3
0
5
2
2
0
10
3
26
Questions Received via Patron Form
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
2
0
5
Answers Sent
0
3
2
0
0
0
9
1
2
0
1
0
18
Questions (Total) Received
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
2
0
5
Most questions were received (hours)
Most answers sent by Librarians
Number of patrons that logon
10:00am - 11:00am
July (12:00 - 6:00pm)
26
26
Chat Service Report 2015
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Total
Avg. Concurrent Session Requests (All Inst.)
0
29
0
28
28
14
26
31
34
34
27
0
21
Most Concurrent Session Requests (All Inst.)
0
29
0
44
28
14
32
33
44
41
35
0
44
Avg. Concurrent Session Requests (Your Inst.)
0
1
0
1
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
0
1
Most Concurrent Session Requests (Your Inst.)
0
1
0
3
1
1
5
2
2
3
2
0
5
Number(Total) of Chat Sessions Requested
0
1
0
5
1
1
6
2
4
2
6
0
28
Number(Total) of Chat Sessions Accepted
1
9
4
4
1
3
5
3
3
2
3
1
39
Most chat were requested (hours)
10:00am - 7:00pm (April, July, September & November)
Most chat accepted (hours)
11:00am - 6:00pm (February & July)
Submitted by Tannique Muir, Chair, Information Technology Working Party
Public Relations
Reported below are the activities for the Public Relations Working Party (PRWP) of LIAJA for
2015.
PR Working Party Team: Tricia Lawrence (Chair); Ketanya Laing; Chantelle Richardson,
Demar Cornwall, Denese Pallas, Tannique Muir, Garfield Thomas
Objectives
The PRWP’s major objectives for the year were to:
1. undertake stakeholder engagement on marketing strategies to encourage non-members
2. send monthly notices, as per agreed marketing strategies, to non-members
3. provide monthly feedback to LIAJA distribution on status of membership
4. circulate calendar of events in a timely manner and ensure all relevant stakeholders are
included
5. acquire feedback and participate in at least 90 percent of all meetings held by working
party/sections.
6. highlight reward and recognition occasions
7. ensure all fundraising exercises are thoroughly promoted via all avenues
8. scope potential media to encourage member participation and ensure actions aim
towards development of the Secretariat infusing technologies in operation plan
9. research and make available to membership opportunities for partnership and
development
27
10. provide content to IT working party on all matters for information sharing within
agreed time
11. acquire and distribute content relating to competency development to relevant
stakeholder
12. increase web traffic by 20 percent year on year
13. maintain presence in external community fora/deliberations as a means of bolstering
Association’s profile.
Activities
1. During Library & Information Week, we had the opportunity to highlight our
Association via Newstalk 93FM and Power 106 FM.
2. We participated in the Jamaica Library Service Reading Fair and ensured that a trophy
and cheque were available for sectional prize sponsored by LIAJA.
3. We promoted the fundraising activities for the Knowledge Fair and Building Block
initiatives.
4. We liaised with the IT Working party on information upload re the Knowledge Fair and
prepared accolades for members receiving national awards, namely Mrs. Winsome
Hudson and John Aarons.
5. We promoted the use of e-reference resources via PIOJ portal.
Submitted by Tricia Lawrence, Chair, Public Relations Working Party
Fundraising Working Party
FUNDRAISING
The Fundraising Committee comprised:
Norma Livingstone Morris- Chairperson
Viviene Kerr William- President, LIAJA
Jollette Russell- 1st Vice President
Nicholas Graham - Honorary Treasurer
Tricia Lawrence – Chair, Public Relations
Christina Stewart Fullerton- Chair, Functions Sub-Committee
The Fundraising Working Party was comprised of some members of LIAJA Executive in
the absence of volunteers from the general membership. A strategic plan was created,
outlining the objectives and the activities.
Activities planned for the year were:
1. The Library and Information Association of Jamaica (LIAJA) Inaugural
Knowledge Fair
This event was planned as one of the activities in celebration of LIAJA’s 65th Anniversary
scheduled to be held on Friday, October 30, 2015 at the Parking Lot of the Kingston and St
Andrew Parish Library, 2 Tom Redcam Drive, Kingston 5, under the theme: “LIAJA
28
Partners in the Creation of a Knowledge Based Economy.” However, the event was
postponed due to lack of exhibitors, and also the date was in close proximity to the Jamaica
Library Service Reading Fair.
The fair was rescheduled to December 4, 2015 but this also did not materialise due to other
activities that were planned during the same period.
However, the Calvin McKain Library, UTech, Jamaica /COLINET pledged $50,000.00,
inclusive of advertisement in the Gleaner Supplement towards this event.
2a. LIAJA Building Fund Appeal
The aim of the Building Fund Appeal was to secure funds via a block drive and pledges to
assist in building a physical structure to house the Secretariat.
 It was our plan to commence aspects of our building plan before the close of the
calendar year. As it is now, we are not in a financial position to undertake the initial
steps and therefore we still need your financial support.
 At 65 years old we have so much to be proud of , we have land OUR
LAND. Added to this we have aspirations for continuity - a physical structure: A
HOME.
The total pledges collected to date is Twenty-Two Thousand Dollars ($22,000.00).
Outstanding amounts remain to be collected.
2b . LIAJA Building Block Drive
There was also a Building Block Drive Competition for Schools. The school which makes
the most contribution will win a tablet for their Library. The promotion continues until
March 2016.
29
The Building Block Drive has raised Thirteen Thousand Dollars ($13,000.00) to date. This
venture will also continue in 2016. Members are encouraged to submit funds collected to
the chair or the honorary treasurer.
Special thanks to all the members who supported the activities throughout the year. We will
continue to focus on the building fund appeal as we strive to make our home a reality.
Submitted by:
Norma Livingstone Morris, Chair, Fundraising Working Party
Research & Publications Working Party
LIAJA Journal 2015 Number 2 (ISSN 0799-4117)
The working party sought to prepare for publication, LIAJA Journal 2015 Number 2
(ISSN 0799-4117), formerly LIAJA Bulletin. LIAJA Journal is a peer-reviewed Caribbean
journal in library and information studies and is now disseminated via the EBSCOhost
platform. LIAJA Journal 2015 number 2 contains the proceedings of the Library and
Information Association of Jamaica (LIAJA) Conference held on January 30 – 31, 2014
under the theme “Harnessing Information for National Development.” The publication will
feature eight papers outlined below. Editorial delays have resulted in the change of the
publication date of the journal from December 2015 to March 2016.
Conference Papers:
1. Advancing Collaboration amongst Jamaican Government Special Libraries.
Winsome Hudson
2. Beyond “likes”: Examining Facebook Engagement in Two Caribbean Countries
Genevieve Jones-Edman
3. Developing a National Advocacy Programme: Lessons for Success
Karen Barton and Maureen Thompson
4. E-Government a Driver for National Development
K. Miller and E. Anderson
5. Information Literacy, Social Empowerment and National Development
Jessica C. Lewis
6. Libraries in a Competitive Environment: Towards Competitive Advantage
Fay Durrant
7. Resource Sharing and Data Sharing: Supporting National and Regional Development
Marlene D. Hines
30
8. Using the Past as Building Blocks for the Future: Library “gems” and Electronic
Access
Maureen Kerr-Campbell
Submitted by Jessica C. Lewis, Chair, Research & Publications
Reports of Committees
Advocacy
The action plan outlined below for the 2014/2015 year was carried to the 2015/2016
administrative year.
 The Advocacy Working Party will continue to advocate on behalf of our members
in all areas of the profession. LIAJA will strive to ensure that library users and
stakeholders recognize and value the importance of their library and information
services and of the information professionals to the organization.
 As outlined in the Association’s strategic plan, the advocacy working party is
charged with the responsibility of widening the Association’s sphere of influence
within and outside of the profession.
 An advocacy toolkit will be created for members of the profession to empower them
to be true library advocates. It is our hope that your voice will make a difference,
especially if it is heard at the right time and in the right place and by the right
person. After it is approved by the Executive of the Association, the toolkit will be
placed on the Association’s website.
Identified among the challenges facing the sector and which are in need of representation
are: a) professionals having to continuously prove the efficacy of having library and
information facilities and the related professionals and the constant threats of closure due to
severe financial constraints; b) the absence of an official syllabus for the teaching of
Information Literacy in schools; c) inadequate budgets and staffing; d) dated collections
and poor access to electronic sources; e) poor conditions of service including the treatment
of libraries/information centres and their employees and their exclusion from senior
management positions within some organizations.
In addition, based on a call for volunteers from the National Librarian, members of the
profession met to discuss and prepare documentation voicing objections to the proposed
changes to the Copyright Act.
Prepared by Viviene Kerr-Williams, President and Theresa Reid, Honorary Secretary
31
LIAJA Awards Committee
The LIAJA Awards Sub-Committee was formed in late 2014 and consists of seven
members, namely:
 Rosemarie Heath, PhD – Chair
 Jollette Russell
 Joan McDermott
 Eunice McKenzie
 Norma Livingstone-Morris
 Rosemarie Scott
 Dionne Smith
Early discussions surrounded a Librarian of the Year Award which would recognize and
encourage librarians whose dedication to the profession have produced results of
excellence, and whose contributions positively affect the development of their institution,
their Association and the society. As discussions progressed, the decision was taken to
name the award The Library and Information Professional Award for Excellence since
this expresses how the profession ought to be viewed.
The Call for Nominations was posted on Friday, January 8, 2016, with a deadline date of
Friday, January 22, 2016. Responses were slow and an extension was issued for
Wednesday, January 27, 2016. The prizes will be awarded through a transparent system of
nomination/selection among members of the Association islandwide and members of the
LIAJA Awards Sub-Committee.
The main prize is as follows:
 Library and Information Professional Award for Excellence trophy and $100,000.00
cash or cheque (Sponsored by UTech, Co. Mr. David Drysdale, Campus Librarian)
Category prizes:
 Information technology
 Creativity and innovation
 School librarianship
 Community Service
 Research and publication
[Mini trophy/$10,000.00 cash or cheque].
The Awards Sub-Committee offers heartiest congratulations to all of our 2016 prize
winners. Continue to work your hardest!!!
Submitted by: Rosemarie Heath, PhD, Chair, Awards Committee, 2015
32
Report from Institutions
National Library of Jamaica
Poet Laureate of Jamaica Programme
The National Library of Jamaica
(NLJ) continued with its series under
The
Poet
Laureate
of
Jamaica
Programme when it hosted The Poet
Laureate Presents... poetry series at
the UWI Mona, Western Jamaica
Campus
in
Montego
Bay
on Wednesday January 21, 2015.
From left to right, Prof. Mervyn Morris, Jean Binta Breeze,
Dr. Luz Longsworth, Olive Senior and Linton Kwesi Johnson
Featured were the internationally
acclaimed dub-poet legends Linton
Kwesi Johnson and Jean Binta Breeze.
Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ) Week
The NLJ, as a member of the Book Industry Association of Jamaica, participated in the
week of activities held annually to mark the Kingston Book Festival. The following
activities were undertaken by the NLJ as a part of the week’s activities:
Meet the Poet Laureate - March 3
The Poet Laureate of Jamaica
hosted a poetry rap session for a
small group of students from
local high schools at the NLJ
entitled “Meet the Poet
Laureate”. Also participating in
the session were 2014 and 2015
UWI Poetry Clash winner PetaGaye Williams and 2014 UWI
Attendees of the Meet the Poet Laureate Session with
Professor Mervyn Morris
Poetry Clash runner up,
33
Debronique Ellis.
Standards for Publishing and Printing - March 5
The NLJ hosted a free publishing seminar which saw about 58 authors, publishers,
Librarians and printers in attendance. Presentations were made by NLJ Staff and Latoya
West-Blackwood, CEO, iPublish Jamaica.
CESC/ CAPE Primary Sources Workshop - March 7
Students from Jonathan Grant High, St. Jago High, Immaculate Conception High, Merl
Grove High and Moneague College attended a work shop on using the primary sources at
the NLJ. Presenters were Genevieve Jones-Edman and Bernadette Worrell (NLJ) and
retired Professor Sir Roy Augier, Senior History Lecturer.
Kingston Book Fair – March 7
The NLJ staged a booth which displayed the Jamaican Literature Exhibition as well as the
services provided at NLJ.
Bookophilia Publishing Standards Discussion
On Tuesday, March 17, the NLJ in association with Bookophilia book store, held a
discussion on Publishing Standards. Presenters were: Valerie Francis (NLJ) – Services
offered to the Publishing Industry by the National Library; Treveann Harris (NLJ) –
International Standard Book Number (ISBN); Maxine Jones (NLJ) – Cataloguing
Standards/ Cataloguing in Publication; Latoya West-Blackwood (CEO, iPublish Jamaica) –
Publishing Standards/ e-Publishing.
Read Across Jamaica Day Presentation at St. Theresa’s Prep School
On Tuesday, May 5, the NLJ made a presentation to a group of grade 5 and 6 students at
the St. Theresa’s Preparatory School. This presentation was in keeping with the Read
Across Jamaica Day initiative, coordinated by the Ministry of Education. The NLJ’s PR
Officer, Ms. Kristen Laing, read to the students from the books All Over Again by A-dZiko
Simba Gegele and Summer Lightning by Olive Senior. She then gave a presentation on the
National Library.
34
NLJ Strategic Planning Exercise
As part of the NLJ’s push to reach
out to its stakeholders, and in so
doing, facilitate a National Library
that they would want to be a part of
in the future, the NLJ embarked on a
strategic planning exercise that
culminated with a Town Hall
Meeting on August 12, 2015 at the
Attendees at the NLJ’s Strategic Planning Session at
Alhambra Inn
Alhambra Inn Hotel. Approximately
sixty (60) persons were in attendance,
which included members of the
Library and Information Community, present users of the library, staff members and other
stakeholders.
The strategic planning process also involved a series of consultations with staff, as well as a
SWOT analysis which was circulated to a number of NLJ stakeholders. At the end of the
process it was unanimous that the NLJ’s strengths were the quality of the collection and
dedicated staff. Weaknesses included the location of the library as well as funding
challenges. There were, however, opportunities for the NLJ in the areas of marketing and
branding, use of technology, social media and digitization. The NLJ’s strategic plan is
expected to be implemented for the years 2016 – 2020.
British Library Attachment
Miss Nicole Bryan, Director,
Technical Services and Networks and
Miss Bernadette Worrell, Librarian
(Acting) at the NLJ both visited the
British Library for an attachment
35
Nicole Bryan and Bernadette Worrell at the British Library
lasting for five (5) days between September 14 – 18, 2015. The one week attachment to the
British Library (BL) allowed them to see select frontline and behind the scenes activities at
the British Library. They met with various persons from the Library’s departments and had
the opportunity converse with the teams to get an insight into what goes into getting the
results that the public see, whether online or in person (best practices). The teams they met
with were as follows:
1. Special Collection and Reference Services
2. Qatar Digital Programme
3. The Learning Team
4. The Web Team
5. US, Canada and Caribbean Collection – Curator
6. Digital Scholarship
7. Events
The various interactions allowed them to understand some of the strategies the British
Library employs to achieve its mission as it works towards its vision. The visit to the
British Library coincided perfectly with the implementation of the Vision 2020 strategic
plan of the NLJ. The visit again confirmed that the NLJ is in many ways on par with one of
the most distinguished National Libraries in the world.
NLJ and UWI Press – Walter Adolphe Roberts: These Many Years
The National Library of Jamaica
(NLJ), in collaboration with the UWI
Press, liberated one of its most prized
manuscript collection, the Walter
Adolphe Roberts collection. The
book, Walter Adolphe Roberts, These
Many Years: An Autobiography was
edited by Peter Hulme (Professor
Editor of the book, Peter Hulme, addressing the audience
at the launch
Emeritus, University of Essex) and
launched at the NLJ on Wednesday,
September 30, 2015 in the Main Reading Room of the National Library. The keynote
36
speaker was popular Gleaner Columnist and Manager, Project & Operations, School of
Graduate Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship, UTECH Jamaica, Mr. Martin Henry.
Walter Adolphe Roberts, popularly regarded as the ‘Father of the Nation’ was known for
his pioneering efforts for the movement of self-governance and progressive mobility among
Jamaicans.
Renaming of the Main Reading Room to the Daphne Douglas Reading Room
On October 15, 2015 the National
Library of Jamaica (NLJ) named the
library’s Main Reading Room the
Daphne Douglas Reading Room
in honour of distinguished Jamaican
Librarian, Professor Daphne
Douglas. In addition to the naming
of the room, there is a permanent
display of the many awards and
Professor Daphne Douglas cutting the ribbon of the door
to the Main Reading Room
citations received by Professor
Douglas over the years as she served
in her various capacities.
Prof. Douglas served the library community and Jamaica with distinction. In particular, she
served on the National Library’s Board from inception as board member and subsequently
as Chairman of the Board of Management between 1979 and 2011.
Jamaica Libraries and Information Network (JAMLIN)
Strategic Plan
As part of the strategic planning process and following from the focus group exercise held
in 2014, vision and mission statements were developed for JAMLIN as follows:
Vision Statement:
To support the development of a knowledge society through the delivery of quality library,
37
archive and information services
Mission Statement:
JAMLIN develops sustainable libraries, archives and information networks to educate and
inform our customers through resource development and sharing.
In addition to the development of the statements, there was further consultation with
representatives from focal point and network libraries to develop a strategic plan template
for JAMLIN.
Copyright Information Session
On December 1, 2015 the National Library of Jamaica organized an information session for
librarians to become familiar with the amendments in the Copyright Act and how it impacts
the profession. The presenter was Philipa Davis, Attorney at Law. Nicole Bryan, Director,
Technical Services and Networks, also gave a presentation on the impact of the
amendments on library services to the visually impaired and print-disabled.
Submitted by Nicholas Graham, NLJ Representative
Jamaica Library Service
The Jamaica Library Service (JLS) advanced the implementation of activities to
significantly boost information and communication technology capability under the project
“JLS: Using Technology to Empower Individuals and Communities for Development.” A
wide range of programmes and services was offered through the public and school libraries
to meet the information needs of library users.
Jamaica Library Service New Tagline
A new corporate tagline was introduced in June 2015 entitled “JLS… Transforming Lives,
Empowering Communities”
Jamaica Library Service News Feature
The first edition of the Jamaica Library Service News was published in The Gleaner’s
Youthlink on November 24, 2015. This feature forms part of an exclusive partnership
agreement between the Jamaica Library Service and The Gleaner Company (Media)
Limited aimed at promoting the deliverables of the JLS Global Libraries ICT Project. This
feature will be published monthly until November 2016.
38
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The provision of free computers and high speed internet access was expanded through 685
public access computers. Wireless internet access was made available at 96 libraries and six
mobile libraries. Free computer training continued for senior citizens, juniors and tiny tots
in parish libraries and select branch libraries.
The ICT project “JLS: Using Technology to Empower Individuals and Communities for
Development.” achieved the following targets:
 ICT
 Training
 Marketing
-
A total of 805 pieces of equipment (comprising desktop
computers laptops and servers) were purchased and are being
distributed to parish and branch libraries islandwide.
-
175 Wireless Access Points were acquired and installation
commenced in libraries islandwide.
-
State-of-the-art software donated by Microsoft Jamaica valued
at US $1,131,444.00 was officially handed over to the JLS at a
Press Conference at Headquarters on June 19, 2015.
Thirty-one managers benefitted from leadership training on
December 3, 2015.
-
Over 400 staff members from the 13 parish library networks
and JLS Headquarters completed Microsoft Online Training.
-
Fifty (50) librarians participated in Advocacy Training
delivered by the Management Institute for National
Development, September 14 – 24, 2015.
-
The Director General and the Regional Director, Region 4,
attended the 2015 International Network of Emerging Library
Innovators from October 18 – 22, 2015 in Cape Town, South
Africa, sponsored by Gates Foundation, Global Libraries
Programme.
-
A marketing campaign began on July 1, 2015 with the JLS
sponsored time signal at 4:30 p.m. on RJR 94 FM. The slot will
be used to communicate messages on the programmes and
services of the organization.
PARTNERSHIPS
i.
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries – Sugar Transformation Unit
Five library building projects and the acquisition of computers and accessories for
select communities in the sugar belt were successfully completed through grant
funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries – Sugar Transformation
Unit, with financial support from the European Union to the value of
$66,411,586.50. The libraries were officially opened by the Minister of Education
and the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
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ii.
Memoranda of Understanding
Three Memoranda of Understanding were signed as outlined below:
o Ministry of Youth and Culture/ Office of the Children’s Registry
Six computers and six printers were officially handed over to the JLS by the
Office of the Children’s Registry on March 3, 2015 at a ceremony held in
the Joyce Robinson Hall, Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library.
The computers and printers were allocated to six select parish libraries to
support the Ananda Alert System in St. Catherine, St. Thomas, St. Ann,
Trelawny, St. James and Westmoreland.
The equipment will assist with the printing and dissemination of information
on missing children to aid their safe and speedy recovery.
o Ministry of Education
Provision of funding to assist with the JLS/ICT project for two years.
o
Universal Service Fund
To expand Internet access in all public libraries to support the JLS/ICT
project.
PROGRAMMES AND SERVICES
National Reading Competition 2015
The 2015 season of the National Reading Competition was held under the theme ““I Can,
You Can, We All Can: Read!” The Competition which began in March culminated with a
Reception for Parish Champions held in the Joyce Robinson Hall at the Kingston and St.
Andrew Parish Library on August 19, 2015 and the taping of the Quiz Finals at Television
Jamaica on August 20, 2015. Five national champions emerged for the 6 – 8, 9 – 11, 12 –
14, 15 – 20 and 21 and over age groups as follows:
The national champions received a range of attractive prizes including trophies, cash
awards, bursary awards, tablet computers, mobile phones, gift certificates for book stores
and to visit local attractions, round trip to any Fly Jamaica Airways destination among
other prizes.
Summer Programme
The JLS annual summer programme was held at parish and branch libraries islandwide
from July to August 2015. The theme was “Go Digital This Summer @ Your Library,”
and targetted juniors 6-14 years.
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Library and Information Week
In observance of Library and Information Week (October 25-31, 2015), library tours,
exhibitions, reading sessions, class and school visits among other activities were
coordinated in parish library networks islandwide under the theme “JLS… Partners in the
Creation of a Knowledge-Based Economy.”
International Literacy Day
The JLS, in partnership with the Jamaica Reading Association hosted activities to mark
International Literacy Day on September 8, 2015 at the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish
Library. An exhibition was mounted entitled “Jamaica Library Service – Impacting
Literacy in Jamaica.”
Readings and Storytelling
- Little Lion Reading Tour with Kellie Magnus
A Reading Tour with Kellie Magnus, author of the Little Lion series was held in six
parish libraries during the period September – October 2015. Children ranging from
ages 5 – 9 years participated in readings, discussions, fun activities, with the Little
Lion character and the author.
-
Ananse Storytelling Festival and Conference and National Storytelling Day
The JLS partnered with Ntukuma, the Storytelling Foundation of Jamaica to mark
the fourth staging of Ananse Soundsplash – The Annual Storytelling Festival and
Conference and first anniversary of National Storytelling Day. All parish libraries
hosted storytelling sessions and other activities in observance of National
Storytelling Day on Friday, November 20, 2015. Over 40 storytellers and 2,800
persons (children and adults) participated in the event.
Exhibitions
-
The Jamaica Tourist Board 60th Anniversary Exhibition Tour and Lecture
Series
The Jamaica Tourist Board 60th Anniversary Exhibition Tour was circulated in
parish library networks islandwide. The Exhibition and a Lecture Series was
officially launched at the Kingston & St. Andrew Parish Library on October 1, 2015
during Tourism Awareness Week 2015.
-
JCDC – The Jamaica Creative Writing Exhibition Tour 2015/2016
The Jamaica Creative Writing Exhibition Tour 2015/2016 was circulated in parish
library networks islandwide. The tour began at the Kingston & St. Andrew Parish
Library on August 24, 2015 and is scheduled to run from August 2015 to March
2016.
-
The Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library Network 60th Anniversary
Exhibition
The Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library marked the occasion of its 60th
Anniversary on July 17, 2015 with an exhibition entitled “A Journey of 60 Years.”
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SCHOOL LIBRARY NETWORK
Regular and special visits were made to school libraries islandwide to conduct inspection,
book exchanges, supply material and conduct programmes to impact the teaching/learning
process.
Three schools, namely Falmouth, Savanna-la-Mar and St. John’s Infant schools benefitted
from newly constructed libraries which were well resourced with books, interactive
software, computers, furniture, equipment and library accessories.
These three schools bring to thirteen (13) the total number of infant school libraries which
were remodelled/constructed under the JLS Infant School Libraries Development Project.
STAFF TRAINING / WORKSHOP / CONFERENCE
i.
DLIS Summer Workshop
Seven librarians from the JLS participated in the Department of Library and
Information Studies Summer Workshop on “Open Source Software – Koha: A
viable Option for Caribbean Libraries” held June 24 – 25, 2015.
ii.
LIAJA/SECIN Virtual Reference Workshop
The JLS participated in the Library and Information Association of Jamaica/SocioEconomic Information Network Virtual Reference Service Workshop on July 28,
2015 at the Planning Institute of Jamaica.
iii.
Caribbean Digital Publishing Conference
The JLS participated in #theonlinemind: Caribbean Digital Publishing Conference
hosted by the Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY) from November
2 – 5, 2015 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
Submitted by: Maureen Thompson, JLS Representative
DLIS/ Library & Information Studies Training Institutions
Excelsior Community College (ECC)
 Excelsior Community College (ECC) received reaccreditation for the Associate
Degree (Library Technical Studies) from the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ).
 An articulation arrangement between UWI, DLIS and ECC School of Library
Technical Education resulted in a total of nine (9) credits being approved for ECC
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Library Associate Degree students enrolling in the UWI Bachelor Degree
programme.
 Students of the School participated in a Library Internship programme where they
were attached to various types of Libraries and Information Centres for six weeks.
 ECC School of Library assisted graduates in gaining permanent employment in
Information agencies.
 ECC Library School assisted the Excelsior Pre Primary School in establishing a
Library/Enrichment Centre and acquiring resources.
MICO University College
 The Mico University College has received accreditation from the University
Council of Jamaica for the Bachelor of Library and Information Studies.
 A programme review and revision were conducted during the calendar year. This
was done to reflect industry trends in Library and Information Studies Education
and to satisfy requirements of the UCJ.
 The Mico University School of Library partnered with HEART/NCTVET to offer
a course in Logistics and Events Planning. This is an ongoing initiative and
certification is provided by HEART/NCTVET.
University of the West Indies
 At the beginning of the academic year 2015/16 the Department of Library and
Information Studies (DLIS) began offering electives in Archives and Records
Management in their graduate programmes.
 The DLIS hosted a series of Workshops in summer 2015, on topics including open
source software -Koha and RDA.
 The DLIS hosted its third Research forum under the theme, “Showcasing Research
in Library and Information Studies to inform Pedagogy and Practice,” on November
19 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm at the Multifunctional Room at the Main Library. The
Guest Speaker was Professor Ian Boxhill.
 The DLIS is spearheading plans for an International Association of School
Librarians (IASL) Regional Conference scheduled for June 2016 at the UWI. Call
for papers will remain open until February 2016.
HEART/NCTVET
The Agency provided training for its Library employees at two levels:
Library Clerk training at Level 1; and Library Assistant training at Level 2.
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Library Schools Social
The annual social for students of Library and Information Studies, which is usually held in
November, was not realized due to a number of challenges. Plans are being put in place to
reschedule this event for early in Semester 11.
Submitted by Janet Findley, DLIS/ Library Training Institutions Representative
Reports of International Associations
International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA)
Conference
The 81st IFLA General Conference and Assembly was held from August 15 – 21, 2015 at
the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa. The theme for the
conference was Dynamic Libraries: Access, Development and Transformation.
LIAJA’s membership in IFLA was also made current as all outstanding fees were paid in
full.
The President and 1st Vice President, on an invitation from the Latin America and the
Caribbean arm of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), submitted an
application to attend a leadership workshop in Panama from April 18 - 22, 2016.
LIAJA also became a signatory to the Lyon Declaration on Access to Information and
Development. LIAJA seeks to fulfil its mandate of contributing to the Post-2015
Development Agenda by encouraging Jamaicans to use information and knowledge as
important drivers of economic growth.
Prepared by: Theresa Reid, Honorary Secretary
Commonwealth Library Association (COMLA)
Mrs. Norma Amenu-Kpodo, former COMLA Secretary, tendered her resignation effective
March 31, 2015. An executive decision was taken to have the Secretariat removed from
Jamaica. In the interim, the Association has requested that LIAJA continue to hold its
funds until a suitable replacement has been identified to facilitate the removal of the
Secretariat. LIAJA has since opened USD and pound sterling accounts to facilitate this
request.
Prepared by Theresa Reid, Honorary Secretary
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Association of Caribbean University and Research Libraries (ACURIL)
The 45th annual conference of the Association of Caribbean Universities Research and
Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) was held in Paramaribo, The Republic of Suriname, from
June 7-11, 2015 under the theme Collaborative Continuing Education: LEARN, ACT
AND INSPIRE: Professional and Personal Development Opportunities for Lifelong
Learning in Libraries, Archives and Museums in the Caribbean. The Conference
called on information professionals from the Caribbean region, and other places in the
information and knowledge society, to explore and draft a proactive program, network,
share knowledge and empower participants on the subject of collaborative continuing
education.
No LIAJA membership fees were required as the Association was represented by a
contingent of approximately 17 persons from Jamaica. The conference which was deemed
a success.
Prepared by Theresa Reid, Honorary Secretary
The International Association of School Librarianship (IASL)
Membership
LIAJA has honoured its obligations to pay membership fees to this Association for the year
2015.
Conference
The 44th IASL Annual Conference, incorporating the 19th International Forum on Research
in School Librarianship, was held in Maastricht, Amsterdam from June 28-July 2, 2015
under the theme “The School Library Rocks: Living it, Learning it, Loving it”. The theme
was very appropriate because school libraries are important in today’s information and
knowledge rich society and the cognitive technologies that exist should be used towards the
development of creative students.
Sub-themes
The Conference sub-themes were:
 The school library as a space and place: meeting, sharing, discussing, collaborative
learning and growing
 The school library as learning environment: 24/7 access to materials, resources,
teachers, electronic learning environment and more
 The school library as laboratory: experience and discovery in science, arts and
media‐education
 The school library as a window to the world: reading, writing and communication.
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Conference Venue – MECC, Maastricht Convention Centre
The Conference
Two hundred and thirty (230) participants from across the world attended the conference.
The opening keynote speaker was Maurice de Greef, a visiting professor from Vrije
Universiteit in Brussell who spoke on “Further Perspectives for a Rocking School
Library.” A part of his presentation focused on the specific role of teacher librarians in
preventing illiteracy and social exclusion. He mentioned four main roles which were:
signalling- ability to detect students’ difficulty in literacy; motivation- competent to tailor
made training in order to increase students’ literacy level; redirecting – competent to redirect students to a tailor made offer; and designing – competent in facilitation of the
learning process.
There were four keynote speakers. The first was Leendertse Matthijs who presented on
“The Future of Learning: Room for Libraries”. He emphasized that the future of learning
is often wrongly portrayed as a zero sum game between human interaction and a large scale
use of ICT in education. In his presentation, he sketched the future of learning and
discussed the changing roles of different actors involved in school libraries. He argues that
if anything, technology will make learning more human-centric, with a more important role
than ever for teachers and real life connections.
The second keynote speaker was Dr. Krashen Stephen who spoke on “The Purpose of
Education, Free Voluntary Reading, and Dealing with the Impact of Poverty.” He
mentioned that among the ways schools can help in the process of education is to
encourage free voluntary reading, an extremely pleasant activity. He explained that this
cannot happen without access to books and other reading materials and unfortunately
children who are experiencing poverty have little access to books and often their only
source of books is the library.
The third keynote speaker was Professor Saskia Brand-Gruwel from the Welten Institute,
Open Universiteit who spoke on the topic “Information Literacy Instruction: What
Works.” He reasoned that from practice and research, it is known that students often have
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problems finding and processing information from the internet. Formulating research
questions, generating search terms, dealing with conflicting information found, judgement
of sources and information and the regulation of the process are skills that are often and
problematic. He concluded that to prepare students for functioning in the knowledge
society it is of importance that schools provide solid instruction in information literacy.
The fourth keynote speaker was Dr. Ross Todd who presented on “Consider the Rock:
The Earth. The Cradle. The Stronghold. The Dance. The Music.” This was the closing
address which synthesized some of the key themes surrounding school libraries that rock.
He highlighted that the core foundation and value that underpin creating and maintaining
school libraries as vibrant learning ecosystems are humanistic study; inquiry design and
processes; innovation pathways and spaces; data information and knowledge
infrastructures; customized and personalized learning journeys; and social diversity,
inclusion and justice.
The Pre-conference
The pre-conference workshop was held on June 26, 2015 under the theme, “Instructional
Design for Information Literacy”. In this session, participants were taught how to design
effective instructions using a mix of theory and hands-on activities and feedback from
educational design experts.
Participants – Dr. Paulette Stewart, Horatio Stewart, Dr. Yvonne Perriel-Mapp
representing Jamaica at the Welcome Reception
Business meeting
Dr. Paulette attended the IASL Business meeting in the capacity of the Regional Director
for Latin America and the Caribbean. The reports from the various Directors were
discussed, voted and accepted. The proposed Regional IASL Conference for Latin
American and the Caribbean was discussed. This conference is to be held in Jamaica on
July 11-15, 2016 at the Mona Visitors Lodge.
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Library visits
Participants visited the Maastricht University library and one primary school library.
Touring the Maastricht University Library
Touring the verboden toegang voor onbevoegden School Library
Duties performed
Dr. Stewart was assigned to chair two sessions. The first session was entitled “Poetry
Slam”. It consisted of number of poems performed and written by Harry Baker, the winner
of the Poetry Slam Contest in Paris in 2014. The second session was titled, “African Rural
School Library Development: Lessons from Matenda School Library Project in
Zimbabwe.” This presentation described the importance and value of development of rural
school libraries in Africa in order to overcome the increasing gap between information rich
and information poor schools that currently threatens educational achievement in remote
schools that are inaccessible.
One of the two sessions chaired by Dr. Stewart assigned at the conference
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IASL Annual Banquet
This event provided the opportunity for participants to interact freely with each other. Of
interest was the location which was in Belgium at a cave previously used for hideout during
World War 11. The musical items provided were richly Jamaican, and the usual auction
was held during this function to garner funds to purchase books for school libraries in a
developing country as well as to pay membership fees for school librarians who are unable
to afford the payment.
IASL REGIONAL CONFERENCE
The International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) will host its Regional
Conference (Latin America and the Caribbean) on July 12-15, 2016 at The Mona Visitors
Lodge, at the UWI, Mona Campus, Jamaica, under the theme, “Unlocking the Full
Potential of the 21st Century School Library: Emerging Trends for Librarians and
Users”.
This conference aims at exposing information professionals in Latin America and the
Caribbean to cutting edge 21st century approaches to librarianship, library management and
media and information literacy instruction, and to provide support through
partnership/collaboration. The participants will comprise educators, school library
administrators, library and information professionals who work in various educational
institutions and libraries within the region, as well as students who are pursuing studies in
the field of Library and Information Studies, school administrators, classroom teachers and
other interested professionals
Expected outcomes:
It is hoped that participants will leave with an understanding of:
1. What is required to provide effective school library services in the 21st century
2. Free available information technology and sources which they can access to
enhance their school library services
3. The concepts of media and information literacy and intercultural dialogue and how
to apply these in their school library curriculum
4. How to maintain a school library on a shrinking budget
5. How to use digital libraries in their school library programmes.
Conference sub-themes:
1. Practical information technology solutions: Exploring open-source options
2. Rebranding the school librarian in a “pocket library” society.
3. From library skills to life skills: media and information literacy education
4. Media and information literacy and intercultural dialogue curriculum for the 21st
century school library
5. Redesigning and redefining learning spaces in 21st century school libraries
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6. Greater access to information: web 3.0 tools in school libraries
7. Resource provision: Getting a byte of the shrinking budget
8. Developing and maintaining school libraries: The administrator’s role
9. Academic excellence: The role of school libraries
10. Children’s literature in the digital age
Opening Address:
The Minister of Education, Jamaica - The Honourable Reverend Ronald Thwaites.
Keynote Speaker and workshop presenter
Dr Ross J. Todd is Associate Professor in the School of Communication & Information at
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. He is Chair of the Department of Library and
Information Science, and Director of the Center for International Scholarship in School
Libraries (CISSL), at Rutgers University.
Submitted by: Paulette Stewart, PhD, Director, Latin American and the Caribbean
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Conclusion
As I resumed the office of LIAJA President in 2015, my goal continued to be that of being
a transformational leader: one who influences her followers by various means so that the
followers’ values and interests are transformed (Rowold, 2011). The 2015 presidential year
was filled with a slew of activities geared towards the inclusion of all our stakeholders as
legitimate players within the industry. While the Association succeeded in purchasing land
in 2014, it did not achieve the goal of replenishing the Building Fund to its previous state or
erecting the business office. The properties were improved and dedicated however, and
became the venue for the annual Special Libraries and Records and Archives Management
Week church service. The publication of a Gleaner Supplement in commemoration of
LIAJA’s 65th Anniversary and Library and Information Week 2015, empowered LIAJA in
fulfilling its mandate of contributing to the Post-2015 Development Agenda as we
encouraged Jamaicans to use information and knowledge as important drivers of economic
growth.
As LIAJA begins a new administrative year under the theme “Harnessing Knowledge for
National Development,” our focus will once again be turned on our role in creating that
knowledge-based society. The theme is in keeping with the Vision 2030 Jamaica model for
national development which states that “We must, as a nation, make an urgent yet bold
choice to exploit the country’s higher forms of capital – our cultural, human, knowledge
and institutional capital stocks” (PIOJ, 2008, p. 15).
A major challenge facing LIAJA is its response to the changing needs of its members. Lack
of funding poses a major challenge for developmental programmes and capacity building.
Member engagement and retention is especially low in some Sections. These factors are
further compounded by the absence of a business office to provide administrative support
to its officers. As I once again demit the office of President, I reiterate the call for each
member and friend of this Association to do his/her best in creating a legacy of which we
can all be proud.
Sincerely,
Viviene Kerr-Williams
LIAJA President
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