Information Service

Location:

Johannesburg, GP, South Africa

Posted:

March 02, 2018

Contact this candidate

Resume:

CURRICULUM VITAE OF SIBUSISIWE CECILIA THEMBELA

** – 18th Avenue, Edenvale. 1609

P.O. Box 100. Clernaville. 3602

Email: *********@*****.*** – Mobile: 082-***-****

OBJECTIVE

I am a highly skilled librarian looking to resume a position in an academic environment. I am extremely knowledgeable with 30 years media resource centre – library experience. I possess a wide skill-set, including writing research project manuals, integrating classroom teaching with technology and in collaboration with subject teachers guiding students to undertake inquiry-based projects. I have created and managed libraries, developed staff and staff workflows and compiled library budget. I am looking to re-establish a career in a progressive and challenging academic setup to utilise my knowledge and expertise that will strengthen the skills I already have.

EDUCATION

2009 ETDP-SETA

Certificate registered on NQF Level 5 –outcomes based assessment

2007 Certificate on New Approaches to Pedagogy

North Eastern University. Boston. USA

2002 Certificate Course in Information and Knowledge Management

University of Pretoria

1994 B.BIBL (Hons)

University of Zululand

1989 B. Paed

University of Zululand

1987 Diploma in Specialised Education: School Librarianship

University of Natal Pietermaritzburg

1978 Secondary Teachers’ Diploma

University of Zululand

EXPERIENCE

FUTURE NATION SCHOOLS

Librarian

August 2017 – to date (Short-term contract)

Creating a decentralised library system for two operating campuses.

Cataloguing and classifying library material.

Compiled library policy as well as procedures manual.

Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, Johannesburg, South Africa

Head Librarian

January 2007 – December 2016

Key responsibility was to carry out the mission of the Academy by performing the separate but overlapping roles.

As a Library Manager, I created a welcoming, magnificent and well-resourced 21st century library, which was consistently used for academic and leisure purposes which created a need to adapt hours of opening from 7h00 to 21h30 - 7 days a week. Supervised Library staff and Student Assistants.

Represented the library at the Academic Think Tank (ATT) Meetings which comprised of Heads of Academic Departments

As an Information Specialist, I provided expertise in acquiring and evaluating information resources in all formats, in bringing an awareness of information issues to teachers, management, students and others; and in modelling for students and other strategies for locating, accessing and evaluating information within and beyond the library

As a teacher, I worked with students to analyse learning and information needs, to locate and use resources that will meet those needs, and to understand and communicate the information the resources provide.

As an instructional partner, I collaborated with teachers and others to identify links across student information needs, curricular content, learning outcomes, and a wide variety of print, non-print, and electronic information resources.

Achieved a huge milestone in preparing students for life-long learning by nurturing them into ethical practices of fair use of intellectual property and observation of copyright laws. They refrained from fraudulent academic acts and mastered the art of creating authentic knowledge and acknowledging use of existing knowledge.

International Baccalaureate: Middle Years Programme Personal Project Coordinator

January 2012 – December 2016

Identified clearly the characteristics and requirements of the personal project.

Prepared for and carried out staff workshops for teachers supporting students working on their projects.

Prepared the students for the undertaking of the personal project.

Supervised the standardisation of assessment of the projects.

The astounding results produced under my supervision and management of the entire process, provided students, teachers and the Academy’s leadership team with a clear understanding of the value of engaging Grade 10 students in this 9-month long project. Students developed independent learning abilities, time management skills and the academic acumen of creating new knowledge from existing knowledge.

Interim Head of Boarding

2007 to 2008 (9 months)

Overall responsible for the care of 300 boarding students out of school hours.

Created student residences manuals and hostel staff’ job profiles.

Created a home-away-from home ambiance for students.

Senior House Mistress at OWLAG

2012 to 2016

I provided an adult presence in the House of 60 senior students and was responsible for the safeguarding, welfare and security of students by assisting as part of the team in the supervision of the health and welfare of the students and their ‘House’, the physical buildings within which they live. The aura I created earned me the title of “Her Royal Highness”, “the Queen” of the palace, which became the name of House. Junior students begged for room allocation in the palace.

Community Service Coordinator at OWLAG

2004 to 2016

Organised, managed and reported on the whole school students community service activities

Notably, I brought two of the Academy’s values ‘Service’ and ‘Compassion’ to life.

Reason for Leaving: Career Break

Deputy: Client Service Librarian – University of Witwatersrand

1998 to 2006

My key responsibilities included strategic leadership of six focus areas through promotion of new directions in library, information and knowledge management through and across the University library’s system, which comprised of 15 faculties-based libraries. Led a construction team assigned to revamp two main libraries (Wartenweiler and Cullen Libraries) into modern 21st century academic and research libraries.

This project brought about an impressive turnaround in the use of both libraries’ spaces and resources, yielding the increased user satisfaction rate from 54% to 87%. Students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds were the most to benefit from the long overdue upgrade of the two facilities.

Other Responsibilities:

Supervised and managed all aspects of providing a user-friendly and efficient service to academic staff, researchers and students. This included the development of quality services to all library clients.

Promoted the optimal use of information sources and services available in the campus Library matrix of fifteen branch libraries.

Oversaw integration of William Cullen Library functions with all other library functions as well as the supervision of staff which comprise of Librarians in charge of the African Collection Division, Historical Papers Division, Government Publications Division and Special Collections of Early and Rare material including the Oppenheimer Collection Division

Determined the strategy and plan for the development of William Cullen Library service in consultation with the Librarian: Client Services by identifying long- and short-term goals for the Library.

Gave leadership in developing procedures and the compilation of procedural guides for the use of the circulation module of INNOPAC.

Identify policy gaps and advised the Librarian: Client Services Librarian on the development of new policies or the updating of existing policies.

Determine the needs of the William Cullen Library annually and compiled the operational and capital budgets for the Library for submission to Library Management Team.

Liaise with academic staff, regarding the development of the Campus Library collection.

Allocated responsibilities and directed, and supported the workflow of the services in the William Cullen Library into effective functioning units.

Took overall responsibility for the management and preservation of resources and equipment in the William Cullen Library, including the maintenance of the library building.

Liaised with the Librarian: Client Services in the recruitment of library staff.

Kept staff informed with regard to the projects and activities of the Library well as the University.

Kept abreast of technological developments from which the William Cullen Library could benefit.

Attended work-related courses, symposiums, workshops and conferences.

Represented the William Cullen Library at meetings, e.g. meetings of the Branch Librarians, and Humanities Faculty Board Meetings.

Liaised with academic departments in the Faculty of Humanities and other stakeholders in order to ensure alignment of library services to their teaching, learning and research strategies.

Deputised the Librarian: Client Services Librarian in her absence.

Reason for Leaving: Wishing to share OWLAG’s Vision.

Principal Librarian

Umlazi College for Further Education in Durban, South Africa

1994 to 1998

Ensured the development of and accessibility of a fully-fledged library that was not in existence prior to my arrival. I brought a turnaround in student teachers confidence and achievement from the far-flung rural villages in KwaZulu-Natal. The dropout rate was curbed by 35% according to the study made by the Department of Education in 1999.

Reason for Leaving: Career Advancement

Lecturer in School Librarianship and Media Science

Ezakheni College of Education in Ladysmith, south

1992 – 1993

Provided guidance to students via explanations and supervised practices in School Librarianship and Media Science.

Provided awareness and information service to staff members and students about the relevancy of library and information material and service in their teaching and learning activities.

Devised and designed a programme of integrated teaching and learning for both students and lecturers in order to harness the use of library and information resources and facilities in their day-to-day academic and recreational activities. The efforts were highly appreciated by lecturers who observed improved teachers-in-the-making performance results and placing the college amongst the progressive teacher training institutions in KwaZulu-Natal.

Reason for Leaving: Relocation

Teacher Librarian

Tisand Technical High School

1988 – 1991

Successful at establishing, running and organizing the school library.

Compiled and taught library and information literacy programme.

Vigorously promoted the library and information services with a view to facilitating an improved utilization of the services.

Trained, supervised library monitors and established procedures and workflows.

Reason for Leaving: Career Advancement

Teacher Librarian

Ziphathele High School

1980 – 1985

Served as a Biology and English teacher

Teacher-librarian – created a school library and successfully achieved the goal of inculcating the love of reading to elusive high school readers due to their disadvantaged home/past primary school career experiences. The amazing result was a fair percentage of students spending time reading in the library in order to avoid the temptations of engaging in dangerous deeds due to peer pressure and the living conditions in their home environments.

Reason for Leaving: Relocation

SKILLS

Collaboration, coaching and facilitation

I have mastered to assume more of a coaching/facilitation/training role as I advise students and teachers about procuring outside data and making the best use of it.

In-depth high-value research

As the proverbial haystack gets bigger, finding the needle gets tougher, I make myself a valuable go-to resource.

Information curation

Over the years, I have increasingly put myself on a vital pedestal in the process of evaluating and editing what is most valuable, as well as categorising and classifying information and knowledge for easy retrieval and use.

Digital preservation

I realised that being a librarian nowadays makes it essential to know how to preserve and manage digital assets, and I am familiar with the systems and tools that libraries use in the process.

Mobile Environment

I understand the pros and cons of cloud computing, hence serving as adviser and consultant to decisions that apply to information curation and digital preservation.

COMMUNICATION

I am naturally a good listener and that enables me to be a good communicator. Again, the understanding of the importance of open-mindedness makes me approachable. I adopted cultural sensitivity; I check for understanding and make an effort to ask effective questions. I attribute my highly rated interpersonal skills by colleagues and friends to the afore-mentioned communication traits.

LEADERSHIP

The first born of five siblings makes leadership inherent in me. I held secretarial positions at my parish St Clements’s Catholic Women’s League (CWL) and African Teachers Union (NATU) Clermont branch. Served as National Secretary for Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA).

AFFILIATIONS

South African Council for Educators (SACE).

LIASA

REFERENCES

Michele Marnitz

Head of Academics & IB: MYP Coordinator (OWLAG)

082-***-****

*******.*******@*****.***

Anne van Zyl

Head of Academy (OWLAG)

082-***-****

***********@*****.***