Library
WATERFORD KAMHLABA UNITED WORLD COLLEGE
LIBRARY
A GUIDE
Waterford has one main library that serves the college. The key sections on the ground floor are the junior division, main fiction, reference, magazine stand and computer room. Also on the ground floor are glass cabinets that hold new books, videos, CDs, DVDs and books on short-term loan, in addition to the charging desk and librarians’ office. The African collection and the main non-fiction section are housed upstairs.
Each academic department maintains a collection of books, CDs, DVDs, videos and pamphlets as well as past IB extended essays that are available for perusal by students.
Computer catalogue: There are two workstations from which students can access the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). There are also 3 computers for research and study purposes. The JSTOR database of journals is accessible online from any of these 3 computers. In addition, two computers have been reserved for viewing library-owned DVDs.
Reference: The reference collection includes atlases, encyclopaedias, bound volumes of History Today and National Geographic, dictionaries, handbooks and a host of non-fiction resources. Reference books remain in the library. When the need arises they may be borrowed overnight through special arrangement with the librarians.
Classification: This is based on an adaptation of the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme:
000 General Subjects
100 Philosophy & Psychology
200 Religion
300 Social Science
400 Linguistics & English Language (only)
500 Pure Science
600 Applied Science
700 The Arts
800 Literature & Other Languages
900 Geography and History
A simple device is used in classifying the junior collection. For example, a history book by Stephen Biesty would have on the spine JR HIS BIE, with JR standing for junior, HIS for history and BIE being the first three letters of the author’s name. A geography book by Dan Green would be classified as JR GEO GRE, etc. In the case of junior fiction, the spine would be marked JF followed by the three letters of the author’s surname. So a book by Anthony Horowitz, for example would have on the spine JF HOR.
The main fiction is arranged in A-Z sequence by the first three letters of the author’s name, e.g. a book by Jane Austen would be marked FIC AUS, with FIC standing for fiction and AUS being the first three letter in Austen.
Borrowing: IB students can borrow a maximum of 7 books for a period of 2 weeks. Forms 5, 4 and 3 are allowed to borrow 5, 4, and 3 books respectively while Forms 1 and 2 are restricted to 2 books at a time. Renewals, recalls and reservations of materials should be made through the librarians. Students are charged E 10.00 fine for each overdue book at the end of the term if any books borrowed in the course of the term are not returned. This action is taken only after reminders to return/renew overdue books have been ignored, in which case a notice to pay the fine is served. However, library chores may be done in lieu of payment.
Back issues of periodicals that the library subscribes to, like Time, Newsweek, New Internationalist, The Guardian Weekly, The Economist, National Geographic, New Scientist, New African, Africa Today, Focus On Africa and African Business can be borrowed overnight. The following newspapers are also available: Mail and Guardian, The Star and Times of Swaziland. Modern Language magazines are kept in the language departments.
It is anticipated that with future improvement in telecommunications in the country, access to online resources will be enhanced.
It is possible for students to borrow books during school holiday, a privilege extended to IB students only. To use this facility, special arrangements must be made with the librarians.
Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday 07.30 – 16.50
(Wednesday 13.00 – 14.00 closed for lunch)
Evening hours mainly for IBs: Monday to Thursday 18.30 – 21.00
(Students from the Forms need permission to use the library during the evening hours)
Expectations:
- Maintain silence and academic atmosphere at all time.
- Handle library materials with care.
- Return borrowed materials in good time
- Correctly re-shelve any books which you have used.
- Display good manners and respect the rights of other library users.
- Switch off cellphones.
- Use headphones if you need your MP3 player to study, and remember that your music should be inaudible to others.
- No chewing gum, eating or drinking in the library to avoid damage to library materials.
Other Activities Involving The Library:
- Library Education: teaching library skills to Forms 1 to 3.
- Book Week/Day: an annual event promoting reading and creative writing.
- Friends of the Library: a group of students who volunteer to help in the library as part of their extra-curricular programme.
- Library Community Service: a team of Form 5 students work with a group of enthusiastic young learners from local primary schools who converge at the Children’s Section of the Swaziland National Library after school on Fridays. Activities include story-telling, reading, dramatization, drawing, dancing and games. Sometimes the learners listen to audio books or watch DVDs.
Recently we have introduced the learners to computers. For most of the children it has been a life changing experience to work with computers for the first time. We hope that later on in their schooling, perhaps in high school where they are likely to come across computers again, they can build on the rudimentary ICT skills they learn through our community service programme. The visits to the National Library happen every two weeks since the group does chores and performs clerical work in the Waterford Library as well.
- Evening Supervision: Each evening from Monday to Thursday IB students assist a staff member on duty in the library during prep time to ensure that all goes well. All evening activities in the library are coordinated by the librarians.
Librarian: Mrs Lucy Mensah
Assistant Librarian: Mr Bongani Dlamini
