Theresa Denton has been named LIASA Western Cape Librarian of the Year for 2012.
Theresa is the Senior Librarian at Rocklands Library, and
she is passionate about libraries and believes that libraries can become an
active role player in changing communities.
Theresa lives out this passion for her community and her library. The sustainable partnerships that she has
established with various organisations within her community demonstrates
this. These organisations range from the
Community Care Organisation; "Hands off our children" NGO; to the
Carnation Ward at G F Jooste Hospital; to the Rocklands Primary "Siyafunda
Community Project". There is an
early childhood development forum and she established sustainable literacy and
reading programmes in the library and surrounding schools.
To empower the women in her community, she started an Adult
Matric group, which met regularly in the library where they were provided with
question papers, memos, support and motivational talks. Over the years , more than 20 women, older
than 30, have been helped through their matric - and this included having a matric ball to celebrate the
achievement. What is absolutely
fantastic is that most of the matriculants are actively either working in
libraries, or establishing school libraries in the area or studying further for
their library degrees! What a wonderful
inspiration!
When accepting the award at the Branch AGM on Friday 24th
August 2012, Theresa acknowledged the
influence of librarians on her when she was growing up. The light of librarianship has been passed
on to her, and in turn, she is passing this on to others. A true role model!
What makes this story even more inspiring, is the road that
Theresa took to get here - having walked
a similar walk to these women she inspired.
With finishing her matric at night school, and then completing her
studies at UWC; and then getting offered a junior lectureship, but opting instead to take up a post as a
librarian at Rocklands. Academia's loss
is public libraries' gain!
Under her leadership, Rocklands has scooped four provincial
awards over the last five years from the Western Cape Department of Cultural
Affairs and Sports. These were for "Most Involved Community Library",
"Best Children's Services", "Best Youth Services" and
"Best Public Library". One of
her nominees remarked that she hoped that this time, Theresa would win an award
for herself, for inspiring us all.
A real role model and example for us all!
Theresa is a graduate of the Carnegie Library Leadership
Academy as well as the Train the Trainer
Programme.
Congratulations Theresa!
She now goes forward to represent the Western Cape at the national leg
of the LIASA Librarian of the Year.
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