South African Library for the Blind (SALB)
An overview of the entity
The South African Library for the Blind (SALB) provides library and information services to blind, visually impaired and print-handicapped users in a medium accessible to the user.
SALB is based in Grahamstown Makhanda and has mini-libraries in all provinces in South Africa and assists blind people with accessing information in different formats, including braille, audio and tactile books for children.
The South African Library for the Blind (SALB) was conceived and born of humble beginnings in the then tiny Eastern Cape township of Grahamstown during the height of the 1918 global Influenza pandemic.
While nursing local influenza victims, Josephine (Josie) Wood met Miss Comber, a British nurse who wished to establish religious study groups for the blind. Later and having been recalled to England, Miss Comber, who had developed a personal collection of 100 braille volumes, convinced Josie Wood to develop an accessible library for the visually impaired.
Her acceptance marked the beginning of the library for the visually impaired in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) and broadly South Africa – this led directly to the proudly South African institute SALB is today.
Functions of the SALB:
to build up a balanced and appropriate collection of South African and other reading material for the use of blind and print-handicapped readers;
to record its collections in accessible formats appropriately;
to provide a bibliographic service to those readers;
to provide access to documents nationally and internationally to those readers;
to provide library and information services on a national basis to those readers;
to co-ordinate and preserve the national audio and braille literary heritage;
to produce reading material in special mediums such as braille and audio in the format required by those readers;
to develop standards for the production of those documents;
to research production methods and technology in the appropriate fields; and
to acquire, manufacture and disseminate the necessary technology required to
read and replay the reading material
Vision and mission
Vision
A Library for the Blind leading Africa in the provision of a Transformative
and Inclusive Library and Information service.
Mission
Enabling Equitable and Open Access to Library and Information Services
for the Blind, Visually Impaired and Print-Disabled Communities.
Legislative mandate
The South African Library for the Blind derives its mandate from the South
African Library for the Blind Act No. 91 of 1998. The mandate is further strengthened by complying with the following main legislation:
• PUBLIC FINANCE MANAGEMENT ACT, NO. 1 OF 1999 (AS AMENDED
The SALB is committed to comply fully with the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act and Treasury regulations. Section 50 of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act 1 of 1999) (PFMA) sets out the fiduciary duties of accounting authorities. Section 51 sets out the responsibilities of accounting authorities. The PFMA regulates public sector managers to manage and improve accountability in by eliminating waste and corruption in the use of public funds. The act enables public sector managers to manage and improve accountability in terms of eliminating waste and corruption in the use of public funds. SALB is listed as a Schedule 3A public entity.
• EMPLOYMENT EQUITY ACT, NO. 55 OF 1998 (AS AMENDED):
The SALB is a schedule 3A Public Entity under the auspices of the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and conform to the requirements of the Employment Equity Act. The library has an Employment Equity Manager appointed to assist the Chief Executive Officer in attending to matters relating to employment
equity, transformation and eradication of discriminatory measures/practices. An Employment Equity report for the SALB is submitted online to the Department of Labour every year, as required by Legislation. Because the Library employs fewer than 150 employees, it is regarded as a small organization in terms of the Act.
• SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ACT, NO. 97 OF 1998 (AS AMENDED):
The Management of the SALB places a high value on the skills development of its staff. The Skills Development Act requires designated employers to submit formal Skills Work Plans on an annual basis to the relevant SETA (ETDP SETA). The SALB complies with the requirements of the Act.
• PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT, NO. 2 OF
2000 (AS AMENDED):
The library submitted their Section 51 Manual in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act to the SA Human Rights Commission during 2011. The Manual is available in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.
• OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY ACT, NO 85. OF 1993 (AS
AMENDED):
The library has a Health & Safety Committee in place which operates in compliance with the Act. The committee consists of a Health and Safety Officer and three Health and Safety Representatives. Frequent reports are submitted, and meetings are conducted in relation to health and safety in the workplace. The Health and Safety representatives are also First Aiders for SALB.
Key mandates/objectives
The key objectives of the SALB (South African Library for the Blind) include:
These objectives reflect the library's commitment to serving the needs of its
community and promoting inclusivity in South Africa.
A selection of 10 high-resolution photographs to showcase the work of the library
Contact Details
112 High Street
PO Box 115
Makhanda
South Africa
6140
