IN as far as the digital world is concerned, allow me to dig in a little more on the indispensability of technical skills component by way of saying Library Information Science (LIS) professionals must be aware of emerging technologies.
It has become increasingly important that they keep abreast, if not ahead, of technology and have certain basic skills.
For instance, they must have the knowledge of HTML, networking, scripting, languages, the ability to deal with the back-end of the OPAC, the ability to translate library services into the online medium, the ability to troubleshoot basic computer and printer problems, or just a good healthy knowledge of emerging technologies.
LIS Professionals need to do so much online these days, way beyond basic catalog and database searching.
Librarians have to be able to use search engines and use them well.
They need to be able to find quality online resources.
They need to help patrons set up e-mail and teach basic internet skills.
They need to be able to troubleshoot problems users are having accessing online library resources, at least to the extent where they can figure out if the problem is on the library’s side or the user’s side.
As a matter of fact, they must be able to troubleshoot new technologies.
Most of the time when we troubleshoot any technical problem, we would just throw up an ‘out of order’ sign because we just don’t have enough computer knowledge to figure out what the problem is.
Such ineptitude betrays bad user service.
Librarians should be able to play with the technologies in the library, to learn what problems commonly come up and to fix them if necessary, because it is often our responsibility to fix them.
Having said this about information management, let us go back to the drawing board and ask the same controlling question: “What information, from a quality assurance (QA) perspective, must be managed and communicated to bring about Zimbabwe’s economic turn-around?”
To begin with, you will recall that there is a yawning difference between data and information.
The major difference between data and information is that data is raw material that is to be processed while information is the processed data.
I believe all those who are natives to information science are aware of this distinction.
That is why they are called ‘information scientists’ and not ‘data scientists’.
But as far as quality assurance is concerned, what kind of information will turn around the economy?
That is the question.
The point that needs emphasis here is that although all information is useful, it is certainly not applicable everywhere.
That is why we often talk about the end justifying the means.
In our case, we need information that speaks to our ‘socio-economic transformation’ which information should speak to the global, continental, regional and national visions; and in particular the nation’s development blueprints, schemes and proposals.
You will need no reminding that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education’s war cry is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) whose main purpose is to leverage economic development through capacitating industrialisation.
This thrust derives from the national, regional, continental and global development agendas.
In September 2015 the United Nations (UN) agreed on a new global agenda to take the world on a sustainable pathway.
The new 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda is based on principles of universality principle, as well as the principle of ‘action in all countries for all countries’ and integration, whereby environmental, social and economic dimensions are no longer separate pillars, but intertwined to form an indivisible whole.
The SDGs mark a shift in the economic and political relationships between developing, emerging and developed countries.
Central to the realisation of this new initiative is science, technology and innovation (STIs).
These are considered to be a fundamental tool to implement the new agenda, as it allows improving efficiency in both economic and environmental senses, developing new and more sustainable ways to satisfy human needs and empowering people to drive their own future.
Our own STEM is highly influenced by this global initiative.
At a continental level, STEM is influenced by the African Union (AU)’s Agenda 2063.
Agenda 2063 is both a vision and an action plan.
It is a call for action to all segments of African society to work together to build a prosperous and united Africa based on shared values and a common destiny.
In their 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration, the Heads of State and Government of the AU, while acknowledging past successes and challenges, rededicated themselves to the continent’s accelerated development and technological progress.
They laid down vision and eight ideals to serve as pillars for the continent in the foreseeable future, which Agenda 2063 will translate into concrete objectives, milestones, goals, targets and actions/measures.
Agenda 2063 strives to enable Africa remain focused and committed to the ideals envisaged in the context of a rapidly changing world.
It is a strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years.
It builds on and seeks to accelerate the implementation of past and existing continental initiatives for growth and sustainable development.
Some of the past and current initiatives it builds on include: the Lagos Plan of Action, The Abuja Treaty, The Minimum Integration Programme, the Programme for Infrastructural Development in Africa (PIDA), the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), The New partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), national as well as regional plans and programmes.