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Tag: Employee Excellence

  • Four Big Wins, Infinite Stories: Celebrating Our Excellence at the Western Cape Cultural Awards!

    A monumental day for Brackenfell Library as Lonwabo Mabele and LeeAnn Davids take to the stage to accept the Digital Literacy Champion Award celebrating their incredible work and digital advocacy

    If you listen closely in any of our libraries across the Mother City, you can hear a subtle kind of magic. It’s in the quiet flip of a picture book page, the click of a young programmer prompt engineering AI and the multilingual chatter echoing from our digital spaces.

    Last week, that magic got some very official shine.

    At the annual Western Cape Cultural Affairs Awards, hosted by the provincial Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS), the City of Cape Town Library and Information Services brought home four major awards! Out of an impressive pool of 375 public libraries across the province, our teams shone bright, proving once again that our library spaces transcend quiet rooms full of books to serve as vibrant engines of innovation, warmth and transformation.

    Spotlight on Our Stellar Winners

    A huge, heartfelt congratulations to the passionate teams and visionary projects that brought these trophies home. Here is a closer look at the magic they created:

    • Reading and Literacy Champion Award: 1 000 Stories Before School Campaign Planting the seed for a lifelong love of reading starts early and our flagship literacy response has grown beyond our wildest dreams. Launched in 2022 as part of the City’s Reading Strategy, this initiative brings together families, educators, health workers and community partners to get books into little hands before formal schooling begins. From 2,464 participants in 2023, the programme blossomed to over 20,571 registered children by mid-2026!
    • Digital Literacy Champion Award: Brackenfell Public Library & Champion Lonwabo Mabele Brackenfell Library continues to redefine what a modern neighbourhood hub looks like. Lonwabo and the team launched the brilliant Ubuntu Bytes project, where local youth combined practical life skills with cutting-edge tech by using AI tools to craft creative recipe prompts. Talk about cooking up digital empowerment!
    • Neville Alexander Award for the Promotion of Multilingualism: Athlone Library Languages build bridges and Athlone Library’s innovative Digital Reading Den is a shining example. This pioneering platform bridges our province’s official languages, Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa, creating an inclusive, welcoming space where every reader feels seen, heard and represented.
    A huge well-done to the Athlone Library team as they accept the Neville Alexander Award honouring their groundbreaking multilingual work with the Digital Reading Den project
    • Climate Culture in Action: Sir Lowry’s Pass Library Thoughtfully addressing environmental needs within community spaces, Sir Lowry’s Pass Library was celebrated for its Cool Space Pilot project – a creative demonstration of how public spaces can proactively respond to climate challenges and offer safe, comfortable havens for local residents.
    A proud moment for Sir Lowry’s Pass Library as Area Head Rene Walker takes to the stage to collect the Climate Culture in Action Award

    To every librarian, assistant, digital facilitator and quiet champion across our department, these trophies carry a piece of your dedication. Every time you spark a child’s imagination, guide a young hand through new technologies, or simply offer a welcoming sanctuary to someone walking through our doors, you weave the very fabric of this success. These awards are the cumulative magic of your daily care! So, here’s to keeping our doors wide open, our minds endlessly curious and our award-winning story turning to its next brilliant page.

    By Tarcia Eiman

    Professional Officer: Marketing & Communications

  • Unsung Heroes Steal the Spotlight: Sub-Area C9 Honours Assistant Librarians

    Subarea C9’s management team hosts a Day of Appreciation for Assistant Librarians in the subarea.

    While February is traditionally the month of love, Subarea C9 redefined “appreciation” this year by hosting a spectacular surprise tribute for 24 dedicated Assistant Librarians on 12 February 2026. What was initially presented as a standard workshop at the Kuilsriver Caravan Park, was revealed to be a “shock and awe” transformation into a VIP lounge, where staff were greeted by a venue decked out to the nines in their honor.

    In a moving display of recognition, the walls featured photos of every Assistant Librarian in attendance, alongside personal notes from their Librarians-in-Charge highlighting their unique contributions. Subarea Head Thandiwe Mtshengu set a powerful tone for the day, emphasizing that the event was a dedicated space to celebrate the commitment and hard work that keeps our libraries thriving. After Thandiwe’s beautiful start to the day, guests were treated to a line-up of special guest speakers.

    Emily Afrikaner, LIC of Delft Library, shared her remarkable journey of resilience, from crossing rivers to reach school to balancing motherhood and work while studying. Her story of perseverance was beautifully complemented by Ashleigh Wessels, who spoke about her community-focused initiatives at Southfield Library, leaving the room inspired to deepen their impact in the areas they serve. To close the day, newly retired library legend Clara Bothma shared wisdom from her 33-year career at Ravensmead Library, offering a poignant reminder that exceptional service begins with our most powerful tool: the simple act of listening.

    Suraya Hassiem

    Senior Librarian (LIC)

    Bellville South Library