Joint Use Libraries: Implementing a Pilot Community/School Library Project in a Remote Rural Area in South Africa

The research of a postgraduate study into joint use libraries internationally led to the development of a proposed model for a community-school library relevant for South African conditions. This model was proposed to the Provincial Library and Information Service of Mpumalanga. Based on the requirements to successfully implement the model, the rural community of Maphotla was selected as a pilot site. The proposal coincided with the building of a new library. The framework of the research was used as a guide to draft a project plan that was used during implementation. During implementation of the plan, minor changes were required for practical reasons. Although the implementation of the model is in its beginning stages, it already has proved to be successful in relation to factors such as school participation, learners participation in library activities during and after school, and the participation of various other role players. It is envisaged to implement the model in other areas where there is a dearth of public and school libraries to improve access to libraries and information.published or submitted for publicatio