Praise for Fish Hoek, Ocean View libraries
Ocean View and Fish Hoek libraries have been recognised for their library programmes and community service.
At the Library and Information Services awards held at the Parow civic centre on Friday November 1, Ocean View assistant librarian Ulfah Davids received the Individual Service Recognition Award while Fish Hoek library received the runner-up for the Best Facility Award.
Ms Davids earned her award for her outstanding efforts in customer service and community development.
She trained a group of young people from Ocean View for the Unplugged Coding competition, and they took third place at the world championships.
“When the group won third place, it was proof of what’s possible when we invest in our youth and provide them with the right tools,” she said.
Ms Davids also led a career expo to connect youth with education and job resources, and her Women’s Innovation, Skills, and Empowerment (Wise) programme supports women in the community.
“My parents taught me to give back and always serve with a purpose. This award reminds me of that purpose and why I continue to do this work,” she said, thanking Ocean View head librarian Marlene Davids and the library’s other staff for their support.
Fish Hoek library was recognised for its wide range of programmes and efforts to make library resources accessible to the community.
Its On the Go initiative collaborates with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa and the sub-council to bring library services to commuters at the train station.
Other programmes include storytelling sessions, holiday activities, a teen manga book club, and book and poetry groups for adults.
The library offers training on using e-resources such as the Libby App for digital books and PressReader for newspapers and magazines.
“Our goal is to create a vibrant and welcoming library that truly meets the community’s needs,” said Fish Hoek librarian Rika Smit. “Programmes like these make a difference by helping people feel connected, informed, and supported.”
The award, she said, was “a reminder of the impact we’re able to have here, which keeps us motivated to keep doing more for our patrons”.
