Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) library has received a donation of Disaster Response Kits from two visiting librarians from South Africa.
The two full kits that contain supplies and tools are estimated at 800 US dollars. They comprise a timely boost to the library’s responsiveness especially at a time that Mombasa region, like other parts of the country, is experiencing heavy rains that have wrought havoc.
The kits are comprised of First Aid Kits, Rubber Boots, Safety Helmets, Disposable aprons, Dust masks, Duct Tapes, Polyethylene Sheets (plastic sheeting to cover shelves), Paper Towels (for interleaving books), Sponges, Scissors and Clipboards.
The donors, Mr Nazeem Israel and Ms Sonto Moleme, who are from the National Library of South Africa handed the donation when they made a courtesy call to the TUM Vice Chancellor Prof Laila Abubakar on Friday, April 26, 2024 at her office.
Mr Israel and Ms Moleme highlighted that the kits would help to salvage valuable resources in the aftermath of disasters, ensuring the preservation of cultural heritage and knowledge repositories.
The duo have been in the country since April 20, 2024 participating in a series of workshops at TUM on emergency readiness and disaster management (ERDM) capabilities among professionals for archives and libraries.
TUM hosted the workshop from the 20th to the 21st of April. It drew participation from 38 enthusiastic individuals from libraries, archives, and library and information science schools in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, and Zambia.
In her remarks, Prof Laila alluded to the need for the African continent to increase its knowledge and understanding of the elements of ERDM, and relevant knowledge in preparedness, response, and recovery in case of disasters
The Vice-chancellor lauded Mr Israel and Ms Moleme for donating the valuable items to TUM. She reiterated that TUM is willing to partner with various organisations across the continent to bridge the gap in library science, research and innovation.
She emphasized on the need of continuing professional development and capacity building to enable librarians and archivists to develop and strengthen their skills and abilities.
The Vice-chancellor further stated that the skills transfer would, in turn, assist the teams in achieving their objectives, managing challenges that face documentary heritage institutions and workplaces, and establishing meaningful partnerships that would yield lasting collaborations.
In attendance were the University Librarian Dr Wanyenda Chilimo, Deputy Librarian Mr Bernard Kamanda and the HOD Corporate Communication Mr Salim Chiro.
