From “life support” to collaborative partnership: A local/global view of academic libraries in South Africa

Abstract

South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy has been labeled a success. The growth in democratic institutions, transformation of the public service, extended basic services, and stabilization of the economy have been used to measure this success. Despite these successes, it is acknowledged that far too many South Africans are trapped in poverty, and South Africa still remains a highly unequal society. A major contributor to poverty and an unequal society is the poor quality of K–12 education for the majority and the continuation of that into higher education.