5 February 2003

The Grahamstown-based South African Library for the Blind (Blindlib) made history this week when it appointed its first blind director.

Johan Roos took over the post on Monday after a unanimous decision by the library's board last November.

William Rowland, the chief executive of the SA National Council for the Blind, who is also the library board's chairman, said Roos is the first blind person in 84 years to run the library.

Roos was born in Welkom in the Free State and was educated in Worcester, graduating with a BA and LLB from the University of Stellenbosch. His last post was as regional director of the Grahamstown Legal Resources Centre.

Said Roos: "I would like to focus my efforts on service delivery to the disabled community, more particularly the blind community.

"I have a personal interest in disability issues: I am blind, my wife is blind, and so is one of my children. The blind community needs a voice regarding the library's service, and although three members of the board are blind, it is hoped that this number will increase in the future."

Rowland said Roos has worked extensively in the area of delivery of social services to the disabled and promoting the rights of marginalised communities throughout South Africa.

He said Roos wanted to extend the library's services to offer specialist reading to those who need it, and to make the library more accessible to people.

The library's most important objectives were to increase Braille literacy, digitise, provide a regular volunteer narrator and transcription programme, and provide a substantial, free national library and information service for blind and print-handicapped people countrywide.

Source: BuaNews

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