Harrison, Joanne

Hendey, Brett

English

AJOL - African Journals Online

Sthn. Afr. J. Env. Ed. llo 8 (August 1988) 21 RESOURCE CENTRE AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM Joanne Harrison and Brett Hendey The new extensions to the South African ~luseum include a Resource Centre where merrbers of the public, 1n particular teachers and pupils, can obtain infol"''rotion on na~ural history and anthropology from books, magaZlne~. v1deos, slides and other educational resources .. Specunens.found t-y the public are identified here. A soec11nen loan l1brary will be made available for use by teaci'Jers, studen~s and .. scholars in the future. It is antic1pated that th1s fa~1l1ty will be especially useful to teachers and pup1ls from d1sad~ vantaged schools. INTRODUCTION The new additions to the South African Museum were opened to the public in August 1987. Included in the new fac i1 i ties is a Resource Centre where members of the public can find infonnation on natural history and anthropological subjects by referring to the books and other materials kept in this area. The museum's Resource Centre differs from others in the Western Cape in that it is backed by the exp~rtise of the museum's scientific staff and the extens1ve collections of materials representing people and their natural environment. The chief aim of the Resource Centre is to help children find infonnation for school projects. We also encourage teachers to use the Resource Centre to prepare for museum visits and follow-up activi~ies. The general public are also catered for. Spec1mens found by the public may be brought to the Resource Centre where they will be identified by an appropriate member of the museum's scientific staff. It is ·anticipated that this facility will be especial~y useful to teachers and children from poorly equ1pped schools, and to persons from communities that lack adequate 1 ibrary and other educational resource facilities. The Resource Centre is open from 10h00- 16h30 daily and 14h00 -16h30 on Sundays. It is anticipated that the Resource Centre will be expanded to include a library which will enable the museum to make speci-mens available to scholars, students and teachers on a loan basis. RESOURCES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE: Books These include standard references such as Enayalor-aedia Brittanniaa, Roberts' Birds af ScroA.th Afriaa, Smithers' The MarrrnaZ.s of the Soutlzero African Sub-region, Smith's Sea Fishes, Cambrid{Je Atlas of AstronormJ and many more. Magazines Magazines, journals and periodicals dealing with natural history, general science and anthropology such as National. Geogrophic, Natural History, Auetro-Zian Na-turoZ History, African Wildlife, The Digging Stick, Ro-tunda and publications from othC:r overseas museums are available. Resource material from other institutions Copies of published material from other organisations such as the Cape Department of Nature and Environmen-tal Conservation, BP Teacher's Resource Centre and the Department of Environment Affairs are available for reference only. Visitors wishing to obtain this material are either referred to the source or given ciunl ictlt.P cnnipc;. Material from other museums Worksheets, activity books, guides, pamp~lets and other educational material from museums 1n Southern Africa and overseas are kept in the museum education section of the Resource Centre. General infonnation on museums and museum technology are also collected. Maps and posters A small collection of topographic, geological and vegetation maps of Southern Africa is kept. Posters from various institutions and museums are used for display purposes. Multiple copies of posters ob-tained free of charge from the Cape Department of Nature and Environmental Conservation are kept to send to teachers and children who request such items. Video films National Geographic and other natural history videos are available for screening to the public. Under special circumstances these may be made available for 1 oan. Colour transparencies Slide tape shows on subjects such as biological classification, palaeontology, geology and African music are being produced. Copies of these programmes will eventually be made available for loan to schools. Address and publication lists Addresses of museums, societies and conservation bodies are available. These will ultimately be computerised for ease of access. Current publication 1 ists are sent to the Resource Centre from publishing houses. Catalogues of teaching aids from biological supply companies are also kept. Specimens Teaching specimens such as a model of a human skele-ton, sheep skull, stone artefacts, fossils, snakes in alcohol and insects are kept on the bookshelves and provide a great source of interest to visitors who are able to touch most of them. A small collection of such specimens are available for loan to teachers from local schools. Other articles of interest Articles and pictures from newspapers and magazines on natural history, conservation, archaeology, ethnography and education are collected and filed for reference purposes. Photocopies of these a~e . distributed on request to children for use 1n the1r school projects. 'I .: I 

Resource centre at the South African museum

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Resource centre at the South African museum

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