About SANLiC

Vision

SANLiC is the leading facilitator of cost-effective access to high-quality scholarly electronic information in support of research, teaching and learning in Public Higher Education and Research Institutions.

Mission

SANLiC facilitates, on a non-profit basis, affordable access to scholarly electronic information in support of the learning, teaching and research activities of its members.

What we do and why

We negotiate collective license agreements with publishers and aggregators for scholarly reading and publishing services on behalf of our members and beneficiaries.

We actively promote a transition to open access according to the best interests and participation of our members as expressed in our negotiation principles for a transformational transition to Open Access to give effect to science as a global good, available and accessible worldwide.

Governance

As required by the Companies Act, SANLiC is governed by a Memorandum of Incorporation adopted at a General Meeting on 9 May 2013 and last updated at the Annual General Meeting of members on 28 June 2023.

Board Directors

Ms Ellen Tise  (Chairperson)

Ms Ellen Tise has held the position of Senior Director: Library and Information Services at Stellenbosch University since January 2006. Her previous positions include University Librarian at the University of the Western Cape and Deputy University Librarian at the University of the Witwatersrand.

A past president of LIASA (1998-2002) and IFLA (2009-2011), Ellen served on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Access to Learning Award Advisory Committee, the OCLC Members Council (2005-2008), the UNESCO International Advisory Committee of the Memory of the World (2011-2015), Sabinet Online Board (2003-2018) and chaired the National Library of South Africa Board (2012-2015).

She is a published author and a regular speaker at national and international conferences and an Honorary Member of LIASA and IFLA.

Ms Lindiwe Soyizwapi  (Deputy Chairperson)

Ms Lindiwe Soyizwapi is the Director of the Department of Library Services at the University of Pretoria. She has over 25 years of leadership experience in the academic library sector. Lindiwe holds a Master’s degree in Information Studies from the Department of Information Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).

Prior to joining the University of Pretoria, Lindiwe served in leadership positions at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus and was the campus librarian on the Westville campus of UKZN.

Dr Connie Bitso

Dr Connie Bitso is the Director of the University of Fort Hare Libraries. Previously she held a senior lectureship at the University of Cape Town (UCT). She graduated with a Ph.D. in Information Science from the University of Pretoria and holds a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from UCT.

Connie has a wealth of research, teaching and learning experience in the library and information science discipline and is the past chair (2016-2018) of LIASA’s Research and Training Interest Group. She has published book chapters and articles in reputable journals and is also a regular speaker at national and international conferences.

Professor Maria Frahm-Arp

Professor Maria Frahm-Arp is the Executive Director of the Library and Information Centre at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). Previously she held the position of Vice Dean in the Faculty of Humanities at UJ. Maria graduated with a Ph.D. in the Sociology of Religion from Warwick University (UK) in 2006 and is a National Research Foundation rated researcher.

Her publications include two books, Professional Women in Pentecostal Charismatic Churches in South Africa (2010) and Into the Deep: Finding God in the Midst of Suffering (2014) as well as over 20 book chapters and journal articles. She is the winner of the University of Johannesburg Humanities Teaching and Learning Award (2014) and the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching and Learning Award (2016).

Ms Sanele Kunene

Ms Sanele Kunene is the Director of Library and Information Services at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). She has over 20 years’ experience in academic libraries, having formerly headed the research centres for the South African School of Motion Picture Medium & Live Performance, a private higher education institution, and the TUT Mbombela Campus library.

From 2014 to 2018 Sanele served on LIASA’s Higher Education Libraries Interest Group (HELIG) committee and from 2015 to 2020 she served on the board of the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), participating in the NLSA’s Human Resources and Remuneration and Finance committees.

Mr Hardy Maritz

Mr Hardy Maritz is the Director: Commercial Development at the University of Cape Town (UCT). A finance professional with a 22-year track record in higher education leadership, Hardy has wide-ranging experience and expertise in financial management, cash flow planning and forecasting, governance, systems and projects, and executive support and training.

On completion of his studies in accounting and computer science he served articles with KPMG Chartered Accountants and moved into higher education after completing successful international contracts with Energizer Europe, Middle East and Africa and Shell International/Exxon Mobil.

A founder member and current deputy chair of the Finance Executive Forum of Universities South Africa (USAf), Hardy also serves on the board of the Tertiary Education & Research Network of South Africa (TENET), is a member-elected trustee of the UCT Retirement Fund and chairs its Investment Committee.

Dr Shirlene Neerputh

Dr Shirlene Neerputh is the Director: Library Services at the University of the Western Cape. Shirlene holds a Ph.D. in Library and Information Studies from the Durban University of Technology and a Masters degree in Library and Information Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Her professional career spans 30 years.

An active member of several professional organisations, she is the immediate past chairperson of the Committee of Higher Education Libraries of South Africa (2022), she chaired LIASA’s Higher Education Interest Group (2018-2020), was a board member on the LIASA Professional Board (2018), and a council member of the South African Library for the Blind (2016-2022).

Shirlene has completed the Nuffic Doctoral Supervision and the University Resilient Leadership Management Course at the Stellenbosch Business School and was also an external panel reviewer for the University of the Free State Library and Information Services in 2022.

Dr Nonhlanhla Ngcobo

Dr Nonhlanhla Ngcobo is the Director of Library Services at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She holds a PhD in Information Studies and a Masters degree in Information Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Her library career started at the eThekwini Municipal Libraries, where she held various leadership roles. She has occupied academic library leadership positions for over 20 years.

An active LIASA member, Nonhlanhla served as the LIASA KZN Branch Chair-elect from 2014-2016 and as the branch chairperson from 2016-2018. She has also presented at national and international conferences on key library and information science issues.

Dr Daisy Selematsela

Dr Daisy Selematsela is the University Librarian at the University of the Witwatersrand and Professor of Practice of Knowledge Management at the University of Johannesburg.

A recipient of the Knowledge Management Leadership Award in 2016 and in 2019, she is an active member of numerous professional organisations and currently serves as a director on the boards of ORCID, Research4Life; CODATA International, the Information Training and Outreach Centre for Africa and Committee of Higher Education Libraries of South Africa. She was a speaker at the 1st International Conference on Knowledge & Innovation Management, chairs the South African Committee on Data and Science, is a past board member of the Confederation of Open Access Repositories (COAR), and serves on the editorial boards of three professional journals.

She is also on the programme committee for the 2022 International Data Week and on the International Planning Committee for the 13th International Congress of Medical Librarianship + Association for Health Information & Libraries in Africa.

Mr Glenn Truran  (SANLiC Director)

Glenn Truran is based in the SANLiC office in Cape Town. After graduating from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), he worked as an educator in South Africa and England. He has worked for poverty alleviation non-profit organisations for most of his career and has over 20 years’ experience at a managerial level. He has a BA and two post graduate diplomas from Wits, the first in education and the second in public policy and development administration. He also has an MBA from the University of Cape Town.

Staff

Dr Nora Buchanan  (Licensing Manager)

Nora manages all SANLiC license agreements. She is based in Durban. A graduate of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Nora completed her PhD in Information Studies in 2009. She has worked at the Johannesburg Public Library, the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa library and, for 32 years, in various positions in the library at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, retiring from the position of Director of Library Services in 2014.

Ms Naomi Gaines  (Administrator)

Naomi is based in Cape Town and is the anchor in the SANLiC office. She is the contact for finance related enquiries. Her vibrant and friendly character will welcome you. Her work experience includes administration, public relations and managing the KwaZulu-Natal Province office of the Paraffin Safety Association.

Ms Zine Sapula  (Open Access Project Manager)

Zine is responsible for the SANLiC Open Access data analysis and communication and is based Gauteng. She holds a BA Honours degree in Information Science from UNISA and is a certified Data Carpentry instructor. She has over 10 years of experience in Library and Information Services, having worked in various South African institutions, including national, public, special, and academic libraries.

Her professional expertise encompasses open science, bibliometrics, information literacy, literature searches, collection development, data analysis, and referencing. She is part of The Carpentries, a global community that teaches data science skills to researchers using open tools. She has participated in Data Carpentry workshops nationally and internationally.

Glenn Truran is based in the SANLiC office in Cape Town. After graduating from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), he worked as an educator in South Africa and England. He has worked for poverty alleviation non-profit organisations for most of his career and has over 20 years’ experience at a managerial level. He has a BA and two post graduate diplomas from Wits, the first in education and the second in public policy and development administration. He also has an MBA from the University of Cape Town.

Membership

Membership of SANLiC is for South African Public Higher Education Institutions, Statutory Research and Science Institutions, or other Public Entities. It is based upon application and is granted at the sole discretion of the Board.

Our members include:

Annual Reports

Affiliations

SANLiC is an active member of:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who can apply for membership of SANLiC?

2. Who is SANLiC?

History

Previously known as the Coalition of South African Library Consortia (COSALC), SANLiC was initiated in 1999 by representatives of several regional academic library bodies, who were all at the time, sub-committees of the regional academic consortia. A decision was taken to establish COSALC as a national umbrella organisation with the vision “to enhance access to information and the sharing of resources to benefit the clients of library consortia in South Africa through national co-operation.” It was subsequently also decided that COSALC membership would include not only the regional academic consortia, but also the public research consortium, as well as the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) and the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA).

COSALC’s main operational and strategic focus was aimed at national level. It had as its main focus access to electronic information through the establishment of the national site licensing activity within its structures which became widely known as the South African Site Licensing Initiative (SASLI). Its role was to establish needs; negotiate licenses and prices with publishers; co-ordinate access, delivery and training; and deal with other issues related to the cost-effective use of electronic information.

In 2003 COSALC was registered as a Section 21 (non-profit organisation) company in terms of the Companies Act. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) approved its application for tax exempt status in March 2005, and in the same year it was also registered as a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) in terms of the Non-Profit Organisations Act (Act 71 of 1997).

On 21 June 2011 the Coalition of South African Library Consortia (COSALC) name was changed to the South African National Library and Information Consortium (SANLiC). On 27 August 2015, SANLiC was registered as a VAT Vendor with the South African Revenue Service.