Current awareness is the term used to describe staying informed by keeping up to date with the latest publications, research and news in your field.
The perspective of current awareness is the present and the forthcoming, as opposed to the retrospective.
Current awareness ranges from looking for information on specific topics on a regular basis (and this usually involves the assistance of your Personal Librarian to help you set up a search profile matched to your research interests) to embracing a wider, more general, and cross-disciplinary view that brings an element of serendipity into your search for the latest information.
Informally, researchers remain alert in all contexts for useful information and insights that will inform their daily practice, their research, and spark off innovative and creative ideas for new avenues of research
Mandela Day calls on us all, every day, to make the world a better place. Each year on 18 July we look back on what has been done, and forward to what will be done. Making every day a Mandela Day celebrates Madiba’s life and legacy in a sustainable way that will bring about enduring change.
By giving a little of your time each day to making a change that’s close to your heart or by giving a little of your time to make a difference to the life of someone else, you can start changing the world around you.
There are so many ways to make a difference.
Start with what you are passionate about and where you know your actions will have a lasting impact.
Follow Mandela Day on social media and sign up to receive the Mandela Day newsletter.
The Tour de France is an annual men's multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. It consists of 21 day-long stages over the course of 23 days.
The race was first organized in 1903 to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto and is currently run by the Amaury Sport Organisation. The race has been held annually since its first edition in 1903 except when it was stopped for the two World Wars.
South Africa has a stage winner in Daryl Impey, who won stage nine on the 14th of July. Impey races for the Mitchelton-Scott team. Another South African, Reinhardt Janse Van Rensburg, racing for the Team Dimension Data, is also taking part in the race.
The year is marked with many special days, weeks, and months dedicated and devoted to raising awareness about important issues.
This monthly post, compiled by the Information Search Librarians Team, will note special dates and themes, and draw your attention to possibly interesting cross-disciplinary topical references intended to inform and to inspire ideas for research.
In July, South Africa celebrates former President Nelson Mandela's birthday. 18 July has been declared Nelson Mandela International Day, but as South Africans we embrace the chance to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s life for the whole of July. This gives everyone the opportunity to heed the call to action for people to recognise their individual power to make an imprint and change the world around them.
A global movement for positive change begins with small actions. As each person acts, they fuel momentum toward positive change, raising awareness and expanding the reach of Mr Mandela’s values – fighting injustice, helping people in need and practicing reconciliation.
Find more areas where you can volunteer your services on the Nelson Mandela Day website
Nelson Mandela Day Goals 2019-2029:
Background
Mr Mandela became South Africa’s first democratically elected president in 1994. As a champion of reconciliation, he was instrumental in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was set up by South Africa’s Government of National Unity to help deal with the atrocities of apartheid.
Before his presidency, Mandela was heavily involved in anti-apartheid activities. He served 27 years in prison, many of which were spent with other sentenced freedom fighters.
While officially retired, he continued to voice his opinion on topical humanitarian issues and campaigns globally for peace, children and the fight against HIV and AIDS.
Government calls on all South Africans to contribute to the social and economic security of Africans, by living the values of our Constitution that provides for the rights of all people living in our country and the affirms democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom for all.
Information supplied from https://www.gov.za/NelsonMandelaMonth2019
Other happenings in July:
Symptoms of Swine influenzas
Following the outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) reported in the North West, Gauteng, Free State and Mpumalanga Provinces, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) will be embarking on roadshows and awareness campaigns to meet with farmers/pork producers, affected communities and the public at large.
Quick facts about ASF:
The disease is transmitted by:
World Hepatitis Day is marked to increase the awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes. It provides an opportunity to focus on specific actions such as:
strengthening prevention, screening and control of viral hepatitis and its related diseases
increasing hepatitis B vaccine coverage and integration into national immunisation programmes
coordinating a global response to hepatitis.
Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E can cause acute and chronic infection and inflammation of the liver leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. These viruses constitute a major global health risk.
Hepatitis A kills around 1.45 million people every year.
An estimated 240 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B (defined as hepatitis B surface antigen positive for at least 6 months).
About 2 million hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections occur yearly through unsafe injections.
If you are looking for 2018's forthcoming conferences, the following websites are helpful:
A Sketch of the Late Influenza as It Appeared in the Agricultural Districts of Cheshire / Hall, C. R. Provincial Medical & Surgical Journal (1844-1852) Vol. 8, No. 21 (Aug. 21, 1844), pp. 315-318
Influenza in South Africa / Public Health Reports (1896-1970) Vol. 34, No. 16 (Apr. 18, 1919), p. 775
Swine Flu: Advice, Dissent and Politics / Science News. Vol. 109, No. 17 (Apr. 24, 1976), pp. 261-262
Anatomy of a Decision: How the Nation Declared War on Swine Flu/ Boffey, Philip M. Science. New Series, Vol. 192, No. 4240 (May 14, 1976), pp. 636-638+640-641