Meet the Student Who Named Thola, the New Library Robot

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UKZN Library Services recently held a competition to name a newly launched automated Artificial Intelligence (AI) prototype robot at the 5th International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Symposium, hosted by the University.

The competition, open to staff and students, aimed to give the robot an identity while promoting the symposium. It was won by Public Health PhD student Ms Colleen Stuart, who proposed the name Thola, meaning ‘to find’ in isiZulu.

Stuart said she was thrilled to be named the winner. She explained that the name Thola reflects the robot’s function and aligns with the University’s heritage. “My thought was that even though we are progressing technically and being innovative, we would still keep our heritage as a Zulu university,” she said.

Director of Library Services Dr Nonhlanhla Ngcobo said Thola the robot uses a gantry-style design and is bilingual, supporting the Library Services’ goals of improving access to learning, teaching, research, and information, and to align with the University language policy. Thola will assist staff and students in accessing library services, locating and shelving books, and issuing and returning items.

Ngcobo explained that they sought a short, easy-to-pronounce name that reflected the robot’s purpose. She said Stuart’s thoughtful rationale set her entry apart. With a chuckle, she noted it was particularly interesting that the winning name came from a non-isiZulu speaker.

Ngcobo added that as the Library Services, they are committed to keeping pace with technological advancements locally and globally. She said this commitment was why UKZN hosted the AI conference and used the opportunity to launch Thola, showcasing the strides the University has made in AI and technology development.

Thola will begin operations after the official handover in September and will be based at the Medical School Library, currently the only library using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Ngcobo said developers have assured the University that other libraries will not need to convert to RFID, as future robots will be configured to work with the existing barcode system.

The robot was developed by Mr Trevor Lorimer of Power Line Robotics. Ngcobo noted that working with a local developer makes ongoing technical support more accessible and efficient.

Words: Sithembile Shabangu

Photographs: Sethu Dlamini