Information Literacy in Practice: engaging public library workers in rural South Africa

De Jager, Karin; Nassimbeni, Mary

Information Literacy in Practice: engaging public library workers in rural South Africa

Journal Article

2007

Journal Title

IFLA Journal

Link to Journal

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0340035207086057

Publisher

SAGE

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Centre for Information Literacy

Faculty

Centre for Higher Education Development

Abstract

Mpumalanga Provincial Library Services, South Africa, offers public library services in a largely rural 'new' province created in 1996. Many of the libraries are in isolated areas and have to meet the very diverse needs of their communities. This paper reports the results of an information literacy intervention designed for public library workers in this province. The campaign, a first of its kind in Mpumalanga (and South Africa), gave public library workers the opportunity to develop their information literacy skills and to apply them in their libraries. This paper discusses the information and training needs that were identified, the campaigns that were constructed, their progress and the outcomes. From the outset, emphasis was placed on the importance of measuring and evaluating activities throughout their campaigns in order to be able to assess the impact of their interventions. The paper attempts to show what difference even small public libraries with unqualified library workers can make in tackling social exclusion in disadvantaged communities.