OpenUCT :: Browsing by Subject "Library and Information Studies"

Browsing by Subject "Library and Information Studies"

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Open Access
A case study of digital readiness and technology adoption at a theological college in Cape Town, South Africa
(2022) Majackie, Collin A; Shongwe, Mzwandile
Technological innovations are rapidly transforming the way Higher Educational Institutions are delivering their core mission of teaching, learning and creative inquiry. A significant number of faculty are resistant to adopting new technologies. This study aims to explore the digital readiness and technology adoption of faculty and staff at a theological college and to understand the current digital practices and views of key stakeholders regarding the drivers and barriers of digital readiness and technology adoption. The research aims were met through an extensive literature review and the implementation of a practical research study. A qualitative case study, using semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders was carried out. The findings show that the concepts of digital literacy and digital readiness are often misunderstood. The main driver of technological adoption was COVID-19, while the main barriers were age and the digital divide. Management support was positive, but a clear vision and strategy for technology adoption was absent. The findings offer valuable insight into technological issues that affects HEIs, especially theological education. While findings cannot be generalised, they may be relatable and applicable to other disciplines. Recommendations for future research and practice are proposed for faculty and the college to consider.
Open Access
A plan for improving The City Of Cape Town Corporate Intranet by applying knowledge sharing Insights
(2023) Evans, Herbert; Higgs, Richard
Corporate intranets are an essential technology used by organisations to manage their digital information resources. An effective intranet service must balance the resource requirements of its users with the restrictions of the corporate network as well as coordinate an effective digital information storage and retrieval service. In addition, intranets typically also provide an internal communication channel and serve as a key vehicle for the corporate culture of the organisation. The City of Cape Town municipality's existing intranet platform is in the process of being migrated to more modern technology, allowing for the redevelopment of key functions including the underlying information architecture, associated site navigation elements, search and site metadata, inter alia. As a member of the intranet's custodian department, the researcher is well positioned to conduct a study of the existing intranet service offering, and to offer an assessment of improvements needed to meet the needs of the modern digital workplace. The research study examines the role of the corporate intranet as a Knowledge Management (KM) tool, with a focus on iterative improvement by the application of an action research approach. Key areas that are examined include the performance, configuration and management of the network infrastructure; site content management; intranet site structure and design; site navigation; site search and search results performance; the application of site governance and usage policies; the expression of corporate culture through the intranet service; the role of the intranet as a collaboration platform; and the requirements of the modern digital workplace in respect of key services including information retrieval and collaborative tools. The study's primary research data is drawn from interviews with key users of the corporate intranet via snowball sampling. The resultant qualitative data is interpreted and compared with insights from the KM literature and the researcher's own institutional knowledge, and areas of improvement are identified. The findings are to be presented to the intranet redevelopment team, and will contribute to improving the CCT corporate intranet service. The study also makes a contribution to existing research in the field of KM, Action Research case literature and intranet design theory.
Open Access
Access barriers : an investigation into the availability and accessibility of high-demand materials in the Short Loan Centre of an academic library
(1996) Leibbrandt, Shirley; De Jager, Karin
Academic libraries in South Africa are facing the challenge of tighter budgets, increasing student enrolments, greater diversity in students' backgrounds and library experience, and a call for greater accountability to all the stakeholders. The effectiveness of a library service can be measured in terms of the availability and accessibility of library materials, two attributes of a library's document delivery capability. This study focused on the availability of prescribed materials for undergraduate students in an academic library. It involved a micro-evaluation of the immediate materials availability rate in a short loan collection, by using a combination of a quantitative simulation study, and a qualitative user survey. Generally, the availability rates determined were high, which suggests a high degree of collection adequacy. However, the user study confirmed that many SLC users experienced difficulties in using the system, indicating a need for continuous user education programmes and constant dialogue between the staff and the users concerning future service improvements. The study indicated that overall materials availability rates can be misleading if accepted at face value. A introspective analysis of the reasons for the non-availability of high-demand materials revealed hidden access barriers such as poor information retrieval skills on the part of the users and certain inefficient organisational procedures on the part of the library. The study reiterates the fundamental importance of constructive communication between the various stakeholders in meeting the educational goals of the institution and the necessity of regular library performance evaluation to ensure a dynamic, proactive service. The coexistence of print-based and electronic resources in the forseeable future underscores the importance of convenience and accessibility factors in making required documents available to the users.
Open Access
Adapting the model for information literacy and cultural heritage in Cape Town: investigating user attitudes and preceptions in libraries, museums and archives
(2015) Baker, Kim; Nassimbeni, Mary
Adapting the Model for Information Literacy and Cultural Heritage in Cape Town: investigating user attitudes and perceptions in libraries, museums and archives, by Kim Baker, investigates the attitudes and perceptions of general public adult users of the City of Cape Town public libraries, Iziko Museums of South Africa, and the Western Cape Archives and Records Service in Cape Town towards cultural heritage, information literacy and learning in order to adapt the Model for Information Literacy and Cultural Heritage for Lifelong Learning to the Cape Town context. A generic Model for international use was developed for the book. In formation Literacy and Cultural Heritage: Developing a model for lifelong learning . (Baker, 2013). The adapt at ion of the generic model is a necessary preliminary step before designing courses to teach information literacy and cultural heritage to the general public in a given local context and in an integrated manner, with public libraries, museums and archives collaborating and co - operating to provide the training together. The investigation was conducted by means of survey questionnaires, which applied within-method triangulation of quantitative and qualitative questions, and a combination of Yes/No answers, Likert scale questions and multiple-choice questions. The survey questionnaires included the demographic categories of race, gender, age group, home language, level of education, religion and employment status in order to gain an understanding of the demographic profiles of users necessary to the application of training in cultural heritage to different cultural groups. Questions were grouped into sections, with Section A asking questions pertaining to understandings of cultural heritage, Section B investigating whether users had access to the Internet at home, and if so, how much bandwidth was available to them; Section C explored information seeking and evaluation (information literacy) patterns, and Section D explored learning behaviours and preferences. Section E explored whether users of the public libraries also used museums and archives, why or why not; whether users of the museums used public libraries and archives, and why or why not, and whether users of the Archives used public libraries, and why or why not. At the public libraries, 480 respondents across the branches of Central Library; Athlone; Milnerton; Moses Mahbida; Grassy Park; Bellville; Harare; Somerset West; Brackenfell and Town Centre, Mitchell’s Plain, completed the questionnaires. At Iziko Museums, 220 respondents across the sites of the South African Museum, and the Slave Lodge completed questionnaires. At the Archives , which has only one site, 25 respondents completed the questionnaires. The surveying was conducted using the convenience sampling method. The data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2010, by means of non-parametric, descriptive statistics and presented in graphic format. Following the interpretation of the results, and as a result of this study, recommendations were made for the adapt at ion of the Model of Information Literacy and Cultural Heritage for Lifelong Learning to apply to the context of Cape Town.
Open Access
Alternative models of information provision with special reference to the International Research and Information Group and the Education Resource and Information Project
(1995) Karelse, Cathy-Mae; Nassimbeni, Mary
This study examines the contribution made by two alternative service or non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to the provision and delivery of information in South Africa. A brief analysis of the role of information in impacting on and/or reproducing social formations is undertaken to provide an understanding of the way in which information has been used in the South African context to repress transformation of the apartheid state. This discussion frames an investigation into ways in which NGOs have attempted to counter information control on the part of the apartheid regime by mediating information to their constituencies. The relationship between information, education and development is addressed, providing insight into the educational role which service organisations play in delivering an information service on the one hand, the information role they perform in providing an education service on the other, and the developmental role they assume in both instances. Particular attention is paid to the way in which these services relate to their users in the process of imparting information to them. In this regard the interface between NGOs and their users is investigated and the very nature of this interaction assessed.
Open Access
An investigation into the knowledge management practices and challenges in an international non-governmental network of organisations : a case study of One World International
(2007) Lumba, Patricia Mweene Haamujompa; Smith, Gretchen
Knowledge management will support activities that improve the performance of organizations and organization networks due to the known benefits of collaborating. Although knowledge management is deemed to be vital for organizations, no uniform model of practice exists for any organization. This condition can also be ascribed to the scarcity of information on Knowledge management practices, experiences, role models and general concerns. Concerns of the critical role knowledge management can play in NGOs, including NGO networks; due to their complex structures have often been addressed. These concerns include among others the priority given to external action and the client versus internal administration work and results analysis; structural high turnover among staff, volunteers and donors; the lightness of the permanent structure and the performance of field activities in a situation and climate of emergency and orllack of funds, and/or in stressed or disorganized environments. This report is based on the outcomes of a study that explored the knowledge management practices and challenges in an international NGO network; OneWorld International (OWl). The investigation constituted comparative case studies of two centres (one in Zambia and the other in the Netherlands) belonging to a single international network. An empirically grpunded framework of knowledge management practices based on the taxonomy proposed by Holsapple and Joshi was utilised as the reference framework for the study. The framework provided guidelines to characterize factors that influence organizational knowledge management; knowledge manipulation activities (processes) and organizational knowledge resources. The study uses two approaches: qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative approach, which was used in the preliminaiy stage of the data collection exercise, provided an in-depth interpretation by means of open-ended interviewing of the knowledge management issues that needed to be grasped. The qualitative approach was complemented by a quantitative approach using a Likert scale based on attitude statements. The attitude statements were developed from the responses obtained during the open interviews. The quantitative approach also provided the means to make comparisons between the centres and provided the results of opinions, beliefs and attitudes of the respondent's knowledge management perceptions. The results of the empirical study confirm that a variety of factors affect knowledge management behaviours in NGO networks. These factors include managerial and internal controls such as management styles and incentives for knowledge creation and sharing; resource influences; and environbental influences relating to an organization's culture and the needs of partner organizations. The study highlights important variation in diversity, gaps and perceptions in managing knowledge between centres in the network that are based in Europe and Africa. This is despite significant commonality in knowledge management processes and infrastructures. The results further show that institutionalisation of knowledge management practices within a network seem to enable or constrain knowledge management at centre and network level. Recommendations are proposed to improve knowledge management practices at local and international level and include enhanced technical and advisory services at international level; capacity building; creating greater awareness of knowledge management; decentralization of knowledge management processes; implementation of a knowledge management strategy at network level and improving relationships between centres. The research concludes that networked NGOs and specifically OWl could operate more efficiently and incrementally enhance service provision by leveraging their knowledge resources more effectively. It is in this light that knowledge management practices should be examined in NGOs and particularly networks with their complex structures and attendant reoccurring and unavoidable problems.
Open Access
An Investigation of the Inclusion of Decoloniality in the Objectives of the National Library of South Africa s (NLSA s) Digitisation Programme
(2024) Ngcobo, Mhlengi; Higgs, Richard
Decoloniality is a critical issue in South Africa, necessitating action in universities, learning curricula, libraries, and archives, and should not be confused with transformation. In this study, the researcher investigates the inclusion of decoloniality in the objectives of the National Library of South Africa's digitisation programme. A preliminary review of digitisation documents in the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) showed that decoloniality is never explicitly mentioned. The study employed a sequential mixed method, collecting data through documents, questionnaires, and focus group discussions, employing a data triangulation design for flexibility, and evaluating relevant literature and respondents' comments. Participants in this study were comprised of NLSA employees who participated in the digitisation project. This study used a census of 15 library professionals chosen for their ability to provide the most information on the subject. This study confirms that decoloniality is not explicitly mentioned in the NLSA's digitisation documents. The NLSA's digitisation policy is devoid of decolonial strategy plans. According to the findings, research participants did not have a clear understanding of the concept of decoloniality as it relates to the NLSA's digitisation programme. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the NLSA is doing nothing to address decoloniality specifically. The study also revealed challenges related to a lack of funding for digitisation projects, such as a lack of human resources. The findings could not be extrapolated to other South African libraries because this study was limited to the NLSA, and had a small sample size. However, this study's results could be useful to other libraries in the country. The researcher recommends that similar studies for other South African libraries be conducted.
Open Access
An analysis of school library use in Government Aided Community Junior Secondary Schools in Gaborone city and the Southern district in Botswana
(2002) Sehuhula-Mooketsi, Bojelo; De Jager, Karin
School libraries can have a significant impact on students' academic performance and the quality of learning. This thesis explores the factors surrounding school library use or non-use of school libraries in Government Aided Community Junior Secondary Schools (GACJSS) in Botswana. Background information pertaining to the quality of teaching and learning in GACJSS in Botswana is provided, highlighting policy statements towards the improvement of the quality of learning.
Open Access
Analysis of the approaches of senior management teams towards adoption of next generation library management systems: case study of Cape Library Consortium Institutions
(2014) Mfengu, Andiswa Yolanda; Underwood, Peter G; Raju, Jaya
Sophistication of technology has resulted in libraries having to manage print, digital and electronic resources. Managing all resource types and formats with traditional integrated library systems is ineffective as the systems were designed for physical resources. Next generation library management systems are expected to change this by integrating all library resources and providing access through a single platform, reducing the number of transaction the user has to perform. Additionally libraries will save large proportions of their budgets on hardware and software, as the systems are accessed through a web browser this will be an added benefit for libraries as the cost of acquiring electronic resources is continuously increasing. Next generation library management systems are not yet implemented in academic libraries in the Western Cape Province. To investigate the reasons for this, the author employed a qualitative case study approach in which a minimum of two members of the Executive Management of each of the four Cape Library Consortium institutions were interviewed. Data collected was analysed using NVivo analysis software, responses being analysed within the institution and compared across the other institutions.
Open Access
Archiving social survey data in Africa : an overview of African microdata curation and the role of survey data archives in data management in Africa
(2009) Woolfrey, Lynn; Underwood, Peter G; De Jager, Karin
This study examines current practice in the curation of social survey data in African countries and makes suggestions for future improvements in this regard. Curation of data refers to its preservation and management for reuse. Utilising survey data for the study of social phenomena other than those for which the original survey was initiated is a relatively new research approach in Africa. Thus best practice for this type of research is still being put in place by African organisations. This involves the development of optimal means of processing and storing the data for re-use. Of concern to this study is what constitutes the most effective way of managing and sharing the information garnered from these surveys as a resource for economic and social development in Africa. Social survey data refers to both the statistical information which is the final product of censuses or sample surveys, and the documentation provided with the data to facilitate its reuse. Documentation includes technical notes and questionnaires used in the survey process, as well as meta data (detailed information about the data) and reports produced concerning the final survey findings. The research looks at the history of the management of social survey data worldwide and in African countries, and the policies and processes involved in curating survey information in these countries. The comparative component of the study examines developments in this field internationally and compares these to practices on the African continent. International best practice in the field has been used to evaluate current methods of survey data archiving in African countries. The study presents strategies to ensure the optimal preservation and effective sharing of survey data among countries of the region. Strategies for the establishment of a Pan African network of data sharing organisations are suggested to support future repurposing of African census and survey data.
Open Access
Aspects of information literacy with regards to the use of legal resources : case study of third year undergraduate law students of the University of Cape Town, South Africa and University of Jos, Nigeria
(2009) Lawal, Victoria; Underwood, Peter G
The study explores the relevance of information literacy in the context of legal education specifically as it affects issues on the conduct of the legal research skills of undergraduate students as well as the need for its integration into the curriculum of legal education. A review of the literature shows that little research has been undertaken in the field of legal information literacy in contrast to many other academic areas; indications from the literature reveal that there is a skills deficiency among undergraduate law students in many countries which suggest that many are ill prepared for the workplace. This situation also applies to law undergraduates in higher education institutions in Africa particularly Nigeria. The peculiar structure of legal information resources and the distinctive ways in which legal information is both evaluated and used suggest that legal information resources possess special characteristics that would need to be examined carefully in order to design information literacy programmes suitable for the profession. The scope of the study is limited to a comparative analysis of the information literacy skills of undergraduate law students of the University of Cape Town, South Africa and University of Jos, Nigeria; data was collected from both institutions from which comparisons were drawn. Findings from the study have revealed the difficulties experienced by students in the process of legal research and emphasised the importance of recognising the unique information structure of legal resources in developing an appropriate pedagogical model for integrating information literacy to the curricula of legal education particularly in higher education institutions. The study presents a uniquely African perspective on the challenges of integrating information literacy within the curriculum of legal education by providing insights into the needs and challenges for graduate requirement and productivity in higher education institutions in Africa.
Open Access
Assessing information needs of users of the Career Information Centre (CIC), UCT : working towards a framework for promoting better use of career services, in particular, resources in the CIC
(2003) Thupe, Benjamin O; Smith, Gretchen
This study is an assessment of the career information needs of users of the Career Information Centre (CIC), at the University of Cape Town. The study was conducted because it was clear to the CIC staff that the CIC was under-utilised by the student community. A thorough investigation of the literature on career needs and needs assessment was conducted in order to get an overview of issues that would characterise the study.
Open Access
Assessing the impact of a public library's print collection: a case study of two public libraries in Cape Town
(2018) Skarzynski, Janusz; Nassimbeni, Mary; Kahn, Michelle
The purpose of these case studies was to explore the impact of a public library’s print collection on the community using the library. The motivation for this research is driven by three factors in the South African public library environment. Firstly, the huge investment in library print collections is not currently accounted for in any assessment of library performance, other than expenditure. Secondly, studies of the low levels of literacy and book ownership have established that the public libraries are potentially the only source of reading material for over fifty percent of the population. Thirdly, The Library and Information Services (LIS) Transformation Charter calls for more effective and meaningful performance measurement. The research design for this study was informed by the work of reading theorists. The methodology made use of the GLOs (Generic Learning Outcomes) developed and adopted by the United Kingdom Museums, Libraries and Archives Council as well as research into reading outcomes in public libraries. The study was undertaken within the framework of impact assessment as outlined in the ISO 16439 – Information and documentation – Methods and procedures for assessing the impact of libraries and the work of library assessment specialists, Markless and Streatfield. The research was conducted at two public libraries in two different communities of Cape Town. Questionnaires were distributed to fifty people at each site to collect quantitative data, with follow up interviews conducted with a smaller sample. The focus of the survey and interviews was the leisure reading activities of the participants. The results describe both the patterns of library use and reading behaviour, as well as the impact of using the print collection on the participants. While the results showed that taste in reading differed, in some respects, between communities, the participants all considered reading an important pastime. The reading experiences described by the participants in this study at the two libraries were similar, as were the benefits gained from leisure reading. This study mirrors the results of studies performed in the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom. Recommendations from this research are that the impact of the public libraries print collection on users, that primarily make use of the collection for leisure reading, is significant and should be documented as an important outcome of a library’s performance. Public libraries should focus efforts on providing leisure reading material, despite pressure to focus on literacy, skills development, youth programmes and other activities that are considered to produce more tangible outcomes. In order to uncover factors that make reading an activity of choice, further research needs to be conducted into what differentiates the serious leisure readers from those who do not engage in this pastime.
Open Access
An assessment of knowledge use and knowledge management maturity among the micro, small and meduim enterprise sector in Zambia
(2013) Sikazwe, Dennis; Smith, Gretchen
The focus of this study was to establish the knowledge use and Knowledge Management (KM) maturity among the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Sector in Zambia. This is a domain that has received little attention in the Zambian business and economics literature, partially because of the newness of KM as a business concept. Knowledge Management is a very important aspect as far as innovation and competitiveness are concerned in the knowledge economy. Since the inception of the open market economy in Zambia in 1992 and the move to diversify Zambia's national economy from state control into private hands, the MSMEs still seem to be struggling with lack of innovation and competitiveness. Despite several attempts to boost the sector's viability, little success has been recorded.
Open Access
Barriers to information access and provision in academic libraries with special focus on the Cape Technikon Library
(2001) Mahlangu, Nomoya; Underwood, Peter G
This dissertation examines difficulties experienced by users from the moment they enter the library to search for information, up to the point where they achieve the objective of their search. It also explores the processes that happen "behind the scenes", before the sought information can be located and utilized. These include the requisite funding to obtain the information, ordering, acquiring and cataloguing and finally shelving the material in an accessible manner.
Open Access
Contemporary copyright fair dealing management issues and their impact on access to information sources and services : South African academic libraries in the transition to the digital environment
(2005) Masango, Charles Akwe; Darch, Colin M
This study investigated the perceptions of academic librarians, managers of consortia, users of digital content, and rights holders whether licensing agreements effectively inhibit access to digital content and whether there is a need to establish an equivalent to the fair dealing exemption in the digital environment. The protection that is accorded to digital content is complex. An empirical survey based on qualitative method was conducted in 2003 - 2004 in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, to examine whether licences inhibit access to digital content and whether an equivalent to the fair dealing exemption was necessary in the digital environment. Methodology used in the survey consisted of interviews from structured questions. Using grounded theory, certain perceptions and misconceptions were found in the interview responses. Thereafter it was possible to suggest that the debate as to whether licences inhibit access to digital content and whether an equivalent to the fair dealing exemption is needed in the digital environment is perhaps inconclusive. However, it is proposed that as licences theoretically inhibit access to digital content, it may be necessary for an equivalent to the fair dealing exemption to be instituted to balance the rights of rights holders with those of consumers of digital content. The new fair dealing exemption would be able to theoretically balance the alleged inhibition caused by licensing agreements.
Open Access
Data archiving, management initiatives and expertise in the Biological Sciences Department, University of Cape Town
(2015) Koopman, Margaret Marie; De Jager, Karin
Researchers produce large amounts of data during their research investigations and have a variety of interventions for the management of these data. It has not been the responsibility of academic institutions to manage research data, this responsibility has resided with the researchers and their research units. This investigation attempted to understand how pre-digital, early digital and current digital research data in the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Cape Town had been and is being managed, if researchers had archived any of these data and what their opinions were on sharing their research data. Long-term ecological data are an important component of research in the Biological Sciences Department as researchers wish to understand ecosystem changes such as climate change, the spread of alien species and the impact of humans on land and marine exploitation. It is consequently critical that research data, past and present are properly managed for future research so that meaningful management decisions can be made. Research Data Management and the Research Life Cycle are phrases that are very much in the literature at present as librarians and university administrators grapple with the task of implementing data policies and data repositories. The literature review revealed that although the University of Cape Town may be a somewhat behind other international institutions in engaging with Research Data Management and repositories, investigations have been ongoing in other parts of the world and in the international community the groundwork has already been done. Research data have been the preserve of researchers and they are reluctant to give up control of their hard-earned data, usually the result of hours spent on funding applications, and field or laboratory work. Data sets of sufficient quantity and quality to answer research questions can take a researcher a lifetime to accumulate and they understandably do not wish to make these openly available without the insurance that their work will be acknowledged. The findings of this research project revealed that in the absence of systematic data management initiatives at institutional level, researchers had preserved many long-term data sets and in some instances were archiving with international repositories specific to their data types. The findings resulted in a range of suggested interventions for the support of Research Data Management at the University of Cape Town.
Open Access
The development of the notion of libraries in the ancient world with special reference to the Middle East, the Roman Republic and the Royal Alexandrian Library
(1993) Ruppelt, Niels
The Royal Alexandrian Library (RAL) is considered by modern scholarship to represent the epitome of the development of ancient librarianship. Its extensive holdings imply the application of modern organizational procedures such as collection development, information retrieval and promotion of use - terms identifiable as elements embodied in the conceptual framework of librarianship (for the purposes of this study the latter two concepts - information retrieval and promotion of use - are combined into the simplified general concept of "collection accessibility"). The RAL therefore constitutes a key development phase in the evolution of modern librarianship. However, scholars have disputed the origins of the RAL and Mouseion or university it was attached to. The socalled "Greek thesis" emphasizes the purely Greek origins of both the Mouseion and the RAL. Conversely, the "Ptolemaic thesis", while acknowledging the Greek origins of the Mouseion, argues that the RAL (as an independent institution distinguishable from the Mouseion proper) is derived from Middle Eastern institutions. This study traces the origins of the RAL from the textual collections of the early Mediterranean and Middle Eastern civilizations, through the period of Greek and the subsequent Hellenistic cultural dominance - culminating in the legacy of Hellenistic librarianship as inherited by the Roman Republic, since the newly emerging Roman empire was to exert a deciding influence upon the historical development of the RAL. Within these civilizations and regions a brief overview is undertaken to gauge the extent of literacy and literary output prevalent in each as well as a general assessment of librarianship and library practices. The major and most noteworthy archival and book collections are then analysed according to the organizational procedures identified in the outlined conceptual framework of librarianship. For this purpose sufficient information has been obtained from archaeological evidence and primary and secondary sources to allow for the analysis of forty-three libraries throughout the ancient world. In this way predominantly Middle Eastern as well as Greek elements have been identified as contributing to the creation, organization and functioning of the RAL.
Open Access
Does access to the academic libraries for students with disabilities affect their academic performance? A systematic review
(2023) Parker, Galiema; Shongwe, Mzwandile
Background: There is an increase in students with disabilities at higher education institutions across the world and research regarding social barriers and learning in higher education is ongoing. Some studies revealed that students with disabilities experienced barriers in respect of the academic sphere. The academic libraries at higher education institutions provide services for all students, however students with disabilities are fewer than students without disabilities at these institutions of higher learning. The American Library Association (ALA) was instrumental in the compilation of the Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy which incorporated library services, facilities, collections, assistive technology, as well as publication and communications in alternative formats amongst other aspects. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), an international body of library associations across the world represents the interests of the library profession, develops guidelines for library services and promotes equitable access to information. The “access to libraries for persons with disabilities checklist” developed by the IFLA Standing Committee of Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons (LSDP) and authored by Irvall and Nielsen (2005:3) is a guide to the factors to be considered in making libraries userfriendly to persons with disabilities. Objectives: The purpose of the systematic review of the literature published for the period 2015 until 2020 is to determine whether the facilities offered at academic libraries are suitable for students with disabilities and whether these facilities and services affect the library use and the academic performance or academic success of students with varying disabilities. The objective of the systematic review was to find, evaluate and synthesise the findings of the research conducted which investigated similar suppositions, premises or theories and to gain insight into research methodologies utilised, the strengths and the limitations of the published literature, as well as any recommendations contained therein. Methods: Desk research was conducted, and a search was done of the databases EBSCO, Google Scholar, Library and Information Science abstracts (LISA), ProQuest, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, SABINET and SCOPUS for articles relevant to the topic of the systematic review. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) 2020 protocol, an updated guideline of the 2009 PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews, was used as a guide for the review. The literature of the studies obtained contained qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method research methods and the methodological quality of the studies was further assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), a critical appraisal tool for reviews that include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies. After examination of the 164 records obtained only 46 near matches to the criteria were included for final review and an analysis of all qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method studies were done. The included studies were a combination of articles (n=42) and dissertations (n=4). Results and Findings: The approaches, paradigms, and data collection methods of the qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies are discussed and the common themes and findings for all three types of studies highlighted are access to library services having an effect on achievement and success, library services and access not being adequate, as well as barriers to the library environment and the inclusion of students with disabilities. Conclusion: The systematic review revealed very limited studies were conducted in relation to whether access to the academic libraries specifically for students with disabilities affect their academic performance and highlighted the importance and need for further research to be conducted in higher education institutions not only in South Africa, but preferably across the world.
Open Access
The effectiveness of teacher librarians in primary schools : the experience of the Melani school libraries in the Eastern Cape
(2007) Mnkeni, Nampombe Pearson; Nassimbeni, Mary
In 2002, a pilot project established school libraries in eleven primary schools in Melani, Fort Beaufort District. The role players in this initiative were South African Partners (an American Non Governmental Organization), the Eastern Cape Department of Education, the University of Fort Hare and the Library and Information Science Association of South Africa (LlASA). Each school nominated one teacher to receive teacher librarianship training to manage and sustain the school libraries. The aim of the project was to develop a model that would lead to the establishment and development of school libraries in other areas of the Eastern Cape. This research project sought to investigate the effectiveness of teacher librarians in primary schools reflecting on the experience of the Melani cluster of schools. The aim was to assess the effects the school libraries have had on teaching and learning. The qualitative and quantitative study involved 110 primary learners, 39 educators, 11 teacher librarians, and an official from the Provincial Department of Education.

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