Browsing by Subject "South African Astronomical Observatory"

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    Astronomers' contribution to library and information services in their quest to understand the Universe
    (2024) de Young, Theresa; Raju, Jaya
    Astronomers rely heavily on access to scientific publications to conduct astronomical research leading to discoveries that push the frontiers of our understanding of the Universe. This article argues that astronomers contributed to the development of the astronomical library at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), over a two-hundred-year period of the historical development of astronomy in South Africa. It draws from a qualitative empirical study where data were collected at the SAAO through interviews with experts in the fields of astronomy and library and information services (LIS); the analysis of relevant documents from the SAAO archive; autoethnography; and a review of relevant global literature. The research findings provide the basis for this article’s argument, with three overarching LIS themes presented, giving evidence and contributing a South African and African angle as to how astronomers started and developed astronomical LIS, whilst introducing conversations around what this means for current astronomical LIS.
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    Histories intertwined: tracing the evolution of the South African Astronomical Observatory Library and information service within the historical development of astronomy in South Africa
    (2024) de Young, Theresa; Raju, Jaya
    This paper explores, in detail, how library and information service provision to the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) evolved in the context of the historical development of astronomy in South Africa. It is based on empirical research that collected data through the examination of literature, SAAO archival material as well as via semi-structured interviews with a purposefully selected sample of individuals who are experts in the field of astrophysics or astronomy libraries. The study collected information on the role of library and information services in astronomy and documented the historical significance of the library in the context of astronomical research at the SAAO. This paper aims to contribute toward the existing literature covering the history of the SAAO, close the gap in the literature covering the history of its library and information service, as well as to contribute towards the international history of astronomy. The paper suggests a future library and information service that remains closely tied to exciting developments in astronomical research within an electronically connected research landscape.
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    Open Access
    Library and Information Services (LIS) in astronomical research: an analysis of the contribution of LIS to the historical development of astronomy at the South African Astronomical Observatory
    (2021) de Young, Theresa; Raju, Jaya
    The objective of the study was to undertake a historical analysis of the contribution of library and information services (LIS) to the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in the context of the historical development of astronomy in South Africa. Three critical questions guided the study: How has library and information service provision to the SAAO evolved historically in the context of the historical development of astronomy in South Africa?; What is the current status of LIS in astronomical research at the SAAO?; and, What possible new roles could the SAAO Library and its librarians play in an astronomy research facility such as the SAAO to contribute to South African astronomical research? In order to find shared experiences and trends relating to in the field of LIS in astronomical research, data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with purposively selected individuals experienced in the field of astronomical research as well those associated with astronomical LIS; relevant literature sources; primary documents from the SAAO Library archive; and, the researcher's own experiences at the SAAO Library (autoethnography). In adopting a qualitative approach via a phenomenological historical design, the study did not use explicit theory, but anticipated 'theory' in the form of patterns and trends emerging, inductively, at the end of the study out of the data collected. Content analysis together with qualitative research software application, NVivo 12 Pro, were used for analysis and coding of data collected for the study.