Developing library collections at universities of technology : comparing practices in New Zealand and in South Africa

Abstract

This paper reports on the findings of a case study carried out for a doctoral thesis conducted through the University of South Africa. The collection development practices and policies at universities of technology in Auckland, New Zealand and in South Africa were compared. Both countries have recently transformed their higher education systems and upgraded polytechnics / technikons into universities of technology. It was found that whilst the Auckland University of Technology Library demonstrates a planned strategy to meet the needs of their researchers through expanding their collection of traditional and electronic media, the South African institution demonstrates little progress. The latter institution has extended mainly its collection of electronic media and has paid little attention to upgrading its collection of print resources. The researcher concludes that unless considerable funding is allocated to South African university of technology libraries, these libraries will be unable to support the information needs of their academics and researchers, and ultimately these institutions will be unable to rise to their anticipated status as universities.