Information needs of users of E’skia Mphahlele public library in the City of Tshwane municipality, South Africa

Mamotshabo Johanna Boloka; Glenrose Velile Jiyane; Samuel Mojapelo

doi:10.7553/87-1-1802

Mamotshabo Johanna Boloka University of Zululand https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8150-4849
Glenrose Velile Jiyane University of Zululand http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2856-3695
Samuel Mojapelo Department of Information Science, University of South Africa http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6374-9153

Keywords: Information needs, library users, E’skia Mphahlele Public library, South Africa, City of Tshwane Municipality, library staff, public library services

Abstract

Provision of resources, such as libraries, to communities continues to be a priority for development and public libraries continue with their efforts to serve their users’ diverse information needs. This paper describes the information needs of the E’skia Mphahlele library users and how the library meets their needs. The study sought to determine the information services offered by the E’skia Mphahlele library and the relevance of them to the needs of users. It found that barriers to users benefiting from the services include noise, poor internet connection and unavailability of up-to-date information resources, among others. The paper concludes that the information needs of E’skia Mphahlele public library users are not adequately met and, subsequently, their use of and access to information services is limited. The study recommends regular information needs surveys, the introduction of outreach information services to the community, an increased budget allocation for materials, and library staff training for improved service provision.

Author Biographies

Mamotshabo Johanna Boloka, University of Zululand

University of Zululand, nGAP lecturer

Glenrose Velile Jiyane, University of Zululand

Department of Information Studies, University of Zululand, South Africa

References

Dent VF, Geoff, G & Kevane, M. 2014. Rural community libraries in Africa: challenges and impacts. London IGI Global.

Department of Arts and Culture and National Library of South Africa. 2013. The South African Libraries 20 years review. [Online]. http://www.nlsa.ac.za/nlsanews/2014/NLSA_Newsletter_Elec.pdf (31 March 2017).

Dudley, MQ. 2013. Public libraries and resilient cities. Washington: American Library Association.

Goulding, A. 2016. Public libraries in the 21st century: defining services and debating the

future. Farnham: Ashgate publishing, Ltd.

Grover, RJ, Greer, ERC & Agada, J. 2010. Assessing information needs: managing

transformative library services. Santa Barbara: California libraries unlimited.

Johannsen, CG. 2015. Library user metaphors and services: how libraries look at their

users. Berlin: Boston.

Johnson, B & Christensen, L. 2008. Educational research: quantitative, qualitative and

mixed approaches. London: SAGE Publications.

Koontz, C & Gubbin, B. 2001. IFLA public library guidelines: publication 147. 2nd ed.

Netherlands: International Federation and Library Associations and Institutions.

Mackeilar, PH. 2016. Meeting community needs: a practical guide for librarians.

London: Rowman and Littlefield publishers.

Mamafha, TMM. 2013. Utilization of Information and Communication Technologies in

public libraries at Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality, South Africa. M Inf

dissertation, University of South Africa, Pretoria.

Mertens, DM. 2014. Research and evaluation in education and psychology: integrating

diversity with quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. 4th ed. London: SAGE

Publications.

Mnkeni-Saurombe, N & Zimu, N. 2013. ‘Towards tackling inequalities in South Africa:

the role of community libraries’, South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 31(1), 40-52.

Mojapelo, SM. 2017. Challenges faced by libraries in a democratic South Africa: A case

of three community libraries in South Africa.

Moodley, TA. 2013. The information needs and information-seeking behaviour of community library users in Msunduzi branch libraries, Pietermaritzburg. M Inf dissertation, University of Kwazulu Natal, Durban.

Mutshewa, A, Grand, B, Totolo, A, Zulu, S, Sebina, P & Jorosi B. 2010. ‘Information behaviours of non-users of libraries in Botswana’, African Journal of Libraries, Archives and Information Science, 20(1), 1-10.

Payne, G & Payne, J. 2004. Key concepts in social research. New Delhi: SAGE Publications.

Phillip, G. 2001. The public library service: IFLA/UNESCO Guidelines for development. Netherlands: International Federation of Library Association.

Sebina, M & Mazebe, P. 2014. Digital access and E-Government: perspectives from developing and emerging countries. London: IGI Global.

Skarzynski, J & Nassimbeni, M. 2016. ‘Evaluating the impact of the public library book collection: a case study of two public libraries in Cape Town’, South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 82(1), 26-35.

Snead, JT. 2014. ‘Public libraries, evaluation and e-government’, Library quarterly: Information community policy, 84(4), 467-480.

Sung, W, Kao, JCM & Chen, R. 2013. Frontiers of energy and environmental engineering. London: CRC PRESS- Taylor & Francis Group.

Tahir, M, Mahmood, K & Shafique, F. 2008. ‘Information needs and information-seeking behaviour of arts and humanities teachers: A survey of the University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan’, Library philosophy and practice 2008.

Thani, RA & Hashim, L. 2011. ‘Information needs and information seeking behaviours of social science graduate students in Malaysian Public Universities’, International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(4), 137-143.

South African Community Library and Information Service Bill. 2010. (Available at: http://www.archivalplatform.org/images/resources/SACLIS_Bill_dratf_for_stakeholder_consultation_02_02_2010_.pdf.) (Accessed 26 September 2016).

Wishart, E. 2012. ‘Libraries and information provision for African relief: reading and writing’, Journal of the Reading Association of South Africa, 3(1), 2.

Yusuf, TI. 2012. ‘Information needs sources and information seeking behaviour of women artisans in Offa Metropolis’, Library philosophy and practice (e-journal), Paper 1202.

Zulu, P. 2014. The importance of legislation in the provision of national and public library services in Zambia. M Inf dissertation, University of South Africa, Pretoria.