Equity of access to library and information services and education support at Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
the case of King William’s Town, South Africa
Abstract
Access to library and information services is a major element in the growth, stability, independence and empowerment of communities. The study sought to investigate the equity of access to library and information services and education support at Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were employed in a descriptive survey. The main research instrument was a questionnaire, supported by face-to-face interviews with librarians. A total of 297 questionnaires were distributed and 200 were returned, giving a response rate of 67.3%. The quantitative data, which were collected through questionnaires, is presented using graphs and tables, while the content of the qualitative data was analysed manually using the notes that were taken by the researcher from the respondents during the interview sessions and, in some instances, is reported verbatim. The findings showed that most respondents, 130 (56%), use the library for schooling. Only thirteen (5.6%) respondents said they used the library for leisure, while fifty-two (22.4%) respondents used the library for personal development and thirty-seven (15.9%) for work-related activities. In addition, findings of the study revealed that the Buffalo City Metro public libraries had a diversity of users, ranging from different age groups and social standing. Additionally, Buffalo City Metropolitan public library users had little knowledge about literacy programmes that were taking place at the library. The study concluded that Buffalo City public libraries should create an integrated system for all libraries in the metropolitan municipality that encourages adult literacy programmes to raise awareness of information literacy.Downloads
References
Anasi SNI (2010) Curbing youth restiveness in Nigeria: the role of information and libraries. Library Philosophy and Practice [Online] http://www.webpages.uidaho. edu/*mbolin/anasi.pdf. 16 March 2016.
Babbie, E. and Mouton, J. 2010. The Practice of Social Research. Cape Town: Oxford Press
Brown NE (2004) The shift from apartheid to democracy: Issues and impacts on public libraries in Cape Town, South Africa. Libri 54(3): 169 –178.
Chang K (2011) Librarians as agents of social change. Paper presented at the Innovation Technology Conference for Information Professionals, Copthorne Tara Hotel, London on 27–28 October 2011. Online: http:// www.internet-librarian.com. 16 March 2016.
Cotera M (2011) Library users in turbulent times. Paper presented at the Innovation Technology Conference for Information Professionals. Copthorne Tara Hotel, London on 27–28 October 2011. Online: http://www.inter net-librarian.com. 16 March 2016.
De Jager K and Nassimbeni M. (2005) Towards measuring the performance of public libraries in South Africa. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science 71(1): 39 –50. Department of Arts and Culture (2014) The Library and Information Services (LIS) Transformation Charter. [Online] http://www.nlsa.ac.za/Downloads_01/2014_ Final_LIS_Transformation_Charter.pdf 7 July 2016 Department of Arts and Culture (2013) KwaZulu-Natal, Public Library and Information Service Report. [Online] http://www.provincialgovernment.co.za/depart ment_annual/44/2013-kwazulu-natal-arts-and-cultureannual-report.pdf 11 September 2016.
Hart G (2010) New vision, new goals, new markets? Reflections on a South African case study of community library services. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science 76(2): 81–90. Hart G and Zinn S (2007) The conundrum of school libraries in South Africa. In Libraries for the Future: Progress and Development of South African Libraries, edited by T. Bothma, P. Underwood, and P. Ngulube, 89–106. Pretoria: LIASA.
Hart GC (2005) The readiness of public libraries in South Africa for information literacy education: the case of Mpumalanga Province (Doctoral dissertation, University of Cape Town).
Illsley R (2010) South African public libraries after apartheid. Dalhousie Journal of Interdisciplinary Management 5 Spring: 1–10. International Research and Exchanges Board (2012) Access to information through public libraries in the Republic of Moldova: report. [Online] https://www. irex.org/sites/default/files/Access%
Islam A and Mezbah-ul-Islam M (2010) Community information services through public libraries in Bangladesh: Problems and proposals. Library Philosophy and Practice [Online] http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/ *mbolin/islam-mezbah.pdf 16 March 2016.
Keswell M (2004). Education and racial inequality in postapartheid South Africa. SFI Working Paper 04-02-008. Santa Fe, NM: Santa Fe Institute. Available: http:// www.santafe.edu/media/workingpapers/04-02-008.pdf Accessed: 19/07/2016.
Krolak L (2005) The role of libraries in the creation of literate environments. Background paper prepared for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2006: Literacy for Life. UNESCO. [Online] http://www.ifla .org/files/assets/literacy-and-reading/publications/roleof-libraries-in-creation-of-literate-environments.pdf 16 March 2016.
Kuah CT and Wong KY (2011) Knowledge management performance measurement: review. African Journal of Business Management 5(15): 6021–6027. http://www. academicjournals.org/journal/AJBM/article-full-textpdf/44F1EBF14399.
Kulenovic F (2011) Librarians as agents of social change. Paper presented at the Innovation Technology Conference for Information Professionals, Copthorne Tara Hotel, London on 27–28 October 2011. Online: http:// www.internet-librarian.com. 11 July 2013.
Mnkeni-Saurombe N and Zimu N (2015) Towards tackling inequalities in South Africa: the role of community libraries. Information Development 31(1): 40–52. National Library of South Africa (2014). The South African libraries 20 years’ review. [Online] http:// www.nlsa.ac.za/nlsanews/2014/NLSA_Newsletter_ Elec.pdf 7 July 2016. Public Library Association (2010) What two challenges are most critical to public libraries? ALA presidential candidates respond. [Online] http://plablog.org/2010/03/ what-two-challenges-are-most-critical to public libraries. 08 September 2012. Raju R and Raju J (2010) The public library as a critical institution in South Africa’s democracy: a reflection. LIBRES: Library and Information Science Research Electronic Journal 20(1): 1–13.
Musingafi, M. C. C. and Chiwanza, K. 2012. The Role of Public Libraries in Promoting Literacy in Zimbabwe. Information and Knowledge Management, 2 (7), 52-60.
Ribot JC and Peluso NL (2003) A theory of access. Rural Sociology 68(2) 153 –181. http://community.eldis.org
Copyright (c) 2022 Oluwayemi IbukunOluwa Olatoye, Ndakasharwa Muchaonyerwa, Nokuthula Gunuza
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This journal is an open access journal, and the authors (copyright owners) should be properly acknowledged when works are cited. Authors retain publishing rights without any restrictions.
South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science is an Open Access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of Open Access.
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
