Includes bibliographical references (p. 122-129). / This thesis explores the attitudes of public library staff of the Cape Town Administration library Service in 2005 to information and communication technologies (ICTs). This inquiry was appropriate because free Internet access was in the process of being rolledout to public libraries in the Western Cape, and library management was considering investing in a new library management system (LMS). The two systems investigated were the Internet and the BookPlus LMS. The survey instrument was a hardcopy questionnaire, which incorporated an amended version of a well-established technology acceptance model, and was designed to allow for both quantitative and qualitative data to be collected. Analysis of the results suggest that librarians' attitude to ICTs was generally positive. Concerns were raised about both systems, mainly due to their unique characteristics, service history and the manner in which the systems had been implemented. Quantitative results indicated that staff attitudes towards the use of both systems were strongly related to staff perception of the usefulness of the system. The insights obtained from the results of both systems suggest that an understanding of staff attitudes towards ICTs can positively inform implementation strategies and improve user adoption of new technologies.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-119). / The HIV/AIDS epidemic has become a serious health, social and economic problem in Zimbabwe. Almost 30 percent of the population had been infected by AIDS (Acquired immune Deficiency Syndrome) by 2004. The epidemic has also affected almost the entire population in one way or another - domestically, socially and economically. Zimbabwe faces a long-term development disaster because of the effects of the disease across the societal spectrum. AIDS is threatening every fibre of the nation from food supply to economic productivity, and not least human resource development. Many households have lost their principal source of income to the disease and have become impoverished. The national budget is increasingly under pressure as scarce resources are channelled to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Despite a multitude of interventions aimed at preventing the scourge of the epidemic on the health system, the economy and human development, HIV/AIDS still presents a problem of enormous magnitude in Zimbabwe. It is argued that a major limitation of the various interventions to fight the pandemic has been the failure to extensively and effectively harness knowledge and disseminate information relating to all aspects of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. The NGO sector, because of its grassroots involvement with the disease, is particularly well placed to fulfil such a role. The main aim of this study was to explore information and knowledge management and dissemination by HIV/AIDS NGOS in Zimbabwe. A further objective was to identity in the literature strategies that have been used, vis-a-vis modern information and knowledge management practice, in cognate sectors of development in Zimbabwe and other countries. It is argued that by applying appropriate information and knowledge management practices valuable knowledge and information that relate to how communities experience the problems and the impact associated with HlV/AIDS can be gathered and disseminated. Information and knowledge management is recommended by the United Nations' UNAIDS as the best way to harness both tacit and explicit information related to all aspects of the epidemic. A survey was conducted amongst 64 HIV/AIDS NGOs based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Data was collected using questionnaires, key informant interviews, and observation methods, and this was further supported by data collected from documentary and electronic sources. The main outcome of the study indicates that information and knowledge management is generally not well practised in the HIV/AIDS NGO sector in Zimbabwe. This is despite the fact that 75% of the NGOs had information services in place. Far too few qualified staff have been appointed to manage information services and this lack of professional skills has had a negative impact on HIV/AIDS information dissemination. It is argued that in a society such as in Zimbabwe, effective information dissemination measures are needed to assist social, economic and scientific interventions. It was further established that a sound information and knowledge management policy, and information technology developments were needed to address the information service challenges. The other main outcome showed that NGOS were not networking effectively among themselves, with government and other role players such as the private sector, educational institutions and churches, etc. Lastly, there was a strong indication that information technology, i.e., computers and accessories, the Internet, intranets, databases and audio-visuals, etc.. were not fully utilised, this is despite the fact that in other countries they have been very effective to assist in the creation, generation, gathering and diffusion of information. Based on the research outcomes, the researcher thus proposes that information and knowledge management practices should be set in place in the HIV/AIDS sector of Zimbabwe. NGOs should ensure that information services are run and manned by skilled and trained information officers. It is also suggested that government should be encouraged to become more involved and complement the work done by NGOs by reviewing the 1985 NLDS Act and other policy instruments. The study further recommends that, HIV/AIDS NGOs should work towards networking and providing a single shared dissemination source to the public, such as a national database, which would be hosted via a web-based internet portal. This would also enable NGOs to explore further networking efforts such as communities of practice (expert forums), a national HIV/AIDS bibliography and electronic publishing.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-205). / 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.

Bibliography: leaves 289-318. / In this thesis, the author attempted to develop a method to help information Technology/Systems learners find relevant information on the lnternet. The literature indicated that it is essential that learners should be able to retrieve relevant information from electronic sources. However, it was also stated repeatedly that searching on the Internet using standard search engines is not an easy task. It was also noted that a move was taking place away from traditional teaching methods to those with more learner involvement, making use of new computer and communication technologies. Initial experiments were done with IT/IS learners to determine how and where they search on the Internet, and what degree of success they had. The most important data gathered from these experiments was the tack of search strategy displayed by learners; the search engines chosen by them; and their success rate. Only 32.2% of all learners in this study managed to find one piece of relevant information in 30 minutes without any assistance. The data was used to design and later improve a tool to guide them in their searching endeavours. This tool, called "Finder Of information On The Internet" (FOIOTI, at http://www.mwe.co.za), was then extensively tested by measuring searching success, with and without using it. The data was gathered by examining and summarizing the forms completed by the learners during the searching experiments. During this study the author found that most learners had little or no training on Internet usage; often worked on the Internet; could not specify their search properly; used very few of the operators offered by search engines; and had a low success rate in finding relevant data. The two final phases of experiments proved that FOIOTI, as a searching tool, was successful. During these two phases, 71.0% of the participants claimed that they found the specified information when using FOIOTI within 30 minutes. A total of 1109 learners from three continents and 20 institutions took part in the study, spread over 46 sessions. Every session was administered personally by the author. This research project has contributed to the existing body of knowledge on Information Retrieval and education by having developed a tool that enhances learner involvement in the learning process. It enables educators to explore easier alternatives of locating educational resources by drawing on the experience of other website authors in their field. It also entices the average learner to re-skill him/herself on the use of an exciting and promising new technology: Information Retrieval through the Internet.

Bibliography: leaves 99-112. / Many experts in the global library and archive sector consider preservation a fundamental responsibility for all institutions and professionals. However, preservation is not yet an established core topic in the professional education of South African information workers, despite the increased availability of education and training options in recent years. Many of the current course and module offerings at university and technikon teaching departments do not cover the essential preservation issues adequately. As a result, professional librarians and archivists often feel ill prepared to address preservation issues in the working world. There are other options for learning about preservation outside the traditional classroom environment including publications and short workshops often organised by interested professional organisations.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 182-213). / 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.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 256-277). / Knowledge management has been burgeoning in importance during the last one and half decades. Both profi;t making and non-profit making organizations have had to and continue to embrace and practice knowledge management. This study was set with the broad aim of investigating the practices, procedures and challenges of managing knowledge in Kenya's govemment-owned organizations. The specific objectives of the study from which research questions were formulated were: to assess the extent to which government-owned organizations practice knowledge management, find out the extent to which the organizations are "learning organizations", establish how the organizations determine the knowledge they require and the formats in which it should be delivered, find out whether and the extent to which individual organizational members in the organizations are motivated to contribute to knowledge creation and sharing, and discover the major managerial challenges and problems that the organizations face in managing knowledge. The scope of this study was limited to government-owned organizations (parastatals) in Kenya operating in environments considered to be information intensive and whose organizational structures are similar.

Bibliography: leaves 497-531. / This study examines the need for and value of a theory of knowledge for library and information science that would account for the 'Ways in which given philosophical assumptions lead to certain modes of professional practice and styles of academic research. Since given theoretical standpoints influence the nature of library practice and tend to structure the way in which library and information science research is conducted, this investigation focuses on an analysis of the fundamental conceptions of knowledge, information, truth and reality in the context of the unique complex of functions of this profession. The main method applied in this study is a representative consultation and review of the literatures of library and information science, and of a few cognate or classical fields of study. A special focus is the examination and analysis of the writings of more than 40 selected library and information science theorists, as well as those of non-librarians. The inductively-derived results of this examination are reflected in analytical typologies. The holistic intellectual tradition that underlies the presumed continuities and commonalities in the typologies is developed as a framework for developing suitable criteria to establish and evaluate an appropriate epistemological position for library and information science. An epistemological position called holistic perspectivism is proposed as one which satisfies the postulated criteria. A graphic model of this position is explained as a means of demonstrating the application of holistic perspectivism in given areas of the knowledge-transfer role of library and information science.

Findings from health research ought to play a role in informing health policy formulation. Over the years much health research has been conducted both in developing and developed countries. However, little is known on how health research has informed health policy formulation. The study sought to review health research findings at the University of Malawi’s College of Medicine and Kamuzu College of Nursing and health policies of the Ministry of Health in Malawi, and based on the results, develop a communication and dissemination strategy as indicated by the study objectives. The study focused on exploring the extent of research use in policy formulation by evaluating sampled policies. It established from both researchers and policy makers their views regarding communication of research findings to policy makers, and how the two work together during conceptualisation, carrying out research and disseminating the findings. It sought to identify ways that the translation of research findings into policy formulation could be facilitated. The study is informed by the Knowledge Translation theoretical framework. It adopted the pragmatism philosophical paradigm which advocates for 'what works’. The convergent parallel mixed method strategy was used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data for the study. The population of the study comprised of researchers and academics at the University of Malawi, health research partners in Malawi and directors at the Ministry of Health in Malawi. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected through self-administered questionnaires (246 academics and researchers), semi-structured interviews (17 directors from the Ministry of Health and relevant research institutes), a self-administered self-assessment tool (10 purposively selected directors from the Ministry of Health and from research institutes) and a health policy assessment tool. Qualitative data was analysed through content analysis while quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for both descriptive and inferential analysis. The data were supplemented with a search strategy through Scopus. The findings revealed that health researchers rarely interact with policy makers. Health researchers prefer publishing in journals, attending conferences and informally interacting with policy and decision makers. Policy makers rely on the use of Internet, reviews of previous policies, internal evaluations, data from the national statistical office, registries and information centres at the ministries for policy information. However, the study revealed in designing the communication and dissemination strategy based on 'what works’, that researchers work in research groups while policy makers work in technical work groups. The interaction between researchers and policy makers in the technical working groups informs the transfer of health research into policy-making. The study makes contributions to theory, practice and policy formulation. In terms of contribution towards the KTA framework, the study examined forms of formal interaction that may result in the transfer of health research information into policy and practice. The study indicates that formal interaction in the technical expert groups is one of such interactions that would facilitate the use of health research evidence in policy formulation. In terms of practice, the study recommends that there should be deliberate efforts by researchers in the research groups and policy makers at the technical working groups to formally engage each other. In terms of policy formulation, the study recommends that a proper interaction framework needs to be put in place for formal interactions between health researchers working in their research work groups and policy makers in the technical working groups.

University students in Zimbabwe lack immediate access to accurate health information. There is lack of explicit and integrated structures for disseminating health information to students in Zimbabwe. This inductive study proposes a needs-based, integrated information dissemination framework for promoting health amongst students at the National University and Science and Technology (NUST). The study assessed the health information needs of students and evaluated existing health information dissemination methods at NUST in developing a framework for disseminating health information. The study is informed by the Salutogenetic Theory of health which culminated into an integrated theoretical framework that combines information dissemination and behaviour change theories. A case study strategy was used to gather data within the pragmatic paradigm of grounded constructivism. The population comprised of undergraduate students, the Dean of Students, the Student Counsellor, and the Nursing Sister. Within-method triangulation with complementary data gathering instruments was used to improve reliability of data. Questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions were used to gather data. A sample of 426 students and 3 members of staff participated in the study. Qualitative and quantitative content analysis was used to determine the confounding factors that informed the design of the framework. The data was supplemented with health information dissemination principles and procedures drawn from literature. The findings reveal that students need health information on a wide range of health topics. Students prefer mobile electronic media, workshops, qualified health professionals, and peers for their health needs. There are significant gaps between the strategies that are being used by NUST to disseminate health information and the health information needs of the students. The university is using traditional information dissemination media and channels that are not in line with the needs of the students. NUST needs to use more interactive and ICT based information dissemination methods. There is also a need for staff recruitment, training and infrastructural development. The proposed framework emphasizes the need for integration of activities, a viable policy, health information literacy training and the use of a mix of persuasion techniques.