Includes bibliographical references. / This thesis investigates whether the Internet is reducing or eliminating poverty and whether the Internet is the provider of fast-based information for development. It explores the concept of the information society, the information revolution, and the Internet, to provide a framework for understanding the information society in Africa, and in particular, Lesotho. Increasingly the information revolution, the Internet, is said to be shaping our lives. Globalisation and the new economy are driven by the Internet and social and economic development results from the Internet. The Internet, it is suggested, will enable Africa to "leapfrog" stages of economic and social development. The examples held up to Mrica as models of the use of information and communications technology are the East Asian "Tigers", India's cybertowers and Silicon Valley in California, the United States. These are examined in detail. The question of inclusion and exclusion in the information society is explored and whether the Internet is creating another divide - the digital divide. A historical sequence of meetings, conferences and events that have attempted to include Mrica in the information society is outlined. Statistics of telecommunication and Internet provision in Africa are included. These statistics show that the lack of telecommunications that is the method of accessing the Internet results in the lack of Internet provision in Africa contributing to the growing digital divide. The detailed case study of Lesotho situated in its historical, economic and social context, investigates the extent of telecommunication and Internet development in Lesotho. The conclusions presented are that while the Internet can contribute to some social and economic development it is not reducing or eliminating poverty. This is shown in the case study of Lesotho. This thesis presents evidence of a growing digital divide in society between the information haves and have-nots. Because of the critical role of the Internet in the new economy and globalisation, without the Internet there will be fewer possibilities for social and economic development. Therefore the digital divide is an additional factor contributing to poverty and inequality resulting in greater exclusion for whole groups, countries, and virtually the whole of Africa.

Bibliography: leaves 194-199. / This study examines the contribution made by two alternative service or non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to the provision and delivery of information in South Africa. A brief analysis of the role of information in impacting on and/or reproducing social formations is undertaken to provide an understanding of the way in which information has been used in the South African context to repress transformation of the apartheid state. This discussion frames an investigation into ways in which NGOs have attempted to counter information control on the part of the apartheid regime by mediating information to their constituencies. The relationship between information, education and development is addressed, providing insight into the educational role which service organisations play in delivering an information service on the one hand, the information role they perform in providing an education service on the other, and the developmental role they assume in both instances. Particular attention is paid to the way in which these services relate to their users in the process of imparting information to them. In this regard the interface between NGOs and their users is investigated and the very nature of this interaction assessed.

Bibliography: leaves 198-211. / The lowly status of female librarians has been noted in libraries in South Africa and elsewhere in the world. Contrary to the position overseas, little has been written on it in South Africa and even less on how women librarians themselves perceive their position. This aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of women librarians in certain tertiary institutions regarding the following questions: 1) To what extent has gender/sex impacted on the career positioning of female librarians? 2) Have any other obstacles impeded the career advancement of female librarians and if so, what were they? 3) When female librarians apply for promotion, what are their actual experiences? 4) To what extent has race impacted on the career positioning of female librarians? A feminist constructionist methodology was used to explore perceptions of female librarians at four Western Cape tertiary institutions.

This study sought to ascertain the shape and form of the 21st century academic library in South Africa, using the case of UCT Libraries. The objective was supported by sub-objectives, namely: to ascertain, via a rigorous review of literature, how far along academic libraries worldwide are with incorporating technological advances in their services; to identify the progress of UCT Libraries in establishing itself as a 21st century academic library; to ascertain how readily staff adapt to changes and new technology in the library; and, to ascertain user expectations of a modern, digital era academic library. A qualitative design with a case study approach was employed by the study. The study was supported by organizational learning theory. Themes emanating from the literature include, inter alia, open access, MOOCs, digital humanities and research data management. Further data was collected via interviews and a questionnaire survey of purposively sampled library staff. Stratified random sampling was used to extract samples from the targeted user population (UCT undergraduates, postgraduates and, academics and researchers) for surveying by means of online questionnaires. The study concludes that academic libraries, the world over, are adapting their services according to user demands and users’ use of current technology; that UCT Libraries is currently in the process of establishing itself as a 21st century academic library and that the progress and procedures currently in place to encourage new developments, holds UCT Libraries in good stead towards establishing itself as a 21st century academic library service; that the prevailing culture of organizational learning in UCT Libraries bodes well for constantly adapting to new technologies; and, that users are generally satisfied with the services they are receiving from the Library. Although the case of UCT Libraries was used in this study, in many ways this case is typical of academic libraries in other parts of South Africa as well as in other parts of the world and hence this study of the shape and form of the 21st century academic library has relevance to other academic library contexts as well.

Includes bibliographical references. / As libraries are in the transition of moving from print to electronic resources, the purpose of the study was to investigate the use and value of library's e-resources by academics and postgraduates at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). There is evidence from previous studies that today's users have their information needs met via a number of options. They need not physically come to the library; they can stay at home or at their offices to access e-resources. The study focused on the use and value of the library's e-resources in two departments (Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering) in the Faculty of Engineering. The main aim was to determine whether academics and postgraduates use e-resources, the purpose for which they used e-resources in the process of teaching, learning and research, the extent to which they were aware of the e-resources, the value they regarded as the benefit from using e-resources and the problems they encountered in their use of e-resources. The study population consisted of 251 academics and postgraduates. A questionnaire was used as data collection instrument. The questionnaire was distributed to 82 academics, 135 MTech and 34 DTech students. The results of the study are based on the data from 60 returned questionnaires from academics and postgraduates. The study found that the majority of the respondents used e-resources, but a few respondents did not use e-resources because they were not aware of them. Respondents who used e-resources used them for a variety of purposes, including gathering information for a specific topic; doing literature reviews, getting answers to specific questions, and gaining general information. The study also encountered respondents who had problems when using e-resources. These problems included internet connections, slow downloading of articles; time constraints and the need for training in the use of e-resources. The majority of respondents from the study thought that they benefited from using the library's e-resources.

Includes abstract. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-83). / The purpose of this study was to assess the utilisation of HIV and AIDS information in Manzini Public Library (MPL). The main objectives included to assess the availability of HIV and AIDS information sources in the Manzini region, to identify challenges of acquiring and delivering the appropriate information, to identify channels through which MPL disseminates HIV and AIDS information.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 227-243). / Three aspects are covered: * The origins of the Treatise, how it evolved from Leonardo's Notes, leading up to the various printed editions with their variations. *The early English editions of the Treatise, with a comparison of their differences, and their development from the first edition. How were the early editions abridged and for what purpose? *The structure of Leonardo's thought, and what he actually said in the Treatise of Painting.

Bibliography: p. 81-88. / This dissertation examines difficulties experienced by users from the moment they enter the library to search for information, up to the point where they achieve the objective of their search. It also explores the processes that happen "behind the scenes", before the sought information can be located and utilized. These include the requisite funding to obtain the information, ordering, acquiring and cataloguing and finally shelving the material in an accessible manner.

The focus of this study was to establish the knowledge use and Knowledge Management (KM) maturity among the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Sector in Zambia. This is a domain that has received little attention in the Zambian business and economics literature, partially because of the newness of KM as a business concept. Knowledge Management is a very important aspect as far as innovation and competitiveness are concerned in the knowledge economy. Since the inception of the open market economy in Zambia in 1992 and the move to diversify Zambia's national economy from state control into private hands, the MSMEs still seem to be struggling with lack of innovation and competitiveness. Despite several attempts to boost the sector's viability, little success has been recorded.

Word processed copy. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-102). / This research project has confirmed that the BOTEC library is adequately satisfying the basic information requirements of its users. It further indicates that there is, however, a need for the library to more vigorously adopt newer technologies and respond to other environmental changes in order for the library to fully fulfill its role in supporting the engineers' information requirements. The dissertation concludes with recommendations and strategies that the researcher suggests the BOTEC library could adopt to ensure a more user-centric and improved service.