Introduction. This thesis intends to examine and problematize a phenomenon that, until now, has not been the subject of research: the use of temporary employment agencies in Swedish public libraries. The aim of the study is to investigate how the motives for using temporary employed library staff can be understood in relation to two potentially conflicting institutional logics: the market-liberal oriented New Public Management (NPM) logic and the professional library logic. Furthermore, the study aims to examine how these two logics are used as a means of obtaining legitimacy. Theory & Method. The theoretical underpinnings of the study are new institutional theory, and the research method is document analysis. The study’s empirical material consists of public documents, which have been processed through a qualitative thematic content analysis. By focusing on one specific organization - The City of Stockholm public libraries (Stockholms stadsbibliotek) - the investigation is carried out as a case-study. Results & Analysis. Six main themes have been identified: resource efficiency, flexibility, open libraries, competence, stability and administration. All themes contain expressions of both institutional logics. Legitimacy is obtained partly through the NPM logic and in relation to cost efficiency, partly in relation to the professional and democratic principles of the library logic. Thus, both logics are applied to justify the use of temporary employment agencies. Conclusion. The studied documents contain a relatively stable dynamic between the NPM logic and the library logic. Contrary to what some new institutional theorists have argued, the study’s results indicate that multiple logics may be able to coexist within an organizational field. The explanation for the coexistence of these logics might be that they share certain aspirations and perceptions, for example the perception of the library users and administrative work.   This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

The efficiency and effectiveness of any library in delivering quality services to clients is not only dependent on how skilled the librarians are but also on how motivated they are. This study investigated factors which affect motivation of librarians in Central and Copperbelt Provinces of Zambia. The study was a survey design involving questionnaires and interview technique to obtain information. A whole population of 100 respondents was used to collect data. The survey combined qualitative and quantitative methods, qualitative data obtained from interviews were analysed by coding and regrouping similar themes using constant comparative techniques. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analysed by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Study findings indicated that there were various factors which motivated librarians to do more work such as responsibilities, good salary, promotion and work achievement. However, further revelation showed that there is still need to reinforce these factors to enhance more motivation of librarians. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

The efficiency and effectiveness of any library in delivering quality services to clients is not only dependent on how skilled the librarians are but also on how motivated they are. This study investigated factors which affect motivation of librarians in Central and Copperbelt Provinces of Zambia. The study was a survey design involving questionnaires and interview technique to obtain information. A whole population of 100 respondents was used to collect data. The survey combined qualitative and quantitative methods, qualitative data obtained from interviews were analysed by coding and regrouping similar themes using constant comparative techniques. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analysed by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Study findings indicated that there were various factors which motivated librarians to do more work such as responsibilities, good salary, promotion and work achievement. However, further revelation showed that there is still need to reinforce these factors to enhance more motivation of librarians. / Information Science / M. A. (Information Science)

Text in English / The main aim of the study was to investigate the state of customer care in Public University libraries in Kenya: case study of Moi University Library. Specifically the study was set to determine the composition of customers served and extent to which their information needs were being met. It was also set out to Identify and evaluate the quality and relevance of information services/products provided. Consequently, the study was undertaken to establish if there is a customer care structure and policy in place and also to explore the customer care practices. Lastly, to determine the challenges that were encountered in the process of offering customer care program. The mixed method research was used. Data was collected in two phases, questionnaires and interview survey methods were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The study established that students and academic staff were the primary customers but their needs were not sufficiently being met. Library staff were friendly and helpful but overall rating of their attitude was below expectations. The study established that the library has variety of products/services and users’ were aware them. They were also aware of the existence of customer care unit, which allowed users to make suggestions for improvement of library products/services. The study recommends that the library should be provided with resources to run the program and also it is important that the Moi University Library adopts the use of a social media (Web: 2.0/lib 2.0) for communicating and updating users on new services and products. / Information Science / M. Inf.

This study investigated the contribution of staff training and development programmes to effective library and information services in selected university libraries in Ghana. The rationale of the study was to establish the relationship between training and development of library staff and work performance of individual library staff, university libraries and the institutions as a whole, which should reflect in effective and efficient provision of library and information services. The researcher reviewed extensively literature on relevant subject areas related to staff training and development including: the concept of training and development, training needs analysis and assessment, staff training and development, monitoring and evaluation of training, effects of training on job performance, measuring return on investment in training and effectiveness of library and information services. The researcher adopted a survey research method because of the large geographical areas over which the university libraries are located and therefore dispersed population. The researcher adopted mixed methods research approach and thus data was collected using interviews, observations and questionnaires. The researcher also used a mixed sampling method where the researcher combined both probability and non-probability sampling methods in sampling the population. The population for the study comprised library staff, faculty and students from five selected universities in Ghana. The total population from the five universities was 139,463 based on which a sample of 860 was chosen. Thematic content analysis technique was use to analyse qualitative data, while statistical package for service solution was used to analyse quantitative data. The main findings of the study were that staff training and development programmes contributed to the improvement of the knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences of library staff in the universities in Ghana, thereby made university library staff in Ghana more effective and efficient in the provision of library and information services to the university community. However staff development practices alone did not contribute to job performance. Staff development practices were supported with human resource management strategies such as rewards, promotions, bonuses, salary increase and other motivational strategies. Finally the study identified inadequate funding and short falls in the training policies as some of the challenges facing the implementation of staff training and development initiatives in the university libraries in Ghana. It recommends the establishment of training units within the university libraries and adequate budgetary provisions to invest in staff training and development programmes for library staff as well as the adoption of train the trainer concept where staff who participated in training and development programmes are asked to train colleagues and submit a report for the benefit of colleagues as a way of improving staff development practices in the university libraries in Ghana. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on staff training and development and work performance in university libraries. / Information Science

Text in English / The main aim of the study was to investigate the state of customer care in Public University libraries in Kenya: case study of Moi University Library. Specifically the study was set to determine the composition of customers served and extent to which their information needs were being met. It was also set out to Identify and evaluate the quality and relevance of information services/products provided. Consequently, the study was undertaken to establish if there is a customer care structure and policy in place and also to explore the customer care practices. Lastly, to determine the challenges that were encountered in the process of offering customer care program. The mixed method research was used. Data was collected in two phases, questionnaires and interview survey methods were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The study established that students and academic staff were the primary customers but their needs were not sufficiently being met. Library staff were friendly and helpful but overall rating of their attitude was below expectations. The study established that the library has variety of products/services and users’ were aware them. They were also aware of the existence of customer care unit, which allowed users to make suggestions for improvement of library products/services. The study recommends that the library should be provided with resources to run the program and also it is important that the Moi University Library adopts the use of a social media (Web: 2.0/lib 2.0) for communicating and updating users on new services and products. / Information Science / M. Inf.

This study investigated the contribution of staff training and development programmes to effective library and information services in selected university libraries in Ghana. The rationale of the study was to establish the relationship between training and development of library staff and work performance of individual library staff, university libraries and the institutions as a whole, which should reflect in effective and efficient provision of library and information services. The researcher reviewed extensively literature on relevant subject areas related to staff training and development including: the concept of training and development, training needs analysis and assessment, staff training and development, monitoring and evaluation of training, effects of training on job performance, measuring return on investment in training and effectiveness of library and information services. The researcher adopted a survey research method because of the large geographical areas over which the university libraries are located and therefore dispersed population. The researcher adopted mixed methods research approach and thus data was collected using interviews, observations and questionnaires. The researcher also used a mixed sampling method where the researcher combined both probability and non-probability sampling methods in sampling the population. The population for the study comprised library staff, faculty and students from five selected universities in Ghana. The total population from the five universities was 139,463 based on which a sample of 860 was chosen. Thematic content analysis technique was use to analyse qualitative data, while statistical package for service solution was used to analyse quantitative data. The main findings of the study were that staff training and development programmes contributed to the improvement of the knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences of library staff in the universities in Ghana, thereby made university library staff in Ghana more effective and efficient in the provision of library and information services to the university community. However staff development practices alone did not contribute to job performance. Staff development practices were supported with human resource management strategies such as rewards, promotions, bonuses, salary increase and other motivational strategies. Finally the study identified inadequate funding and short falls in the training policies as some of the challenges facing the implementation of staff training and development initiatives in the university libraries in Ghana. It recommends the establishment of training units within the university libraries and adequate budgetary provisions to invest in staff training and development programmes for library staff as well as the adoption of train the trainer concept where staff who participated in training and development programmes are asked to train colleagues and submit a report for the benefit of colleagues as a way of improving staff development practices in the university libraries in Ghana. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on staff training and development and work performance in university libraries. / Information Science

A comparative evaluation framework of instructional interventions for implementation of online training for public library staff would enable a better understanding of how to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and efficacy of training in certain training environments. This dissertation describes a quasi-experimental study of a two-week, asynchronous online training course that was provided at four levels of instructional intervention to public library staff in the United States. The course content addressed the complex issues of difficult patron policy development and situational coping techniques. The objective of the study was to develop and demonstrate a theoretically grounded, evidence-based impact evaluation framework. The framework was used to assess the relative impact of an online course for public librarians at four levels of instructional intervention. The researcher investigated the relationships between the type of e-Training instructional interventions and the short- and long-term impacts on participants' knowledge, self-efficacy, and workplace performance. The study used a longitudinal, quasi-experimental design that included a pretest, posttest and three-month delayed posttest with follow-up survey. 194 participants completed all three phases of the study. The evaluation tools measured course content related knowledge and self-efficacy at all three phases (pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest) and assessed workplace application of training at 3-month follow-up. The results of this study contributed to evaluation theory and learning theory literature applied to the online learning environment and informed public library staff online training practices and evaluation methodologies.

Managers of public libraries have been presented with a new set of challenges in the day-to-day operations of public libraries. These include their ability to serve as change agents as they manage the use of continuing online distance learning (CODL) for staff. This online tool may provide staff opportunities for on-the-job learning, yet for managers and managerial staff little is known about how the tool impacts their role in light of the changes. This research investigates the perceptions of 103 Northeast Texas Library System managers and managerial staff about their role as a change agent in the use of CODL using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to determine the outcome. Administrators from urban, suburban, and rural public libraries were surveyed using a General Training Climate Scale to explore three constructs: extent of the manager role, manager role, and use of CODL. Data analysis was performed using exploratory and confirmatory analysis to support the theoretical model. An altered model was tested and confirmed through model fit indices.

This study was conducted at the UNISA Library. The study sought to investigate the information technology skills and competencies of the library staff members in the Information Resource Distribution directorate of the University of South Africa Library, with regard to the utilisation and application of information technology tools to handle or process online requests from remote clients timeously and efficiently. Observation, questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data, whereby all the information resource distribution staff members and their supervisors were asked to participate. The study found that information resource distribution staff members were skilled and competent with regard to processing online requests from remote clients. This means that they were able to use IT to process and deliver requested information resources. However, observation indicated that staff members lack the dedication and commitment to ensure speedy processing and delivery of requests. In addition, they were faced with problems and challenges that impacted on them not providing quality services to remote clients. The researcher outlined some recommendations that could be helpful in solving these identified challenges. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)