Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of California at Berkeley, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-86).

This study investigated the role of the public library in serving children from infancy to age six. The purposes of this research were to obtain recommendations from early childhood education authorities pertaining to the areas of services, programs, materials, physical facilities, and personnel and to utilize these data in the development of guidelines for public libraries. Findings revealed that the majority recommended utilization of volunteers and of early childhood education consultant; preparation of children's librarians in working with adults and young children; provision of services and programs focusing on parent education, led by specialists; preparation of child care personnel in storytelling; programs involving parent and child participation; coordination of public library efforts with those of other community agencies in order to avoid duplication; and services, programs, materials, and physical facilities which facilitate and encourage interest in books and which relate to reading. The minority recommended services, materials, and physical facilities which focus on unstructured recreational play; and services, programs, and materials which focus on formal teaching or testing in cognitive areas.

"Dyslexia is best described as a specific difficulty in learning, in one or more of reading, spelling and written language which may be accompanied by difficulty in number work, short term memory, sequencing auditory and/or visual perception, and motor skills." (British Dyslexia Association) This thesis aims to investigate the extent to which public libraries attempt to meet the needs of the dyslexic community. Libraries are key resource centres for reading and accessing the written language and should aim to meet the needs of their various user communities. Libraries should, therefore, be in the forefront in assisting users in overcoming this disability. Although much is written on the subject of dyslexia and most libraries have descriptive material on the subject, public libraries do not appear particularly proactive in providing material for use by dyslexic individuals. There is a tendency for dyslexia to be seen primarily as an educational issue. However, iflibraries are to continue to have a role in self improvement, literacy and life long learning, they should be addressing areas such as dyslexia. A survey of the literature revealed that little has been written in the professional literature about public library resource provision for dyslexic users. A questionnaire was sent 152 Public Library authorities in the United Kingdom (excluding Scotland) to ascertain the range of services and initiatives offered to people with dyslexia. The results indicate that a modest number of authorities have dedicated collections for people with dyslexia as well as material on the subject aimed towards parents, teachers and carers. The findings suggest that although interest in the potential role of libraries in serving the needs of the dyslexic community is high, relatively little is being done to address the issue in a structured way. Library authorities with dedicated collections for people with dyslexia have been investigated as comparative case studies covering themes such as composition and funding of collections, involvement with other agencies, methods of communication, location and lessons learned. Other case studies explore user needs and actions undertaken by a specialist resource centre. Supporting studies include a survey of resources available from specialist publishers. The thesis concludes witl a summary of findings ancLrecommendations for public libraries on the way ahead in terms of best practice to meet. the needs of dyslexic individuals.

Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl / This research project looked at the role of public libraries in bridging the digital divide which is both a symptom and a cause of social exclusion. Public libraries offer free information services to ordinary citizens by means a wide range of media, including the Internet. But they offer more than just access as their information literacy programmes educate people in the use of the various media. Across the world there are many initiatives employed by public libraries to help bridge the digital divide. The purpose of the case study of one library district was to investigate if and how libraries in Cape Town were taking on this responsibility. The project had two parts: a survey of one district of the city’s libraries and a closer case study of one selected library in the district. The overall findings from both phases of the study were that Public libraries do help to narrow the Digital Divide by providing free internet access to the public. One of the initiatives the Public libraries that were surveyed including Masiphumelele library employed to help narrow the Digital Divide is SmartCape. Not only did Masiphumelele have SmartCape, but it also offered free computer literacy classes to its users.

This article develops guidelines for improving cooperation between public libraries and school libraries in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A literature review contextualizes recent developments in the library and information services (LIS) sector, as well as cooperation initiatives abroad and in some of the country’s provinces. Data was collected through questionnaires distributed to public and school librarians, interviews with senior managers in the public library and school library sub-sectors of the Eastern Cape Province, and from official records and policy documents. Analysis and interpretation of this data provided a platform for developing guidelines for cooperation, and indicating what conditions as well as what roles and responsibilities at national, provincial, and local levels are necessary for their successful implementation. The guidelines, while specifically informed by data relevant to the Eastern Cape Province, follow the broader pattern set out in the recent Strategic Guidelines for Collaboration between Community Libraries and Schools 2013-2015 document crafted by the National Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the National Department of Arts and Culture (DAC). / Dissertation (MIS)--University of Pretoria, 2015. / Information Science / MIS / Unrestricted

<p>The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of reduced hours on public library services in Cape Town through taking the Eersterivier Library, as a case study. The research problem comes from the author's personal experience as a librarian in the City of Cape Town whose library's usage seems to have increased since the reductions in hours in two neighbouring libraries, Melton Rose and Kuils River. The reductions in their hours are due to libraries losing staff and not being replaced.</p>

No description available.

The purpose of this research was to isolate the variable giftedness in a pipulation and determine whether that variable could be used as a predictor of public library use. The analysis of data indicated that public library use was higher for the general public than for the gifted adults. There was less variation among the factors of age, level of education, and public library use for the gifted adults than for the general public. Books as a resource for information were mentioned by the general adults public more frequently than by the gifted adults. Friends were listed more often as an information resource by the gifted population than by the public. Gifted adults both read and owned more books than did the general public. There was no correlation between amount of reading and number of library visits in either sample. 35 of the general public has a Library Usage Index Value of less than 4, 97 of the gifted adults did. There was almost no difference between the first ten information sources listen by both samples.

<p>The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of reduced hours on public library services in Cape Town through taking the Eersterivier Library, as a case study. The research problem comes from the author's personal experience as a librarian in the City of Cape Town whose library's usage seems to have increased since the reductions in hours in two neighbouring libraries, Melton Rose and Kuils River. The reductions in their hours are due to libraries losing staff and not being replaced.</p>

This qualitative study uses narrative analysis to explore the outcomes of information seeking and use among public library users. Twelve women between the ages of 51 and 72, all residents of Fayetteville, Arkansas who self-identified as regular library users, were interviewed to gather their life stories and their experiences using the public library. The participants in this study used information to enable learning and, often, a change in their affective state. The participants used the new information they encountered constructively, to engage with the knowledge and experience they possessed; this use of information always involved reflection, dialogue, or both. The outcomes from these actions are the creation of new knowledge, a change in the participants' meaning schemes, and/or an affective change. In addition, the narratives strongly suggest that information seeking and use by adults in public libraries can sometimes facilitate or, on its own, precipitate a perspective transformation and the adoption of new meanings. Overall, the findings support Mezirow's theory of transformative learning as a model for understanding information use and outcomes among users of the public library. The major implications of this study are two-fold. One, it introduces to information science Mezirow's theory of transformative learning which could provide greater understanding of how adults use information, and the outcomes that arise from this use. Two, it provides library professionals with information about the library in the lives of their users and concrete information about how libraries can enable transformative learning.