Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on March 3, 2008) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis ((M.A. (Information Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / This study investigated the users‟ perspective of the role played by public libraries in bridging the digital divide in the rural-urban communities with specific reference to Ngaka Modiri Molema District libraries, in the North-West Province, South Africa. The research methodology utilized in this study is a descriptive survey in design and quantitative in nature, through a questionnaire as a data collection tool, distributed to hundred (100) library users selected through quota, convenience and accidental sampling methods. Twenty (20) library users belonging to each of the five public libraries in the district participated in the study. It is revealed that public libraries in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District are playing a significant and crucial role in bridging the digital divide. This is due to the fact that the library users have indicated that they are able to conduct research, send and receive e-mails; they are able to type their personal and academic documents and even play computer games with the library computers and the internet. Based on these findings, this study recommends that district municipalities and the provincial government should continue to provide the public libraries with computers connected to the internet to all the libraries in Ngaka Modiri Molema District and to train the public librarians to be able to impart computer skills to the communities. Public librarians should also initiate computer orientation courses to provide basic skills to those who are computer illiterate in the communities.

The study set out to investigate the provision of sustainable internet access to public libraries in South Africa. The rationale of the study was to investigate how sustainable internet access can be provided to public libraries in South Africa and to determine how they have developed and are regulated. Internet access is a key driver in delivering information services to the users and a critical tool in facilitating information sharing regardless of platform and geographic location. Therefore, the level of information and communications technology (ICT) penetration in public libraries formed a critical part of the study as the provision of internet to these libraries depends on available ICTs. The study employed a survey design and used interview tool to collect data from nine participants. Questionnaire augmented interviews as they were used to collect data from 322 respondents. The study used the probability sampling technique to collect data from the participants. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants for the interview, whereas the stratified probability, proportional to size, and systematic techniques were also used to select respondents in the senior categories, namely heads of public libraries. This ensured a sample size of 331 out of a population of 1 621 selected for the study. The sample size consisted of nine directors and 322 head librarians. No sampling was done on the nine heads (directors) of provincial public libraries, as the nature of this population did not warrant further dissection due to its small size. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was used to analyse data. Questionnaires were analysed when they were returned and interviews were analysed when they were conducted. Written descriptions, tables and figures were used to present data in an elaborative manner. Data was also presented through frequencies and percentages. It emerged from the study that most public libraries (97%) were connected to the internet. The findings of the study showed that most public libraries (80%) were connected to the internet through the fixed lines and that each of the nine provinces had its own internet service providers (table 5.12). The study recommended fixed lines for internet access to be laid to all public libraries in South Africa and that a government agency be used as a dedicated internet service provider for public libraries across all the nine provinces. A further study was recommended about the application of an internet access model used by academic institutions to public libraries. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)