The study surveyed public relations in twenty-five public libraries in an eight-county region in central Indiana. It examined staff attitudes toward library public relations, the extent of public relations activities and administrative patterns of library PR. It compared attitude and administrative patterns with the extent of public relations activity in an attempt to determine what factors are most important to active library PR.A mail questionnaire was used to establish attitude and an interview surveyed the extent of PR activity and administrative factors.Data suggested that the surveyed library staffs are generally favorable toward PR. However, the hypothesis that a favorable staff attitude would indicate higher PR activity, was not substantiated. The findings show that most of the surveyed libraries did not implement PR as a formal management function. The small size of the sample prohibits generalizations, but library size appears to be an influential factor affecting the extent of PRactivity.

A questionnaire survey was conducted to ascertain the scope and methods used to involve citizens in public library facility planning and design. Because of the paucity of written material on this subject in the literatures of both library science and architecture, this descriptive study was undertaken.

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Dit is vir enige openbare biblioteek wat sy doelstellings suksesvol wil bereik absoluut noodsaaklik om die mens as die belangrikste hulpbron in die ondememing doeltreffend te bestuur en optimaal te benut. Openbare biblioteke in Suid-Afrika ondervind egter sedert die veranderende politieke bestel in 1994, groat druk om 'n leidende rol in die gemeenskap te speel ten opsigte van opleiding en ontwikkeling aan die jeug, volwasse onderwys te ondersteun en aktief by gemeenskapsontwikkelingsprojekte betrokke te raak. Die openbare biblioteek het verder die verantwoordelikheid om inligting aan die gemeenskap te verskaf met die oog op besluitneming en suksesvolle gemeenskapsontwikkeling. Hierdie klemverskuiwing in die openbare biblioteek se doelstellings moet verder bestuur, en ten uitvoer gebring word te midde van 'n moeilike finansiele klimaat, 'n uitgebreide gebruikerskorps met veranderende gebruikersbehoeftes en tegnologiese uitdagings. Ten einde hierdie uitdagings aan die openbare biblioteek te bestuur, is dit noodsaaklik dat die menslike hulpbron so goed moontlik benut sal word volgens sy kundigheid en vermoens. Die werknemer bevind homself in drie omgewings in sy werkplek naamlik die taakinhoudomgewing, die taakverbandomgewi ng en die eksteme omgewing. I hierdie omgewings waarbinne die werknemer sy taak moet verrig is daar ' verskeidenheid faktore aanwesig wat sy prestasie en dus sy benutting kan bei'nvloed. Die teorie onderliggend aan menslikehulpbronbenutti ng is bestudeer en 'n ge·inte-greerde model vir menslikehulpbronbenutting is ontwikkel, waarop 'n empiriese studie gevolg het om die faktore te identifiseer wat menslikehulpbronbenutting in openbare biblioteke in Suid-Afrika kan be'invloed. Uit die empiriese ondersoek is vier faktore ge'identifiseer wat menslikehulpbron­ benutting in die openbare biblioteek kan be'invloed naamlik: • die algemene houding van die werknemer teenoor sy taak en die openbare biblioteekberoep • opleiding en ontwikkeling van werknemers • inligtingtegnologie • loopbaanbestuur Slegs die eerste faktor in die ondersoek het positief na vore getree, terwyl die ander drie negatief gepresteer het. Ten einde openbare biblioteekbestuur in staat te stel om hierdie leemtes, wat deur middel van hierdie faktore ge'identifiseer word reg te stel word 'n geintegreerde menslikehulpbronbenuttingsmodel voorgestel. Hierdie model bestaan uit verskillende komponente wat volgens behoefte van die biblioteek ge'implementeer kan word. / It is absolutely essential, for any public library that wishes to attain its objectives successfully, to manage human beings as its most important resource efficiently and to utilise them optimally.Since the change in the political dispensation in 1994, however, public libraries in South Africa experience mounting pressure to play a leading role in respect of education and the development of youth, to support adult education and engage positively in community development projects. A further responsibility of the public library is to supply information to the community to assist decision making and successful community development. To complicate matters, this shift in emphasis in the public library's objectives has to be managed and brought to fruition under the following conditions: a difficult financial climate, an extended corps of users with changing requirements, and technological challenges. To manage these challenges to the public library, it is essential that human resources be utilised as well as possible in accordance with their expertise and abilities. Employees find themselves in three environments, namely the job content environment, the job context environment and the external environment. A variety of factors which can influence the performance, and therefore the utilisation of employees are present in these environments in which they have to fulfiltheir task.The theory underlying the utilisation of human resources has been studied and an integrated model for human resource utilisation has been developed. This was followed by an empirical study to identify the factors which influence the utilisation of human resources in public libraries in South Africa. From the empirical investigation four factors were identified which can influence the utilisation of human resources in public libraries, namely: • the general attitude of the employee to the task and the profession of public librarianship • training and development of employees • information technology • career management Only the first factor emerged positively from the study, while the other three performed negatively. To enable public library management to remedy the deficiencies identified with the help of these factors, an integrated human resources utilisation model is proposed. This model consists of various components which can be implemented according to the needs of the specific library. / Informations Sciences / D.Litt. et Phil. (Inligtingkunde)

The thesis is intended to assess the contribution of the public library service to the creation of social capital to reduce poverty. However, in research studies targeting this subject, the lack of empirical research is continuously mentioned or suggestions are made that more qualitative studies could shed more insight on the creation of social capital in public libraries. The concept of social capital or rather how it is created in public libraries leads to the complexity of understanding the creation thereof in public libraries, while continuous suggestions are that more qualitative studies would give light on its creation in public libraries and also in other subject disciplines (Aguilar & Sen 2009: 425; Halpern 2005: 1; Lin 2001: 3). However, to find clarity about what social capital is, the study focuses on Pierre Bourdieu’s description of social capital. Pierre Bourdieu is known as one of the first social scientists who tried to understand the concept of social capital (Bourdieu 2005: 1). The public library from a social capital viewpoint is a trustworthy social network where people have access to resources to benefit their socio-economic development. The presence of social capital is visible in every aspect of life and for that reason it is not uncommon for social capital to have an effect on unemployment, mental health and social empowerment (Thompson 2015). Social capital is a recognisable term in Library and Information Science (LIS) literature (Stilwell 2016: 54; Strand 2016: 144; Skelly 2014: 2; Aabø, Audunson & Vårheim 2010:16; Hart 2007:22; Bhandar, Pan & Tan 2007:263). However, the idea that social capital in libraries exists may not be recognised, such as in the case of the book Bowling alone, authored by Robert Putnam (Putnam 1995:22). Public libraries fulfil the role of social capital in two ways: connecting individuals and the community with their library services and programmes and promoting the staff-patron interactions that attempt to create patron trust in the library. Feldman (2009: 5) illustrates the notion of social capital in the library as generated through library services and programmes that could contribute towards empowerment, skills development, happy families and positive economic growth (Feldman 2009:5). The study is an sequential explanatory mixed methods study. There were three data collections methods use. Questionnaires with mostly close-ended questions, interviews and official documents. The research participants were 115 library patrons and 58 library staff of the Emfuleni Local Municipality Library and Information Service. The researcher found several explanations on the creation of social capital, but none had measurable outcomes that could illustrate the societal value of public libraries, apart from one, which was to build a trusting relationship between the library, staff and patrons. Hence, through Vårheim’s (2014: 68) observation about trust and patron attendance, library programmes were identified as the measurable outcome to rationalise the importance of the public library and the value of libraries and library staff. In such a case, the societal value of libraries can be understood. Through the correct measuring instruments that were identified in this study, public libraries address the creation of social capital that makes it possible to show that public library services support lifelong learning and workforce development. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Dit is vir enige openbare biblioteek wat sy doelstellings suksesvol wil bereik absoluut noodsaaklik om die mens as die belangrikste hulpbron in die ondememing doeltreffend te bestuur en optimaal te benut. Openbare biblioteke in Suid-Afrika ondervind egter sedert die veranderende politieke bestel in 1994, groat druk om 'n leidende rol in die gemeenskap te speel ten opsigte van opleiding en ontwikkeling aan die jeug, volwasse onderwys te ondersteun en aktief by gemeenskapsontwikkelingsprojekte betrokke te raak. Die openbare biblioteek het verder die verantwoordelikheid om inligting aan die gemeenskap te verskaf met die oog op besluitneming en suksesvolle gemeenskapsontwikkeling. Hierdie klemverskuiwing in die openbare biblioteek se doelstellings moet verder bestuur, en ten uitvoer gebring word te midde van 'n moeilike finansiele klimaat, 'n uitgebreide gebruikerskorps met veranderende gebruikersbehoeftes en tegnologiese uitdagings. Ten einde hierdie uitdagings aan die openbare biblioteek te bestuur, is dit noodsaaklik dat die menslike hulpbron so goed moontlik benut sal word volgens sy kundigheid en vermoens. Die werknemer bevind homself in drie omgewings in sy werkplek naamlik die taakinhoudomgewing, die taakverbandomgewi ng en die eksteme omgewing. I hierdie omgewings waarbinne die werknemer sy taak moet verrig is daar ' verskeidenheid faktore aanwesig wat sy prestasie en dus sy benutting kan bei'nvloed. Die teorie onderliggend aan menslikehulpbronbenutti ng is bestudeer en 'n ge·inte-greerde model vir menslikehulpbronbenutting is ontwikkel, waarop 'n empiriese studie gevolg het om die faktore te identifiseer wat menslikehulpbronbenutting in openbare biblioteke in Suid-Afrika kan be'invloed. Uit die empiriese ondersoek is vier faktore ge'identifiseer wat menslikehulpbron­ benutting in die openbare biblioteek kan be'invloed naamlik: • die algemene houding van die werknemer teenoor sy taak en die openbare biblioteekberoep • opleiding en ontwikkeling van werknemers • inligtingtegnologie • loopbaanbestuur Slegs die eerste faktor in die ondersoek het positief na vore getree, terwyl die ander drie negatief gepresteer het. Ten einde openbare biblioteekbestuur in staat te stel om hierdie leemtes, wat deur middel van hierdie faktore ge'identifiseer word reg te stel word 'n geintegreerde menslikehulpbronbenuttingsmodel voorgestel. Hierdie model bestaan uit verskillende komponente wat volgens behoefte van die biblioteek ge'implementeer kan word. / It is absolutely essential, for any public library that wishes to attain its objectives successfully, to manage human beings as its most important resource efficiently and to utilise them optimally.Since the change in the political dispensation in 1994, however, public libraries in South Africa experience mounting pressure to play a leading role in respect of education and the development of youth, to support adult education and engage positively in community development projects. A further responsibility of the public library is to supply information to the community to assist decision making and successful community development. To complicate matters, this shift in emphasis in the public library's objectives has to be managed and brought to fruition under the following conditions: a difficult financial climate, an extended corps of users with changing requirements, and technological challenges. To manage these challenges to the public library, it is essential that human resources be utilised as well as possible in accordance with their expertise and abilities. Employees find themselves in three environments, namely the job content environment, the job context environment and the external environment. A variety of factors which can influence the performance, and therefore the utilisation of employees are present in these environments in which they have to fulfiltheir task.The theory underlying the utilisation of human resources has been studied and an integrated model for human resource utilisation has been developed. This was followed by an empirical study to identify the factors which influence the utilisation of human resources in public libraries in South Africa. From the empirical investigation four factors were identified which can influence the utilisation of human resources in public libraries, namely: • the general attitude of the employee to the task and the profession of public librarianship • training and development of employees • information technology • career management Only the first factor emerged positively from the study, while the other three performed negatively. To enable public library management to remedy the deficiencies identified with the help of these factors, an integrated human resources utilisation model is proposed. This model consists of various components which can be implemented according to the needs of the specific library. / Informations Sciences / D.Litt. et Phil. (Inligtingkunde)

PhDRDV / Institute for Rural Development / Providing access to knowledge and connecting it to the needs of individuals as well as grassroots community have always been at the centre of the mission and purpose of public libraries. Numerous studies conducted in various parts of the world have shown that public libraries are the anchor of the lives of communities where they are established. These studies have revealed that information needs may not be the same for different age groups and for different genders. For that reason many countries have been investing in the establishment of community libraries. In South Africa, a community libraries conditional grant was introduced in 2007 to build capacity for public libraries through building additional libraries and renovating existing ones so that they provide information that will satisfy information needs of all community members. However, there are still concerns about the functionality of public libraries and need to strengthening their capacity so that they adequately address community information. This study was conducted on rural community libraries in Mutale located in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The main objective was to develop a model for enhanced functionality of public libraries for rural community development. The study was conceptualized around the ecological framework (Asselin and Doiron, 2014). The specific objectives were: to identify challenges faced by the library in providing services to adults, youth and children: to establish if information needs of adults, youth and children varied due to age, and to assess the level of satisfaction of adults, youth and children with the services of the local public library. The study used an exploratory sequential mixed method design with the qualitative phase preceding the quantitative phase. The qualitative phase had two phases. In the first, phase fourteen key informants were purposefully selected and engaged in face-to-face interviews as well as one focus group. Qualitative data from this phase were analysed using atlas.ti version 8. Results distilled showed that the library was hampered by centralized library services which were run from the district level, insufficient funding, inadequate library operating hours and lack of ICT support. In the second phase, a total of 150 adults, youth and children were purposefully selected and engaged in face-to-face interviews as well as focus group discussions. An interview guide complimented by camera, and voice recorder were used to collect data from the respondents. Atlas ti version 8 was used to analyse the data. The results showed that information needs of the community were not fully met by provisions in the library. A variety of information resources expected to satisfy the needs of adults, youth and children respectively include increased number of computers with internet connection, extended library opening hours including Saturdays , stakeholder engagement to be recognized, the extensive marketing of the library for it to be used by the community and the need to improve the amenities and library infrastructure. Results obtained in the qualitative phase of the study informed the second quantitative phase . During this phase, an evaluative survey was conducted with adults, youth and children. Convenience and snowballing techniques were used to sample 176 respondents. A questionnaire with a Likert-type ranking scale was used to collect data. The International Business Machines, Statistical Product and Service Solutions (IBM SPSS) version 24 was used to analyse the data. Chi Square and Crammer’s V tests were performed on the data. It was established that more female (59%) than male (41%) respondents used the library. Of the respondents engaged 26% o were children; 30% were youth and 55% were adults. In terms of travelling to access the library services 32% of the respondents travels less than two kilometers while 68% travel more than two kilometers. This indicates that the majority of the users have a challenge of accessing the library due to distance. The majority of the respondents (70%) did not use the library frequently, with only 30% being active library users. Significant differences in accessing library services were observed according to age in terms of “Current books on all subjects”, “Major reference works such as Encyclopaedias and dictionaries”, “Books on arts and crafts”, “Audio-visual materials” and “Electronic databases”. No significant differences according to gender were observed on all aspects on availability of materials except for “Children’s materials”. Only the perception on availability of “Current books on all subjects” showed a moderate relationship across age (based on the Cramer’s V value >.3). However, on all the aspects where the results showed an association by age and gender the relationship was deemed weak as demonstrated by Cramer’ V values (<.3). Generally, all the respondents (adults, youth and children) were not satisfied with the ICTs, availability of information and available services and amenities. Chi-square tests showed no significant associations between age and perceptions on ICT resources of an ideal library, available services, available amenities, marketing of library services, availability of materials in the library and type of information needed to make informed decisions. These results imply that for the library to provide unhindered services, there must be an enabling environment for the smooth running of the library. There is a need for government to review the policy of running the libraries from districts, as this negatively impacts on opening hours, acquisitions of materials and ICTs support. The library needs to do a periodic survey of the information needs of the community so that it responds by providing relevant and current resources. The study proposed a conceptual model that will enhance the functionality of libraries and to enhance their capacity to offer better services to their users. The proposed model is anchored on nine broad areas which are strengthening human resources, funding, access and accessibility, partnerships, infrastructure, ICTs, management, stakeholder consultation and periodic users’ surveys. Thus, if these interventions are heeded to, there is a higher possibility that the library will be more functional and better positioned to close the information gap. The study contributes to the body of knowledge through provision of a conceptual model which highlights factors that hamper smooth provision of library services, and offers pillars (components of the model) that can enhance the functionality of public libraries in rural areas. It further contributes by highlighting those services regard by users to be important for maximal usage of libraries. This study was unique in that as at the time of completion according to the investigator’s knowledge no other study on rural public libraries has looked into the functionality of libraries funded by the conditional grant using a variety of methods, different perspectives through engaging key informants, factoring in the different age groups and bringing in the gender perspective in a single study. Use of different computer assisted software packages (Atlas version 8 and SPSS version 24) over and above the thematic content analysis to analyse the data was also unique as most other known studies only used thematic content analysis for their qualitative data. Based on the findings it was concluded that decentralized services to local municipal level could reduce many of the challenges that hinder libraries from providing smooth and quality services to their communities. Improved materials collections to satisfy individual and communal information needs, user friendly opening hours as well as engaging the community in library decisions could go a long way in ensuring the library is recognized as a community development hub that fulfills its mission of keeping the community informed. It was therefore recommended that the policy on the running of public libraries should be reviewed with the view to decentralize the running of public libraries to local municipalities,. More still, policy on library funding should be reviewed, library opening hours should be extended, better trained ICT technicians should be placed in local libraries, librarians should be appointed on a permanent basis, and a comparative study of all libraries in Vhembe should be conducted to gauge if the community is deriving any benefits from the provision of computers and access to the internet through “Mzansi Online” project. / Staff Capacity Development