Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl / Amongst university libraries e-books are gaining wider interest since the introduction of portable electronic reading devices and software-based readers. With the growing electronic environment within universities, a need for competent and knowledgeable librarians has come to the forefront of information seeking and use. The research question addressed in this study is to what extent are e-books being used among academic librarians in their work environment? The purpose of this study was to investigate the usage of e-books amongst academic librarians; in particular which e-books are available to academic librarians, why they choose this format, what impact e-books have on librarians’ professional practice and what the usage patterns of ebooks are amongst academic librarians. The methodology used to collect the data is survey research. An electronic questionnaire was distributed on the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) mailing list. The population sample for this study was the subject and reference librarians at South African university libraries who all subscribe to the LIASA mailing list. A user study is the theory that frames this research. The purpose of the user study was to obtain an overview of users’ habits, preferences, and conventions when interacting with in this case, ebooks in a work environment. The majority of user studies concerns clients of the library such as students or academics and how they search for information or what they want from a library service. This particular study is different. The academic librarians are the users in this instance and their use of e-books in their professional work the focus of the study. The results revealed that academic librarians (48% of respondents) would often select the e-book version before print materials if available within their institutions. The results reflect more a gradual trend towards e-book uptake. There is still a preference for print or a “bit of both” – print and electronic. This is because of the high costs of e-books using the subscription model as the predominant e-book acquisition model and the lack of sufficient e-books in all subject fields. Ebooks are used for “browsing for information” and are selected for functionalities such as having the ability to search the document, anytime access and automatic citation. Major problems identified with e-books are (1) the cost of the equipment to read e-book formats, (2) the cost of the e-books especially if the subscription purchasing model is used, (3) the reliability of the internet and (4) the lack of training in how to use e-books. The study concludes by making recommendations for further research.

This study used a qualitative case study method to explore the position of a subject librarian in a large academic library in the United States using the subject librarians at Brigham Young University as the case. In the first phase of the study, all Brigham Young University subject librarians were given the opportunity to participate in a semi-structured interview. Subject librarians considered their main purpose to be connecting the people at the university with library resources. Their duties of collection development, reference, instruction, liaison, citizenship, professional development, and scholarship are interrelated and work together in important ways. Subject librarians are satisfied with their jobs and corresponding autonomy. They are concerned about librarian stereotypes and want to overcome the ignorance about their positions. They agree that subject knowledge is important but do not agree on a formal degree standard. In the next phase of the study, one faculty member was interviewed for each participating subject librarian. Faculty members defined a subject librarian as someone who knows their subject and has library training. Faculty members valued librarian competence over any specific degree or training and did not care what status librarians held. Faculty members considered the primary duties of a subject librarian as helping faculty members purchase materials and helping faculty and students find and use the library's resources. Faculty members interviewed were pleased with and grateful for the services they received from subject librarians. This study can be used by libraries to help with the subject librarian hiring process, showing that the focus should be on people skills and connection with others and not on degree and status. The study can also help craft a subject librarian program, encouraging subject librarians to focus on faculty members' understanding and priorities.

The traditional academic reference environment has been transformed by electronic technology. The purpose of this study is to investigate the consequences of this transformation concerning the changing role of the reference librarian as well as the new competencies that are needed to be efficient in this electronic information environment. Research method: A literature study was conducted in order to establish the nature of the traditional academic reference environment; to determine the changes that took place in the electronic reference environment and the effect of these changes on the role expectations and competencies of the academic reference librarian. Core findings: The role of the academic reference librarian in an electronic environment has changed from sole information provider in the traditional environment to facilitator and guide to relevant resources in the electronic environment. Three main roles have been identified: it can be expected of an academic reference librarian to be a trainer, an information manager and to be equipped to handle information enquiries via electronic mail. Reference librarians need additional training and continuing education in order to develop new skills and acquire new knowledge to enable them to handle these identified tasks. Although responsibilities for providing training and education opportunities reside with library managers, in the end, each reference librarian must assume responsibility for acquiring the required competencies. Librarians must not see the developments in information technology and especially Internet as a threat, but as an opportunity and vehicle to deliver and support better information services to users. / Thesis (M.Bibl.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002.

The traditional academic reference environment has been transformed by electronic technology. The purpose of this study is to investigate the consequences of this transformation concerning the changing role of the reference librarian as well as the new competencies that are needed to be efficient in this electronic information environment. Research method: A literature study was conducted in order to establish the nature of the traditional academic reference environment; to determine the changes that took place in the electronic reference environment and the effect of these changes on the role expectations and competencies of the academic reference librarian. Core findings: The role of the academic reference librarian in an electronic environment has changed from sole information provider in the traditional environment to facilitator and guide to relevant resources in the electronic environment. Three main roles have been identified: it can be expected of an academic reference librarian to be a trainer, an information manager and to be equipped to handle information enquiries via electronic mail. Reference librarians need additional training and continuing education in order to develop new skills and acquire new knowledge to enable them to handle these identified tasks. Although responsibilities for providing training and education opportunities reside with library managers, in the end, each reference librarian must assume responsibility for acquiring the required competencies. Librarians must not see the developments in information technology and especially Internet as a threat, but as an opportunity and vehicle to deliver and support better information services to users. / Thesis (M.Bibl.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the collection development practices of electronic resources at the University of Namibia (UNAM) library and its constituent branches. Collection development is one of the critical activities of any library management process; therefore, the goal of collection development in university libraries is to effectively provide relevant and up-to-date information resources. The main aims of the study were: to explore the collection development procedures and policies for electronic resources at the UNAM library; to investigate the factors that influence the collection development of information resources; to assess the extent which teaching staff and subject librarians are involved in collection development at the UNAM library; to discover the barriers to effective collection development of electronic resources at the UNAM library; and to determine the influence of the UNAM library budget allocation on the collection development of electronic resources. The population of the study comprised of 291 teaching staff from all eight faculties of UNAM. A total of 149 faculty members responded to the survey, which gave a response rate of 51.2%, while a total number of 16 library staff were interviewed. The study employed a quantitative approach, and the qualitative approach was applied on the part of the library staff. For quantitative data collection, the study used a self-administered questionnaire, while for qualitative data, the study used an interview schedule with library staff. The data from the interviews were used to complement the data from the survey. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, while the qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The study revealed that not all faculty members are aware of the guideline, procedure, and policies on the collection development activities. Eighty one percent (81%) of the respondents are aware of the importance of their role in selecting library materials, 72% are aware of acquiring books, and 67% are aware of the budget allocated to their faculty. The majority totaling 94% of the faculty members are not aware of weeding or disposal of library books, followed by 83% who are not aware of collection evaluation, and 81% are not aware of the collection development policy in place at the UNAM library. From the data collected, the study found that a majority (67%) of faculty members are aware of ICTs used in collection development activities. Even though the majority of faculty members are aware of ICTs used in collection development activities, (45%) faculty members are not aware that ICTs can be used in collection development. The major challenge facing the UNAM library is the absence of the collection development policy, which makes it difficult for the teaching staff, students, and library staff to understand all the issues related to the collection development of electronic resources in the library. Another challenge is the inadequacy of funds to cater for the increasing costs of electronic resources in various subject fields. / Information Science / M. A. (Information Science)

Thesis (M.A. (Information Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceptions of final-year students and subject librarians towards the adequacy of the structure and content of library user education programmes at the University of Limpopo (UL) library. Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were followed and a descriptive and phenomenological research designs respectively were also adopted for the study. The population for the study consisted of 260 final year students and eight (8) subject librarians, who were selected through systematic random sampling (students) and purposive sampling methods (subject librarians). Data were collected from students and subject librarians using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. An analysis of content for UL library website was also conducted to triangulate the results of the study. Quantitative and qualitative were analysed using excel spreadsheet and thematic analysis respectively. The final year students at the UL showed some positive perceptions and attitudes towards the library in general and to the adequacy of the content and structure of its user education programmes. They are of the opinion that library staff should commit to good customer care principles and regular delivery of user education programmes, and that user education programmes at the UL library should be a credit-bearing module/course for all first-level students in all four faculties. On the structure and content, the findings of the study revealed that the UL library provides user education programmes such as library orientation, bibliographic instruction, information literacy, on-on-one training, online interactive course, library guides and brochures with different content and for different library users. Website content analysis found subject LibGuides were used as platforms for advertising Bibliographic Instruction programmes. However, impediments experienced by subject librarians towards a comprehensive delivering of user education programmes at the UL library include insufficient time allocated to user education programmes, lack of venues to conduct user education sessions, inaccessibility of social media tools, LibGuides not going live, insubstantial partnerships between stakeholders (academics and students) and the v library staff, and low attendance of user education programmes by undergraduate students. The research recommends that there should be a credit-bearing and compulsory information literacy programme offered as part of the curriculum at first levels of study at the UL. Furthermore, library staff need to have a continuous engagement with both academic staff and students, and notify them about important events within the library. The library website should also be upload recorded online user education sessions which can be accessed by library users any time. The library management should also engage ICT to open the social media platforms as that is where most students prefer to interact. This can also be used to deliver user education programmes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the training needs of law academics by examining their ability to use legal electronic information resources at Unisa effectively. Using the survey method, a questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was descriptively analysed. The study revealed that law academics are aware of the wide variety of electronic resources relevant to their work. Further, these academics possess the necessary basic skills to use these resources. However, the majority of academics do not have high levels of confidence in using specific electronic legal resources. This study concluded that, despite the library's provision of user training sessions for academics, training does not focus on legal electronic resources. The variety of responses revealed the diverse training needs of law academics. The study recommended that training needs analysis be conducted by subject librarians who would conduct specialised legal electronic training. / Information Sscience / M.Inf.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the training needs of law academics by examining their ability to use legal electronic information resources at Unisa effectively. Using the survey method, a questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was descriptively analysed. The study revealed that law academics are aware of the wide variety of electronic resources relevant to their work. Further, these academics possess the necessary basic skills to use these resources. However, the majority of academics do not have high levels of confidence in using specific electronic legal resources. This study concluded that, despite the library's provision of user training sessions for academics, training does not focus on legal electronic resources. The variety of responses revealed the diverse training needs of law academics. The study recommended that training needs analysis be conducted by subject librarians who would conduct specialised legal electronic training. / Information Sscience / M.Inf.