Thesis (Ph. D.)--Walden University, 1997. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Walden University, 1997. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1975. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-141). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California at Berkeley, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 199-207).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1992. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 261-278) and index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Johns Hopkins University. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 220-222).

The primary purpose of this study was to test the following hypothesis: The internal use (use within the technical services unit for decision making and planning) of statistical data will be significantly higher for managers scoring in the Sensing-Thinking (ST) scale of the self-assessment instrument Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. A Technical Services Statistics Survey Form was developed in order to collect statistical data from the technical services managers participating in the study. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was utilized to record managers' personal management style. Thirty-two managers participated in the two-part study. The hypothesis of the study was not supported because no significant differences in the predicted direction were found to exist between the use of the technical services statistics and management style groups as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. (A Mann-Whitney U Test was used due to the small, uneven sample size.) There were significant differences between Sensing-Thinking (ST) and Intuitive-Feeling (NF) types, but not in the direction predicted by the hypothesis. Possible explanations for this unexpected finding include the very small sample size, the larger percentage of male respondents in the NF type, and the larger percentage of respondents from smaller institutions in the NF type. (Gender and institutional size were not analyzed in this study.) A sharp contrast existed in the number and guality of comments provided by Sensing-Thinking (ST) and Intuitive-Thinking (NT) types, both of whom tended to write lengthy detailed comments elaborating on each statistic. Sensing-Feeling (SF) and Intuitive-Feeling (NF) types provided little or no comment on the Technical Services Statistics Form. The results of this research have implications for examining the technical services statistics collected in technical services units: the frequency of analysis; their importance for planning; the use of these statistics; and the level at which the statistic is used for decision making. Other implications pertain to the automation of statistical data and the use or non-use of the automated reports available.

Reorganization efforts within colleges and universities are increasingly considered as institutions look for ways to streamline operations for financial cost savings or competitive advantage. The purpose of this study was to assess a particular change effort in a university library which took place between August, 1996 and July, 1997. A team was formed to manage the change effort, and an outside consultant was hired to facilitate the process and guide the team. Stufflebeam's evaluation model was used as a conceptual framework to evaluate the entire process which included a particular change management model brought in by the consultant. The entire change effort was described by the author as a participating member of the team and assessed by gathering feedback from team members, library staff members affected by the effort, and members of the library administration.

This study investigated the factors, best practice, advantages and disadvantages that influence the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) self-help circulation services for service delivery by South African academic libraries with specific emphasis on the University of South Africa (Unisa) Library. Unisa Library Services is the only library service in South Africa that has implemented a fully-fledged RFID self-help circulation service. There must therefore be reasons why other libraries in South Africa have not implemented this type of service. Accordingly, a need was identified to investigate the aspects that should be considered before a library decides to implement such a circulation service. There was also a need to identify the factors, best practice, advantages and disadvantages that influence the use of RFID self-help circulation services. The study gives a brief overview of RFID technology and its use in libraries internationally with specific emphasis on its use for self-help circulation purposes. Through a literature study, certain factors, best practice, advantages and disadvantages that influence the use of RFID self-help circulation services were identified. The identified factors, best practice, advantages and disadvantages were subsequently used to compile questionnaires to obtain information from Unisa library users (students and staff). Only Unisa staff and students who were situated close to Unisa campuses with RFID self-help circulation services were included in the study. During the analysis of the data collected additional factors, best practice, advantages and disadvantages were identified. Recommendations were compiled regarding the factors, best practice, advantages and disadvantages that influence the use of RFID self-help circulation services. These recommendations are meant as a guide for South African libraries when making decisions on the possible implementation and use of RFID self-help circulation services. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

The scarcity of financial resources often poses challenges for organisations in both the private and the public sector, which require productive (tangible) resources, in order to thrive. Organisations are developing innovative and cost-effective methods to secure productive resources that are needed to drive performance. Special libraries in the public sector face the same pressures that resulted in some of them being overwhelmed by poor resources. The purpose of the study is to determine the levels of resources available to the libraries in the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) and the extent to which tangible resources can predict information service provision in GPG libraries. The theory of the firm and the resource-based view (RBV) theory were used as theoretical framework to support the study. The study addresses the identified gap of resource adequacy in special libraries by measuring adequacy from the perspective of those responsible for exploiting the resources, instead of the library services (the output) and library users. This approach differs from those in similar studies, which measured adequacy from the perspective of consumers. The study adopted a positivist philosophical assumption, using a quantitative research approach, with questionnaires and interviews as the data collection tools. The population of the study involves all the library officials of the libraries in Gauteng Provincial Government departments, including management. Due to the nature and size of the target population, there was no need for sampling. A total of 30 respondents for both quantitative and qualitative data, participated in the study. In order to achieve acceptable levels of validity of collected and analysed data, the face validity method was used, whereas the representative reliability method was used to ensure reliability and consistency of the measuring instruments. Mean and standard deviation, multiple regression and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient analyses on quantitative data was conducted by using the data analysis tool Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS). Atlas Ti was used to analyse the qualitative data collected. No major limitations were identified. The study found the level of physical, financial, ICT-based resources and staff development and training in the GPG libraries to be low, similarly the level of information services provided was found to be low. The resources were found to have predictive value on one another, but not on information services. Furthermore, the study did find a positive and strong relationship between resources and services at GPG libraries. The study recommended a resourcing model that is based on the collaborative consumption/sharing economy concept and principles. / Information Science / D. Phil (Information Science)