The purpose of this study was to develop information and understanding concerning the use of instructional resources, including library materials, by community junior college vocational-technical instructors.

M.Bibl. / Television producers form a unique user group that mainly requires information regarding audio-visual material in order to produce or to enhance a television programme Information services can contribute to the successful completion of a programme by making information available. The aim of this study is to determine whether information services can enhance information for producers by adding value. The question is also asked which value-added level of information is required. A literature study was done to -examine the term "value-added" in order to be able to apply it to the information needs of television producers; -study the work environment of television producers in order to determine their information needs. An empirical investigation was executed by means of a layered random sampling test. Structured interviews were conducted by means of a questionnaire with a random portion of the television producer corps of the SABC. Personal details were gathered, as well as the use of information sources and services within the SABC and to which value- added level of information they require for a production. Value-added levels were based on Taylor's value-added continuum which consists of information that is enhanced to level two, Information Knowledge, followed by level three, Productive Knowledge, which leads to level four, Action. A television production is completed in four phases, that is the planning and research phase, filming phase, editing phase and final mixing phase .. The results showed that during the planning and research phases television producers require access to all possible information sources and services within the SABC. The information specialist can add value to the first level of value adding. In certain cases the television producers require information during the editing phase, during which the information specialist can add value up to the third level. The results of the research were distilled into a matrix, structured to indicate the levels of added-value to the television producer. Recommendations were made in order to provide a better information service.

No description available.

The proliferation ofinformation available in electronic format has been perpetuated by rapid technological advances. Users have a choice between print and electronic resources. At the same time, the use of these resources is determined by what is available to the users and what the users prefer. Problems that users encounter when accessing these resources determine the use of print and electronic resources. The current study evaluated the use of, and preference for, print and electronic resources by students at the University of Malawi College of Medicine. The study population comprised 179 undergraduate students. A self-administered questionnaire was used to establish the students' use of, and preference for, print and electronic resources, reasons for their preferences and the problems they encountered in accessing print and electronic resources. An interview schedule was used to elicit background information from the College Librarian on issues of budgeting, technological infrastructure, licensing and copyright agreements, archiving and library staff and training. Questionnaire results were quantitatively analysed and presented in terms of frequency tables and graphs. Interview results were analysed qualitatively. The study findings show that the students used both print and electronic resources. However, print resources were more heavily used than electronic ones. The students also preferred print resources to electronic. A lack of sufficient computers and low levels of computer and information literacy contributed to the underutilisation of electronic resources. Recommendations in terms of technological infrastructure, user training, staff training, user support and archiving were made based on the findings of the study. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of KwaZulu- Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

The discussion of introducing the Internet at St. Joseph's Theological Institute in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa took place in 2002 and access to the Internet was introduced in 2003 via 70 computers which were housed in the library. Given that the Internet has emerged as an important learning tool at the tertiary level, the aim of the study was to investigate the use of the Internet by the students at St. Joseph's. The specific objectives of the study were as follows: to find out which students were using the Internet, to find out what students were using the Internet for, to find how often students used the Internet and when they used it, to find out the problems experienced by those students who used the Internet, to find out why certain students do not use the Internet, and lastly the study aimed to make recommendations concerning the use of the Internet by students. The survey research method was used and the data was collected through a self administered questionnaire. No sampling was done as the entire population of 188 students was surveyed. Sixty five students responded - a response rate of 34.6 %. Findings revealed that of the 65 students who completed the questionnaires 34 (52.3%) had used the Internet and 31 (47.6%) had not. Out of the 24 respondents who gave reasons for not having used the Internet, the majority 17 (70.8%) of respondents said that they had not received formal training and did not know how to use the Internet. The major problems facing the Internet users at St. Joseph 's were the shortage of computers mentioned by 13 (38.2%) respondents and computers being slow as indicated by 13 (38.2%) respondents. Six (17.6%) respondents also pointed to not having enough training in the use of Internet facilities. Recommendations concerning Internet use at the Institute were made and suggestions for further research put forward. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

Academic libraries are concerned about being involved in the communities in which they exist by rendering library and information services. In order to maintain effective community involvement, academic libraries find it is important to find ways in which they can serve the community. The study investigated the Mangosuthu Technikon Resource Centre's (MTRC) involvement in the community. The intention was to determine the extent of usage of the MTRC services by Umlazi high school teachers and to identify problems which these teachers experienced with regard to the MTRC services. Umlazi high school teachers as users of the MTRC services and MTRC staff as providers of the services, were the two groups chosen for the study. Two questionnaires, one for external respondents, the Umlazi high school teachers, and another for the internal respondents, MTRC staff: were hand delivered to and collected from the respondents. The results of the survey indicated a very low percentage of usage of the MTRC services by Umlazi high school teachers and a high percentage of interest in and lack of knowledge of the MTRC services by Umlazi high school teachers. There was agreement of opinions between Umlazi high school teachers and MTRC staff on the reasons for non-use of the MTRC services by Umlazi high school teachers. Reasons indicated were that teachers did not know they could use the MTRC. There was a lack of promotional brochures and newsletters, and teachers obtained what they needed elsewhere. It was recommended that MTRC staff be educated on the MTRC's responsibility to community involvement; that the MTRC provide library user education to Umlazi high school teachers; that the MTRC base its services on community needs assessment; that marketing practices be injected into the MTRC services; that consultation with the community during planning stages of community services be maintained; that MTRC provide the community only with services not provided elsewhere; and that the MTRC take initiative in establishing a multitype area network with Umlazi Public Library and Umlazi high schools. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.

This study examines the current level of library patronage among accounting students both in the distance and a contact learning institution in South Africa. There is a relative absence of studies of academic library usage by accounting students. The low level of library usage, that is, low level of library visits and poor research skills of undergraduate accounting students has been attributed to the difficulty in integrating accounting curriculum with information literacy. However, the challenge facing academic librarians is persuading both academic faculty and accounting students to integrate information literacy into their curriculum and to convince individual students to make time in their schedules for library usage. In South Africa, this problem is compounded when it is a requirement of the accreditation body, The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), which requires academic departments to integrate library usage into the accounting curriculum for their programme to be accredited. The study examines the current level of library patronage among accounting students both in a distance and a contact learning institution in South Africa. The sub-objectives of the study were to investigate the reasons for low level of library patronage among accounting students in South African Universities; to determine what features would make the use of a library for locating information that is relevant and attractive to university accounting students in a contact and a distance learning institution in South Africa; and to investigate what, if any, improvements to library service can be made to make the use of the library of significant importance. Using a survey research method that utilises a structured questionnaire, this study gathered data from a sample of 500 accounting students from a distance and a contact learning institution in South Africa, out of which 379 returned completed questionnaire, representing 76%. The finding indicates that as with most accounting students across the world, South African students are no exception because of the peculiarity and design of their programme curriculum that provides recommended texts for students’ usage. The findings further show that the apathy of library services patronage among university accounting students in South Africa is exacerbated by lecturers who seldom give assignments or tasks that require the students to search for information beyond the recommended textbooks. Findings indicate that the most significant factor that influences accounting students of universities to patronise library resources are the expertise and interaction of the library staff. This is supported by the Expectation-Confirmation Theory framework which posits that patrons will continue to use library services only if their perceived perception of the usefulness of the services are satisfied. In this case, accounting students from both institutions examined in this study confirm the Expectation-Confirmation Theory framework of satisfaction being based on the perception of the library services they receive. The study recommends that in motivating accounting students to patronise library services, library management needs to understand the discipline-specific teaching and learning practices and collaborate with curriculum developers in the accounting discipline to incorporate the use of library services in their programme. Further study is encouraged to include all universities that offer accounting programmes in South Africa for a more robust finding. / Information Science / M. Inf. (Information Science)

A case study was conducted to document the changes in the attitudes of academic administrators at Langston University with regards to the use of various types of information sources for strategic planning. Environmental scanning of external factors was accomplished for six months by the use of a selective dissemination of information (SDI) service. Pre- and post-assessments of the perceived reliance on, satisfaction with and adequacy of personal and library-type information sources were conducted. Findings indicated the continued reliance on personal sources. No statistically significant changes were found in perceived adequacy levels in the use of library-type materials. The overall satisfaction level for the use of library-type information sources and retrieval methods showed a significant increase. Further study is recommended that will utilize additional information technology and other academic institutions.

Academic librarians have for a number of decades been interested in understanding more about how and why students use libraries. This study contributes to that area of library administration by focusing on nine factors thought to be associated with student use of academic libraries.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Information Studies)) --University of Limpopo, 2009 / This research report serves as an empirical investigation into the utilization of information technology to support information and knowledge management in law firms, as well as an attempt to design an information and knowledge management model for law firms. Members of the legal profession attached to law firms in the Polokwane City were investigated to find out how optimally they utilize information and communication technologies to support information and knowledge management in their daily operations. The research indicated that there are several ways in which information technology could be used to support the creation, organization, and transfer of information and knowledge in law firms, for the benefit of both lawyers and their clients . In order to provide for an empirical basis for this research, a survey research method, through the use of the questionnaires and interviews, was conducted, followed by a detailed content analysis of law firm websites. An in-depth literature review on the utilization of information technology to support information and knowledge management in law firms was also carried out to determine the findings of other studies that have been conducted elsewhere on the current topic. The results of this research showed that lawyers attached to law firms in the city of Polokwane appear to be non-users of information technology in as far as information and knowledge management is concerned. Most of the members of the law firms in the city seem to be utilizing information technology for basic purposes such as word processing, legal research, client billing, and communication through the e-mail. Other information and knowledge management tools, such as intranets, extranets and web portals, appear not to be utilized by most of the law firms in the city. Based on the findings of this research project, an information and knowledge network model, in a form of Wireless Local Area Network for the law firms in the Polokwane City, is proposed. This network could be utilized by law firms operating in the city to deposit, organize, retrieve, and share information and knowledge collaboratively through the use of information technology. Factors that should be taken into consideration in attempting to implement the proposed model are also discussed. At the end of the research report, some recommendations on encouraging lawyers to utilize information technology optimally are provided, together with recommendations for future research.